Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast

Episodios

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  The Oxford Comma Debate: Interview with Jay Stookesbery 27.07.2026 42m

  In this episode, Ray and Jay discuss the question first raised by the 2000s indie rock band, Vampire Weekend: Who gives a f*** about an Oxford comma ? Their conversation covers the history, usage, and widespread cultural obsession surrounding the most controversial of all commas . Jay debunks many myths surrounding the Oxford comma's alleged usefulness while acknowledging many of the reasons why "Oxfordnistas" advocate for it . Ultimately, the discussion highlights how stylistic choices in writing are largely driven by personal preference rather than strict grammatical rules. You can buy Jay's book here. You can support Words for Granted on Patreon.
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  The Simplified Spelling Movement: Interview with Gabe Henry 22.06.2026 36m

  We all know English spelling is inconsistent, but some people have actually tried to change it. In this episode, Gabe Henry, author of Enough is Enuf, explores the historical crusade to make English spelling more "rational." The conversation highlights the reform efforts of figures like Noah Webster and Ben Franklin, alongside eccentric movements like the 19th-century "Phunny Phellows" and the Mormon Deseret Alphabet. Ultimately, they dive into why these phonetic revolutions fail and how our spelling shapes our cultural identity. To buy Gabe's book, click here. To support this podcast, click here.
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  The Proto-Indo-European Puzzle: Interview with Laura Spinney 11.05.2026 50m

  In this episode, Ray chats with author Laura Spinney about Proto-Indo-European, the ancestral language of hundreds of modern languages spoken by billions today ranging from Western Europe to India. They explore how linguists reconstruct this unwritten language through comparative methods, what its vocabulary reveals about ancient society, and why its story remains relatively unknown despite its global importance. The conversation highlights the interdisciplinary nature of Indo-European studies—drawing on linguistics, archaeology, and especially recent breakthroughs in ancient DNA—which strongly support a migration of steppe pastoralists around 5,000 years ago as a key driver of language spread.  To buy Laura's excellent book Proto, click here.
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  The Science and History of English Accents: Interview with Valerie Fridland 20.04.2026 46m

  In this episode, Ray talks with linguist Valerie Friedland about accents—what they are, where they come from, and why everyone has one. They explore how accents begin in early childhood, how regional speech patterns change over time, and why certain pronunciations carry such strong social meaning. From accent bias to the myth of "accentless" speech, the conversation reveals how deeply language shapes identity and perception. Use this link to buy Valerie's new book, Why We Talk Funny: https://www.valeriefridland.com/  
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  The History of the Alphabet: Interview with Danny Bate 17.03.2026 44m

  In this episode, author Danny Bate walks through the alphabet's evolution from its origins in Egyptian hieroglyphs to the letters of the English alphabet familiar to us today. He explains why English spelling became so irregular, while also arguing that non-phonetic spelling can preserve meaning and help unify diverse English dialects. The conversation also highlights memorable letter histories, including an answer to the question: Why does Q need U?  To learn more about Danny and order his new book, use this link: https://dannybate.com/        
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  Lessons on Language with the Grammar Girl (Mignon Fogerty) 02.01.2024 31m

  In this episode, Ray chats with Mignon Fogerty, aka the Grammar Girl. "Good grammar" may seem like the epitome of prescriptivism, but when it comes to her "Quick and Dirty Tips", Mignon leans on a more ideologically neutral approach. Might you even call "good grammar" ...  a style choice? 
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  The Marvels of Translation: Interview with Keith Khan-Harris 08.07.2023 37m

  What can we learn about the nature of translation by reading a warning message in hundreds of different languages? In this episode, Keith Kahn-Harris discusses his latest book, The Babel Message, in which the mundane, multilingual warning message found inside Kinder Surprise Eggs ignites profound observations about the nature of language and the written word.  To buy The Babel Message, click here.
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  The Power (and Omnipresence) of Rhetoric: Interview with Guy Doza 20.05.2023 50m

  Rhetoric has a bad reputation. We tend to think of it as a linguistic tool used by polticians and marketing execs to maipulate the masses. While this stereotype is true, rhetoric is more than just snake oil––we use it in apologies, negotions, and love letters, all without even realizing it. In this episode, speech writer and author Guy Doza takes through a wide range of rhetorical techniques and the psychology behind their effectiveness.  This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. For 10% off your first month, click here. Buy Guy Doza's new book, How to Apologize for Killing a Cat.  
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  A Defense of "Bad" English: Interview with Valerie Fridland 27.04.2023 50m

  Instead of criticizing deviations from Standard English as "wrong," what if we celebrated them as expressive lingusitic innovations? In this conversation with Valerie, we take a look at some of the quirky features of English that our language teachers taught us to avoid, and in true Words for Granted fashion, we attempt to understand how and why they emerged.  To buy Valerie's new book, "Like Literally, Dude," click here.
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  Learning New Languages: Interview with Rob Paterson 19.03.2023 33m

  What goes into building a language learning curriculum? How do designers choose features within a language learing app? Are some approaches to language learning better than others, or is it up to the indiviudal? In this episode, I explore these questions and more with Rob Paterson, Content Production Manager at Memrise.  To get 50% off an annual plan with Memrise, go to: https://memri.se/WFG50
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  Origins of Place Names: Interview with Duncan Madden 20.12.2022 42m

  Place names are not random––behind the name of every country is a story of how it came to be. From stories of invasion and rebellion to the fantastical and mundane, author Duncan Madden takes us on a journey across the world in his latest book, Found in Translation: The Unexpected Origins of Place Names.  To order or pre-order the book, go to https://www.duncanmadden.com/.
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  Grammatical Gender: Interview with Danny Bate 07.11.2022 58m

  In this interview with linguist Danny Bate, we go deep on all things gender––grammatical gender, that is. Why do some languages have gender while others don't? Where does gender come from? What is the function of gender?  To get 50% off your first month of Lingoda courses, follow this link: https://try.lingoda.com/Words_Nov 
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  Episode 109: Trivia 14.09.2022 21m

  Trivia refers to obscure or useless information, but this definition is a far cry from the word's etymology. Trivia, or tri-via, literally means "three roads," and in Ancient Roman times, it referred to three-way intersections. These heavily trafficked intersections were places where common people would chat, trade, gossip, and bicker, and it is in this context that the seeds of our modern sense of the word were first sown.  You can sign up for the Lingoda Sprint Challenge here:  https://try.lingoda.com/WordsforGranted_Sprint
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  African American English: Interview w/ Tracey Weldon 02.08.2022 38m

  In this episode, I speak with Tracey Weldon, linguist and board advisor on the Oxford Dictionary of African American English project. We discuss the origins of AAE, the role of code switching within its speech community, AAE's contributions to mainstream English, and more.  For $25 off your Lingoda Sprint Challenge enrollment, use this link: https://try.lingoda.com/Ray_Sprint
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  Episode 108: Understand 05.07.2022 19m

  What does "standing under" have to do with "understanding?" Nothing at all, which is why most of us probably overlook the obvious fact that "understand" is actually a compound word comprising "under" and "stand." In our exploration of this confusing etymology, we look at some archaic meanings of the preposition "under" in addition to words with similar semantic constructions in other languages.  Today's episode is sponsored by Lingoda. To get 25% off your enrollment in the Lingoda Sprint Challenge, go to https://try.lingoda.com/Ray and use promo code WORDSFORGRANTED at check out. 
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  Episode 107: World 22.05.2022 17m

  In Old English, the word "world", or weorold, did not refer to a place. It was a compound word comprising wer, meaing "man", and ald, meaning "age". "World" literally meant "the age of man", and in many of its earliest usages, it's more closely related to a man's "lifetime" or "lifespan" than the earth he inhabits. We also look at some unlikely cognates of "world", all of which share etymologies related to "manliness". 
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  Deciphering Ancient Scripts: Interview with Silvia Ferrara 12.03.2022 48m

  Have you ever wondered how writing was invented - or, how many times it was invented? How many undeciphered scripts has the ancient world left us, and is there any hope in eventually deciphering them? In this interview with Silvia Ferrara, author of The Greatest Invention, we explore these questions and many more.  To buy Silvia's book, click here.  You can also support Words for Granted on Patreon!
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  Episode 106: Grotesque 02.02.2022 16m

  The etymology of "grotesque" is hiding in plain sight: "grotto-esque". Originally, the word was used to describe a style of ancient art that was discovered in underground grottos––or at least what appeared to be underground grottos. In the Renaissance, this style was emulated and innovated upon, influencing the evolution of the sense of "grotesque" familiar to us today.
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  Episode 105: Idiot 05.01.2022 17m

  In Ancient Greece, an "idiot", or idiotes, was a "private person", which meant someone who did not hold a political office. In this episode, we explore how the word's modern pejorative connotation emerged. We also look into the word's 19th and early 20th century association with the IQ test.
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  Episode 104: Genius 12.12.2021 25m

  Though people of extraordinary talents and intellect have always existed, the modern sense of "genius" didn't emerge until the relatively recent 18th century. In Ancient Rome, a "genius" was neither a person nor their brilliant works, but a mythological deity whose function within society evolved over the course of antiquity.