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Mike Vuolo and Bob Garfield interview Richard Tofel on his book Sound the Trumpet: The Making of John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, revealing the startling authorship behind JFK’s most famous words. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
1What did English sound like during the Revolutionary War? John has a number of fascinating observations about the way the language was spoken back then — including the accents!PLEASE COME FIND US AT booksmartstudios.com — we won’t be on Substack for much longer!!! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
Over isn’t just the opposite of under and off is not necessarily the opposite of on. John explains.Please subscribe to Lexicon Valley to support our show — go to www.booksmartstudios.com to find out how! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
John talks about the subject of his new book by Avery Publishing — Pronoun Trouble: The Story of Us in Seven Little Words.Please subscribe at www.booksmartstudios.com and thank you for listening! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
The Thai words for fire, die and rim sound an awful lot like the English words fire, die and rim. Why is that? John explains.To help support Lexicon Valley please consider a paid subscription — visit www.booksmartstudios.com and sign up today! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
Words like thence and thither are all but obsolete in English, but they were actually quite useful! John explains.SUBSCRIBE to LEXICON VALLEY — please go to www.booksmartstudios.com to become a paid member and receive our BONUS segments. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
Do you know the difference between a rabbit and a hare? And what then is a bunny? Follow John through the etymological warrens of these several words. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
It may seem apparent how we got from busyness to business, but the origins of the word “busy” itself are shrouded in mystery. John explains. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
As a daily listener to WNYC Public Radio in New York City, John has noticed that a certain announcer frequently mispronounces words on air. He has thoughts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
Working backwards from existing languages, linguists have had great success reconstructing Proto-Indo-European. Does that mean we can do the same for all language families? John explains. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
A cyclone came through and blew off most of English’s clothes, says John, in Part II of his discussion of Indo-European. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
There are at least five defining features among hundreds of related languages from English to Hindi to Russian. And what does any of that have to do with the Hittites? John explains. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
The simple verb to go quickly gets complex in just about any language and English is no exception. John explains. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
What does the bat in “acrobat” have to do with the word come? John explains. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
Reflexive pronouns are redundant in a way, sure, but they’re also quite common in many languages. John explains. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
There’s good reason to believe that sophisticated speech began long before homo sapiens hit the scene. John explains. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
Does Ayesha Rascoe have a good radio voice? Not according to many NPR listeners, who find her loud, high-pitched and generally grating. John explains. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
A recent study suggests that a new dialect is emerging in the southern part of Florida. John explains. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
The trial transcript of a 225-year-old murder is filled with fascinating evidence of the way we used to talk. John explains. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
Many English verbs have three forms — sing, sang and sung, for example. The problem is that speakers seem to want only two. John explains. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
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Rascoe did great reporting work when she covered the White House. I never could figure out how SHE felt about the subjects of her reporting. She has been the ONLY truly non-partisan reporter I've heard from Presidential coverage. It allowed me to focus entirely on the content, without having to scope out bias.
उधजलस शंं शसंधवधः
My husband and I loved Ayesha Roscoe from the get go. She sounds human!
My little brother once retorted, "I AM being haved!" when told to behave. 🤣
"Put on your coat and put on your hat. walk yourself to the laundrymat." Yakety, Yak. Coasters 1957(?)
A great episode! Thank you. I'm going to find Ragtime!
persian: rain comes! بارون میاد
As an Iranian, my preference between Farsi and Persian is the latter. Not only because of the reason John is explaining in this show, but also because Farsi is the Arabized form of the actual Persian word "Parsi". Persia (today Iran) was colonized by early Muslim Arabs for centuries. While they could not change the language like what they did in many other colonized lands such as Egypt, Syria, Lebanon,... they impacted the Persian language a great deal, mainly vocabulary-wise. As an example, in Arabic (from Arabia peninsula) there is no P sound. So whenever they encounter it in other languages, they usually change it to F sound. As a result, the word Parsi (meaning Persian) altered to Farsi. As I already mentioned, Arabs invaded and conquered Persia/Iran in the 7th century and ruled Iran for centuries under Khalifat (Muslim Empire). The result is a great deal of change in culture, religion, and language. That's why today the word Farsi is more common than the actual "Parsi" in Iran. Ho
It's those pesky Etruscans! That's my new blame-all phrase.
You got me with the "out of gas" because I thought you were going into the contextual usage for "I'm tired." and you didn't. I couldn't predict where you were going with it. 🤪
I am from Marylqnd and I love this episode because I totally relate to the pronunciations. I love having them "spelled out". ; )
on the origin of A$$holes: when cleaning, or gutting, an animal, you start at the anus and cut around it then work towards the head to avoid cutting any of the guts which would lead to contamination of the meet. This offal was left behind as useless. So, referring to a "pile of a$$holes, over there" is drawing comparison to the useless leftovers. Your other early examples also seem to imply useless as the primary meaning, too. In English, it appears that all derogatory terms trend toward common usage, to describe a "bad person"; asshole, bastard, shithead, etc. are, for all intents, interchangeable today.
The world needs more John McWhorter. Glad I found this!
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