“Um, What?”: The Hidden Purpose Behind Filler Words
Valerie Fridland explains why filler words are distracting if overused, but when added in moderation, they play a very specific purpose.
For the Love of Crosswords
Crosswords have stayed in style and graced newspapers from the New York Times to USA Today. We speak with crossword expert Adrienne Raphel to find out more about this beloved word game.
The Communication Signals We Send
Human behavior research Vanessa Van Edwards joins us this week to share some insight on the many different signal cues out there and how to put them into use to improve your communication skills.
Decoding the Rosetta Stone
The Rosetta Stone is an intriguing slab of rock. In short, it’s a vital key to understanding the unique Egyptian language of illustrated text referred to as hieroglyphs. Writer Edward Dolnick joins us this week to shed some light on the artifact and how the cryptic message was finally decoded.
Why Is English So Hard To Learn? (2020)
We all know the rule: “I before E, except after C,” but it’s not applicable in “weird” or “science” or many other words. The English language has many exceptions to its rules and these irregularities make it a difficult language to learn. Two language experts join Viewpoints this week to share the many frustrations of English and the rules at play today.
Colors: A Vivid History
Have you ever wondered how to create the color purple using only natural pigments? Or why, amongst completely different languages, the third color term that’s identified after black and white is always red? Viewpoints’ speaks with two color experts about the theorized meanings behind certain hues and their natural origins.
The Written Word: A history of storytelling (2019)
Throughout history, stories have been told but sometimes preserving them for future generations has proven difficult. We examine the ways stories have been passed down, and the role the written word has played in shaping our civilizations.
Breaking Down the Pesky English Language (2018)
The English language can be hard to spell since it often follows conflicting rules. We trace the origins of this tricky language, and explain how these difficulties came to be.
The Complications of Spelling English (2017)
The rules of the English language always seem to have an exception or ten. We explored how the language got so complicated.
Slang, Jargon and Colorful Expressions
Slang is often thought of as a lower-class way of speaking, although we use it all the time and it does make our language more colorful and vibrant. But how does it come into being? We talk to a linguist and to an author about why slang and jargon are part of our speech, who brings them into our language and why some slang falls out of favor – but should …
