WHY WE USE ALL CAPS TO SHOUT, with Glenn Fleishman
19 February - 27 mins1161. Today, we look at the history of writing in all-uppercase letters. Tech historian Glenn Fleishman explains how capitals transitioned from a sign of importance to a convention for shouting. Plus, we discuss his research tracking the association between yelling and capital letters back to 1856 and why early newspapers used all capitals to make tiny type seem larger.
Glenn Fleishman's website.
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How 'be like' took over the world, with Sali Tagliamonte
1163. This week, we look at what it’s like to be a "language detective" with Sali Tagliamonte and how she used her own teenagers as a research lab. We look at a 25-year study on how the phrase "be like" became a permanent fixture of English, why the word "very" is suddenly making a comeback with younger generations, and what happens to our language when we spend all day talking to AI.
26 mins
26 February Finished
Why 'Tonka' sounds big and 'bitty' sounds small. Why you CAN start a sentence with 'because.'
1162. This week, we look at why some names just "feel right" while others don't and how vowels like "ee" create associations with smallness and sweetness while back vowels like "ah" sound bigger and more serious. Then, we look at dependent clauses and when it's OK to start a sentence with "because."
13 mins
24 February Finished
Battle of the moguls. 'Awhile' versus 'a while.' Crittador.
1160. This week, we look at why "mogul" means both a ski bump and a powerful person. Then, we tackle when to use "awhile" versus "a while," with a trick to help you remember.
13 mins
17 February Finished
Writing for ‘civic clarity’ (plus, the power of short sentences), with Roy Peter Clark
1159. This week, we look at "civic clarity" with writing instructor Roy Peter Clark in a newly edited version of our 2020 conversation. We look at the ethical code of clear communication and why "civic clarity" is more important now than ever. We also discuss the strategy of "writing short" for social media and how to navigate the difficult process of cutting a draft to find your focus.
23 mins
12 February Finished