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The Evolution of 'Woke'
Listen now | In this special crossover episode, John discusses the problem with "problematic" and tracks the shifting meaning of "cancel culture."
John McWhorter
May 10, 2022
73
25
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The Evolution of 'Woke'
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Let Sleeping Dogs Lay
Listen now | For his 150th episode, John argues that the distinction between "lie" and "lay" is an archaism we should abandon.
John McWhorter
Apr 12, 2022
45
59
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Let Sleeping Dogs Lay
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You Are SO Articulate. Really.
Listen now (38 min) | Juggling thousands of bizarre idioms, nuanced definitions and subtle rules, we somehow wield our language handily. We're amazing.
John McWhorter
Jul 6, 2022
46
4
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You Are SO Articulate. Really.
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The Luck of the Pot
Listen now (6 min) | Does "potluck" have Native American origins?
John McWhorter
Sep 22, 2022
37
8
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The Luck of the Pot
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Why Do Brits Put R's Where They Don't Belong?
Also, how did the verb "to be" evolve into such an irregular mess?
John McWhorter
Apr 23, 2022
12
9
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Why Do Brits Put R's Where They Don't Belong?
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JFK's Most Famous Sentence
Listen now (43 min) | John McWhorter analyzes the profoundly resonant "Ask not" line, word for word.
John McWhorter
May 25, 2022
43
9
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JFK's Most Famous Sentence
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BONUS: English Is Hard Enough Without Antiquated Distinctions
Listen now | Why John isn't backing down on lay-lie equivalency.
John McWhorter
Apr 19, 2022
10
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BONUS: English Is Hard Enough Without Antiquated Distinctions
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Reviving Dead Languages
Listen now | Bringing a language back to life is damned hard. So why resuscitate?
John McWhorter
Apr 28, 2022
34
20
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Reviving Dead Languages
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How Do You Pronounce "Often"?
Also, is Swahili as easy to learn as John suggests?
John McWhorter
May 21, 2022
12
10
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How Do You Pronounce "Often"?
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The Haphazard History of C
Listen now (31 min) | How did Etruscan, a language that has been dead for 2,000 years, give rise to the third letter of our alphabet?
John McWhorter
Jun 7, 2022
27
23
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The Haphazard History of C
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Is Negro a Slur or Just Antiquated?
Listen now (35 min) | And does the word "picnic" have a racist origin?
John McWhorter
Sep 13, 2022
44
8
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Is Negro a Slur or Just Antiquated?
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Is "Knocked Up" Racist?
Listen now (31 min) | Plus, some other pregnant expressions for with child.
John McWhorter
Dec 13, 2022
34
10
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Is "Knocked Up" Racist?
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