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Language and Grammar

You are here: Archive / Terms / Topics / Language and Grammar

“Um, What?”: The Hidden Purpose Behind Filler Words

>> March 31, 2024

While these fillers are distracting if overused, when added in moderation, they do play a very specific purpose.

topics covered: Communication, Culture and the Arts, History, Language and Grammar, Personal Growth and Development, Public Speaking
Listen“Um, What?”: The Hidden Purpose Behind Filler Words

Viewpoints Explained: Do You Have Rizz?

>> January 17, 2024

We cover the Oxford English dictionary’s word of the year: rizz. What does it mean, and why has it become a mainstay in the Gen-Z vernacular?

topics covered: Culture and the Arts, Language and Grammar, Social Media and Internet
ListenViewpoints Explained: Do You Have Rizz?

Viewpoints Explained: What Word Best Summed Up 2023?

>> January 10, 2024

We cover what word best encapsulated 2023, according to dictionary giant Merriam Webster. Any guesses?

topics covered: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Language and Grammar, Pop Culture, Social Media and Internet, Sociology, Technology
ListenViewpoints Explained: What Word Best Summed Up 2023?

The Rosetta Stone: Why We Care So Much About A 2,000-Year-Old Slab Of Rock

>> November 19, 2023

We speak with Edward Dolnick, author of The Writing of the Gods: The Race to Decode the Rosetta Stone, about the monumental impact of this discovery.

topics covered: Ancient Civilization, Communication, Culture and the Arts, History, Language and Grammar, Literature and Writing, Religion and Spirituality
ListenThe Rosetta Stone: Why We Care So Much About A 2,000-Year-Old Slab Of Rock

“Um, What?”: The Hidden Purpose Behind Filler Words

>> May 28, 2023

Valerie Fridland explains why filler words are distracting if overused, but when added in moderation, they play a very specific purpose.

topics covered: Language and Grammar, Public Speaking
Listen“Um, What?”: The Hidden Purpose Behind Filler Words

For the Love of Crosswords

>> January 29, 2023

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.

topics covered: Education, History, Hobbies, Language and Grammar, Literature and Writing
ListenFor the Love of Crosswords

The Communication Signals We Send

>> April 3, 2022

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.

topics covered: Communication, Family and Interpersonal Relationships, Language and Grammar, Psychology and Psychiatry
ListenThe Communication Signals We Send
decoding rosetta stone - featured image

Decoding the Rosetta Stone

>> December 12, 2021

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.

topics covered: Ancient Civilization, Communication, Culture and the Arts, History, Language and Grammar, Literature and Writing
ListenDecoding the Rosetta Stone

Why Is English So Hard To Learn? (2020)

>> October 11, 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.

topics covered: Communication, Disabilities, Education, History, Language and Grammar, Literacy, Literature and Writing, Media and Entertainment, Public Speaking, Reading
ListenWhy Is English So Hard To Learn? (2020)

Colors: A Vivid History

>> November 10, 2019

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.

topics covered: Art, Culture and the Arts, Earth and Environmental Science and Climate Change, Education, Fashion, History, International/Global Affairs, Language and Grammar, Media and Entertainment
ListenColors: A Vivid History

The Written Word: A history of storytelling (2019)

>> February 10, 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.

topics covered: Ancient Civilization, Communication, Culture and the Arts, History, Language and Grammar, Literature and Writing, Media and Entertainment, Science and Technology
ListenThe Written Word: A history of storytelling (2019)

Breaking Down the Pesky English Language (2018)

>> July 15, 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.

topics covered: Communication, Disabilities, Education, History, Language and Grammar, Literacy, Media and Entertainment
ListenBreaking Down the Pesky English Language (2018)

The Complications of Spelling English (2017)

>> June 11, 2017

The rules of the English language always seem to have an exception or ten. We explored how the language got so complicated.

topics covered: Communication, Disabilities, Education, History, Language and Grammar, Literacy, Media and Entertainment, Public Speaking
ListenThe Complications of Spelling English (2017)

Slang, Jargon and Colorful Expressions

>> October 18, 2015

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 …

topics covered: American Culture and History, Language and Grammar, Public Speaking
ListenSlang, Jargon and Colorful Expressions
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