From 'gobsmacked' to 'ginger': The British invasion of American English, with Ben Yagoda

From 'gobsmacked' to 'ginger': The British in...

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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 sent ...  Show more

WHY WE USE ALL CAPS TO SHOUT, with Glenn Fleishman

1161. 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 le ...  Show more

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