Memory, Aging, and the Lingering 'Anyways' Image

Memory, Aging, and the Lingering 'Anyways'

26 March 2024 - 17 mins
Podcast Series Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

974. How does aging affect our ability to understand language? From the challenges of processing complex sentences to the resilience you get from a rich vocabulary, we look at how our language skills change over time.  Plus, looking into why people say "anyways" led me to some interesting historical tidbits.

The aging segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." A version of the piece originally appeared on Psychology Today, and you can find her at valeriefridland.com.

| Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/aging-an...

17 mins

Series Episodes

Is ‘sick’...good? What we think of posh language and class. Misunderseed

Is ‘sick’...good? What we think of posh language and class. Misunderseed

1095. Is “sick” really “good”? This week, we look at how words flip their meanings and why language changes over time. Then, we look at the 1950s idea of "U and Non-U English" and what it tells us about social climbing.

17 mins

1 July Finished

The language of children’s storytelling, with Doug Fraser

The language of children’s storytelling, with Doug Fraser

1094. Have you ever wondered about the linguistic techniques behind popular children's podcasts? This week, we talk with Doug Fraser, also known as Dougie Pickles from the "Cozy Critters" podcast, who explains his strategic use of language to soothe and captivate kids. We also hear his insights on what makes successful children's content, including the importance of varied sentence length, the power of word choice and musicality in language.

19 mins

26 June Finished

Why we drop sounds. ChatGPT is changing how people talk. Kombi

Why we drop sounds. ChatGPT is changing how people talk. Kombi

1093. Why do we say “prob’ly” instead of “probably”? This week, we look at elision in everyday speech. Then, we look at a wild study showing that the way people talk is being influenced by AI.

17 mins

24 June Finished

What your accent says about you (and your identity), with Rob Drummond

What your accent says about you (and your identity), with Rob Drummond

1092. Your accent may be saying more than your words. Sociolinguist Rob Drummond explains how accents shape our identities, how they differ across social classes, and why changing your accent can affect how you’re perceived.

31 mins

19 June Finished

Are em dashes really a sign of AI writing? 'Caretaker' vs. 'caregiver'

Are em dashes really a sign of AI writing? 'Caretaker' vs. 'caregiver'

1091. Is the em dash a sign of AI writing? I looked at where the idea comes from, and we have the final answer! Then, we look at the difference between "caregiver" and "caretaker."

17 mins

17 June Finished

What your hands are saying (even when you’re not thinking about it), with Lauren Gawne

What your hands are saying (even when you’re not thinking about it), with Lauren Gawne

1090. Your hands may be saying more than your words. Lauren Gawne explains how gestures shape communication, how they differ across cultures, and why removing gestures can make your speech less fluent.

29 mins

12 June Finished

Recommended

Show name

Title

Sub title

Now Playing

The Pat Kenny Show

Live Now: 9AM - 12PM

Presenter logo
Brand

9AM

12AM

Now Playing

The Pat Kenny Show

The Pat Kenny Show

Of The Ball

1 hour left

Today Finished


Next Up

Default

Default

default

0 mins

No Account

Subscriptions to podcast series are only available to users with an account. Sign in or register to subscribe and access your subscriptions.

Register Sign in

Woops!

Error text.