810 - Words out of Time. Why 'OK' Is OK.

1203. In this bonus discussion with Dr. Charles Kemp, we look at why the Chinese writing system has actually become visually more complex over thousands of years. Dr. Kemp explains how his team used "perimetric complexity" to measure characters and why the need for distinctivenes ...  Show more

1202. This week, we look at the tricky question of what makes something ironic, including situational irony, verbal irony, and "skunked" words, with help from psychologist and author Roger Kreuz. Then, for Bastille Day, we look at how the guillotine got its name (ironically) from ...  Show more

Is OK the best word? It's certainly one of the most versatile. Check the interesting history of this weird contraction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

What do you know about the word okay? It seems very simple, but it is actually very complex! Liz Waid and Colin Lowther look at the uses and history of this common word. Join this channel to get access to exclusive videos and script PDFs: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPeqE9km ...  Show more

Time's up! I gave you a weekend extension on the first-ever Young Heretics homework assignment, but now it's time to review some of the responses that came in. From a purely grammatical perspective, it turns out to be one of the most fascinating sentences in the English language, ...  Show more

Subscribe to the transcripts Native English speakers don't always use complete sentences or words! Today learn about some hip acronym slang as Lindsay and Michelle discuss "Fear of Missing Out." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices