Does Bigfoot use language?
Can your brain understand a message if it’s backwards?
We don’t always understand how language works, so it’s natural that myths and legends about language should arise. Now a new book “Language Myths, Mysteries, and Magic” …
Does the world look different if you speak a different language?
Can we tell what someone’s culture is like, just from the structure of their syntax?
For linguists, the answers are no. And no.
John McWhorter is the author of …
Are you concerned about encroaching Americanism?
Do you worry that words like ketchup and zee will destroy the Australian way of life?
Well, don’t worry; language change works both ways. Americans are picking up words and phrases from Australia. But …
Languages are disappearing.
In the next hundred years, half the world’s languages may be gone. But is this really a problem? What do we lose when we lose a language? And can the process be halted?
We catch up with …
Are you a grammar grouch? Do you have language peeves? And if so, how can you recover?
Linguist Daniel Midgley talks the talk with Lane Greene, language blogger, journalist, and author of the new book You Are What You …
Would you mistake a computer for a human?
That’s the basis of the Turing Test, a version of which plays out every year in the form of the Loebner Prize. Programmers bring their best work, and there’s a control group …
It’s one of the most commonly recognised English words in the world.
You probably use it scores of times a day. But how much do you know about okay?
Its origins are obscure, but here to talk us through …
We're Because Language now, and you can support the show by using our Patreon page. Plenty of audio, video, and text goodies. Thanks to all our patrons!
Become a Patron!Talk the Talk was a podcast about language that ran on community radio station RTRFM in Perth Australia. It aired on Tuesdays at 11am from about 2009 until early 2020.
Many people took part, but the main crew was Daniel Midgley, Ben Ainslie, Kylie Sturgess, and Hedvig Skirgård.
All the regular and bonus episodes are here for your listening pleasure, along with the promos, where Daniel would tell what the upcoming show was about. Some shows have Cutting Room Floor posts, which contain fun stuff that didn’t make it into the regular show. There are also full interviews with our guests.
The team continues its linguistic adventures as Because Language, and you can hear their zany exploits at becauselanguage.com.
© 2024 Talk the Talk
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑
