Why Brits eat biscuits and Americans eat cookies. Why brands keep nouning everything. Hamster alert.

1137. In this bonus conversation with Rob Drummond from back in June, he and I get into the fascinating concept of "languaging" — the idea that speaking is an active process we use to constantly shape and project our identities. Rob explains how our "speaking identities" are incredibly fluid, changing based on context, audience, and even the language we're using.

1136. This week, we go full Thanksgiving, talking about the origin of butter knives, forks, and more. You'll love all the tidbits you can share with your family or friends during dinner.

1135. This week, we talk with Peter Sokolowski, editor at large at Merriam-Webster, about the new print 12th Collegiate Dictionary. We look at why print still matters, how the dictionary used lookup data to decide which words to drop (least looked-up compounds), and the importance of serendipity when researching words in a physical book.

1134. This week, we look at the poetic power of personification (the language quirk that gives human traits to nonhuman things) and why style guides advise against using it for AI. Then, we look at the different names for common sayings, defining a proverb and breaking down the four main types: maxim, adage, dictum, and truism.

1133. This week, crossword pro Natan Last talks about his book "Across the Universe." We look at the technical and cultural differences between American and British puzzle styles and the secrets that will surprise you about how clues are written and edited. We also look at "crosswordese," the long submission process for the “New York Times,” and the AI that won a human crossword tournament.