Because Language (becauselangpod)
@becauselanguage.com
A show about linguistics, the science of language. Your hosts (in order of coolness): Hedvig Skirgård, Daniel Midgley, and Ben Ainslie (tie for 2nd).
Are you trying to make this meme passé?
Because that's how you make this meme passé.
Because that's how you make this meme passé.
Keir Starmer got a telling off yesterday for getting involved in a 6-7 rampage. news.sky.com/video/sir-ke...
Sir Keir Starmer apologises to head teacher for joining in on '6-7' dance
The Prime Minister led pupils in a version of the viral '6-7' dance meme whilst visiting Welland Academy in Peterborough. He was visiting the school to promote the expansion of the free school meals p...
news.sky.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Are you trying to make this meme passé?
Because that's how you make this meme passé.
Because that's how you make this meme passé.
Reposted by Because Language (becauselangpod)
Fun #linguistic fact for World Linguistics Day:
If North America had the same linguistic diversity as New Guinea we’d expect Indigenous Americans to speak ~28,000 languages.
If North America had the same linguistic diversity as New Guinea we’d expect Indigenous Americans to speak ~28,000 languages.
November 26, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Fun #linguistic fact for World Linguistics Day:
If North America had the same linguistic diversity as New Guinea we’d expect Indigenous Americans to speak ~28,000 languages.
If North America had the same linguistic diversity as New Guinea we’d expect Indigenous Americans to speak ~28,000 languages.
Happy World Linguistics Day!
We'll be posting stuff all day, and you can too
We'll be posting stuff all day, and you can too
Happy World Linguistics Day! Here's a short thread on the sociolinguistics of deglobalization.
November 26, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Happy World Linguistics Day!
We'll be posting stuff all day, and you can too
We'll be posting stuff all day, and you can too
sex cardigan
#WordOfTheWeek
#WordOfTheWeek
im putting sex cardigan on MY woty list, whatever @americandialect.org does
November 26, 2025 at 12:32 AM
sex cardigan
#WordOfTheWeek
#WordOfTheWeek
Reposted by Because Language (becauselangpod)
I know a lot of people like this sort of thing, so for those who like this sort of thing, here it is. corp.oup.com/word-of-the-...
Oxford Word of the Year 2025 - Oxford University Press
Voting is now open for Oxford Word of the Year 2025! Discover our shortlist and have your say by Thursday 27 November.
corp.oup.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:48 AM
I know a lot of people like this sort of thing, so for those who like this sort of thing, here it is. corp.oup.com/word-of-the-...
“thought partner” 🤮
#WordOfTheWeek
#WordOfTheWeek
Marketing guy described ChatGPT as his "thought partner" and I was doing my best not to tell him that framing the bullshit extruder as an intellectual peer isn't exactly a great look
November 22, 2025 at 12:52 AM
“thought partner” 🤮
#WordOfTheWeek
#WordOfTheWeek
Word of the Week: polycrisis.
Wait, is that what I think it is?
Check out this episode:
becauselanguage.com/129-they-sta...
Wait, is that what I think it is?
Check out this episode:
becauselanguage.com/129-they-sta...
November 21, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Word of the Week: polycrisis.
Wait, is that what I think it is?
Check out this episode:
becauselanguage.com/129-they-sta...
Wait, is that what I think it is?
Check out this episode:
becauselanguage.com/129-they-sta...
@geraldroche.bsky.social
I still watch this video every so often.
"History is full of depressing things that were defeated by people who did something."
Full episode: becauselanguage.com/109-language...
I still watch this video every so often.
"History is full of depressing things that were defeated by people who did something."
Full episode: becauselanguage.com/109-language...
November 21, 2025 at 3:52 AM
@geraldroche.bsky.social
I still watch this video every so often.
"History is full of depressing things that were defeated by people who did something."
Full episode: becauselanguage.com/109-language...
I still watch this video every so often.
"History is full of depressing things that were defeated by people who did something."
Full episode: becauselanguage.com/109-language...
What caused language? Evolutionary biologist Madeleine Beekman points to child care, as part of a complex web involving body, brain, and community. Madeleine is the author of "The Origin of Language".
@simonschusteranz.bsky.social
Listen now, in all the places.
becauselanguage.com/129-they-sta...
@simonschusteranz.bsky.social
Listen now, in all the places.
becauselanguage.com/129-they-sta...
129: They Started It: Children and Language Evolution (with Madeleine Beekman) – Because Language
becauselanguage.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:37 AM
What caused language? Evolutionary biologist Madeleine Beekman points to child care, as part of a complex web involving body, brain, and community. Madeleine is the author of "The Origin of Language".
@simonschusteranz.bsky.social
Listen now, in all the places.
becauselanguage.com/129-they-sta...
@simonschusteranz.bsky.social
Listen now, in all the places.
becauselanguage.com/129-they-sta...
The rise and fall of PRITHEE (in printed texts)
#English #archaic #obsolete #language #drama #Shakespeare
#literature
#English #archaic #obsolete #language #drama #Shakespeare
#literature
November 15, 2025 at 1:03 PM
I try to get my children to say “behold!”
Also trying to get them to call me “father” and not “dad”.
Wrong: Dad, please.
Right: Prithee, father!
Also trying to get them to call me “father” and not “dad”.
Wrong: Dad, please.
Right: Prithee, father!
Another word that's gone out of fashion (in printed texts) is BESEECH.
Nowadays you'll mostly find characters saying "I beseech you" in archaic dialogue in historical fiction, or in reprints of classic texts?
Seldom used by Jane Austen? (Cf. entreat)
#English #language #literature #archaic
Nowadays you'll mostly find characters saying "I beseech you" in archaic dialogue in historical fiction, or in reprints of classic texts?
Seldom used by Jane Austen? (Cf. entreat)
#English #language #literature #archaic
November 15, 2025 at 1:00 PM
I try to get my children to say “behold!”
Also trying to get them to call me “father” and not “dad”.
Wrong: Dad, please.
Right: Prithee, father!
Also trying to get them to call me “father” and not “dad”.
Wrong: Dad, please.
Right: Prithee, father!
FUN FACT: if this kind of fence-type structure were named today, keeping the same meaning, it would be a “yikes”
CONTROVERSY?
(1) French "haha": ‘an obstacle interrupting one's way sharply and disagreeably, a ditch behind an opening in a wall at the bottom of an alley or walk’; according to French etymologists, ha! exclamation of surprise.' (OED, online)
(1) French "haha": ‘an obstacle interrupting one's way sharply and disagreeably, a ditch behind an opening in a wall at the bottom of an alley or walk’; according to French etymologists, ha! exclamation of surprise.' (OED, online)
November 13, 2025 at 1:58 PM
FUN FACT: if this kind of fence-type structure were named today, keeping the same meaning, it would be a “yikes”
Reposted by Because Language (becauselangpod)
Out Now! Linguistic Illusions by Dan Parker
cup.org/3LYWV3N
Linguistic Illusions by Dan Parker
#LangSky #Linguistics 🐦🐦
cup.org/3LYWV3N
Linguistic Illusions by Dan Parker
#LangSky #Linguistics 🐦🐦
Revealing new insights into how the mind represents and processes language, this book gives a full overview of linguistic illusions.
Linguistic Illusions by Dan Parker, Coming Soon
#LangSky #Linguistics 🐦🐦
https://cup.org/4mwHEnC
Linguistic Illusions by Dan Parker, Coming Soon
#LangSky #Linguistics 🐦🐦
https://cup.org/4mwHEnC
November 12, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Out Now! Linguistic Illusions by Dan Parker
cup.org/3LYWV3N
Linguistic Illusions by Dan Parker
#LangSky #Linguistics 🐦🐦
cup.org/3LYWV3N
Linguistic Illusions by Dan Parker
#LangSky #Linguistics 🐦🐦
Those sneaky cute babies! They tricked us into wanting to care for them, and part of that involves communication.
But what about "cute aggression"?
Prof Madeleine Beekman is the author of "The Origin of Language".
@simonschusteranz.bsky.social
Listen on becauselanguage.com
But what about "cute aggression"?
Prof Madeleine Beekman is the author of "The Origin of Language".
@simonschusteranz.bsky.social
Listen on becauselanguage.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Those sneaky cute babies! They tricked us into wanting to care for them, and part of that involves communication.
But what about "cute aggression"?
Prof Madeleine Beekman is the author of "The Origin of Language".
@simonschusteranz.bsky.social
Listen on becauselanguage.com
But what about "cute aggression"?
Prof Madeleine Beekman is the author of "The Origin of Language".
@simonschusteranz.bsky.social
Listen on becauselanguage.com
We’re going back… to the future…
…time reference!
…time reference!
Keep a look out for Cole and Sean @seangroberts.bsky.social discussing their odyssey to understand this phenomenon on @becauselanguage.com Coming soon!
November 12, 2025 at 9:56 AM
We’re going back… to the future…
…time reference!
…time reference!
How do we fit this into our header?
November 8, 2025 at 10:29 AM
How do we fit this into our header?
ICYMI: Transcript is up for our episode with @natanlast.bsky.social about his book "Across the Universe". It's the history of crosswords. Natan is also a constructor, and he tests my mettle!
@penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social
www.patreon.com/posts/transc...
@penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social
www.patreon.com/posts/transc...
Transcript, BL 128: Across the Universe (with Natan Last) | Because Language
Get more from Because Language on Patreon
www.patreon.com
November 3, 2025 at 2:06 PM
ICYMI: Transcript is up for our episode with @natanlast.bsky.social about his book "Across the Universe". It's the history of crosswords. Natan is also a constructor, and he tests my mettle!
@penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social
www.patreon.com/posts/transc...
@penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social
www.patreon.com/posts/transc...
It wouldn't have been enshittification without being enshittification.
I really wish we had a better word for enshittification than 'enshittification.' It is a cromulent fuckcrustable of a word. Truly embarrassing.
November 3, 2025 at 7:30 AM
It wouldn't have been enshittification without being enshittification.
Scarburst
Change one letter, ruin a candy.
Swedish fist
Swedish fist
Change one letter, ruin a candy.
Mars Jars
Mars Jars
October 30, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Scarburst
This popped into my inbox, and it's full of great stuff!
October 30, 2025 at 2:30 AM
This popped into my inbox, and it's full of great stuff!
HERE WE GO
Word of the Year season begins
and it wasn't Collins going first this time
Word of the Year season begins
and it wasn't Collins going first this time
Dictionary.com goes out early with its 2025 Word of the Year …
and it chooses “67,” or “six-seven.”
www.dictionary.com/e/word-of-th...
I had the privilege of running the site's Word of the Year for a few years, so I’ll share some thoughts (that don’t divulge any privileged info).
and it chooses “67,” or “six-seven.”
www.dictionary.com/e/word-of-th...
I had the privilege of running the site's Word of the Year for a few years, so I’ll share some thoughts (that don’t divulge any privileged info).
October 29, 2025 at 10:15 PM
HERE WE GO
Word of the Year season begins
and it wasn't Collins going first this time
Word of the Year season begins
and it wasn't Collins going first this time
Good on him, but we might need to include "orphan-crushing machine" as a #WordOfTheWeek
He's doing great work to save people from the orphan-crushing machine.
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/orphan-...
He's doing great work to save people from the orphan-crushing machine.
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/orphan-...
October 28, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Good on him, but we might need to include "orphan-crushing machine" as a #WordOfTheWeek
He's doing great work to save people from the orphan-crushing machine.
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/orphan-...
He's doing great work to save people from the orphan-crushing machine.
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/orphan-...
He's right. It refers to me.
The most misused word in the English language is "me". Everyone uses it to refer to themselves, but actually, it refers to me.
October 23, 2025 at 5:11 AM
He's right. It refers to me.
Reposted by Because Language (becauselangpod)
the word “behold” should make a comeback. it’s so confident
October 22, 2025 at 10:20 AM
the word “behold” should make a comeback. it’s so confident
Reposted by Because Language (becauselangpod)
All deaf and hard of hearing kids deserve to learn sign language, and bodily autonomy with respect to hearing technology.
Do you have any extremely niche, but serious, ethical stances?
October 20, 2025 at 12:43 AM
All deaf and hard of hearing kids deserve to learn sign language, and bodily autonomy with respect to hearing technology.