9 episodes
Linguafiles Alex Morgan
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- Education
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4.9 • 17 Ratings
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Come and explore the mysterious and wonderful world of language. Each episode we ask questions like: Why are malapropisms funny? What on Earth are malapropisms? What makes English so special? How can a language belong to a family? What’s a conlang? Why is tea called tea, and gin called gin? So, pour yourself something, and listen, learn, laugh, subscribe and share.
Written and presented by Alex Morgan, an English actor, writer, accent coach, and linguaphile (with a ‘ph’...). www.alexjmorgan.com
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The Final File
Time to leave geeks’ paradise...
Arabella Merryweather was played by Felicity Houlbrooke.
Alex was played by Alex Morgan
The wizard was played by Alex Morgan
Music and effects by Epidemicsounds.com
References:
Time Maps. The Phoenicians. Online. 2020. Viewed 1/07/20. https://www.timemaps.com/civilizations/phoenicians/
“Tuchus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tuchus. Accessed 01 Aug. 2020.
The British Museum. Everything you ever wanted to know about the Rosetta Stone. Online. 2017. Viewed 02/07/20. https://blog.britishmuseum.org/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-the-rosetta-stone/
Wikipedia. Ptolemy V Epiphanes. Online. 2020. Viewed 02/07/20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_V_Epiphanes
MICHAEL QUINION. World Wide Words. How bona to vada your eek! Online. 1996. Viewed 02/07/20. http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/polari.htm
ERIN MCCARTHY. Mental Floss. 11 Dothraki Words and Phrases Every Game of Thrones Fan Should Know. Online. Feb 22, 2019. Viewed 03/07/20. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/574048/game-of-thrones-dothraki-language-phrases-to-know
Wikipedia. Aurora. Online. 2020. Viewed 04/07/20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora
Wikipedia. Italy. Online. 2020. Viewed 04/70/20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy#Italian_unification
Wikipedia. Polari. Online. 2020. Viewed 05/07/20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polari#Naff
Wikipedia. Uralic Languages. Online. 2020. Viewed 05/07/20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uralic_languages#Genetic_evidence
Wikipedia. Old Norse. Online. 2020. Viewed 05/07/20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Norse
THE EDITORS OF ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA (INC VIRGINIA GORLINSKI). Britannica. Yiddish Language. Online. 2020. Viewed 06/07/20. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yiddish-languaget -
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
Put that in your wizard’s pipe and smoke it...
Performed by Alex Morgan.
Music and sounds by Epidemicsounds.com
References:
Hiswelókë's Sindarin dictionary, Compiled, edited and annotated by Didier Willis. Online. Viewed 26/06/20. https://www.jrrvf.com/hisweloke/sindar/online/sindar/dict-en-sd.htmle
"Arabic – Ethnologue". Ethnologue. Simons, Gary F. and Charles D. Fennig (eds.). 2018. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 21st edition. Archived from the original on 5 January 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
Wikidepia. Online. Viewed 26/06/20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_language, https://quicksilvertranslate.com/2554/basque-words-in-english?doing_wp_cron=1592840652.8962969779968261718750, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy#Italian_unification, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibberish
STEPHEN WHITELEY. Basque Words in English. Quicksilver Translate. Online. 31/12/2013. Viewed 25/06/20. https://quicksilvertranslate.com/2554/basque-words-in-english?doing_wp_cron=1592840652.8962969779968261718750
translator.eu. English -> Klingon. Online. Viewed 28/06/20. https://www.translator.eu/english/klingon/translation/
JACOPO PRISCO, CNN. CNN Style - How do you design a language from scratch?. Online. 3rd July 2018. Viewed 29/06/20. https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/star-trek-klingon-marc-okrand/index.html
"Fuck." OED Online. Draft Revision, June 2008. Oxford University Press. Online. Viewed 28/06/20. OED.comhttp://public.oed.com/the-oed-today/recent-updates-to-the-oed/previous-updates/march-2008-update/
The Free Dictionary by Farlix. Sociolinguistics. Online. 2003-2020. Viewed 30/06/20. https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Sociolinguisitcs
BrailleWorks. History of Braille. Online. 2020. Viewed 30/06/20. https://brailleworks.com/braille-resources/history-of-braille/ -
Tea for Two
Ooohhhhhhh...don’t mind if I do...
Arabella Merryweather was played by Felicity Houlbrooke.
Music and sounds by Epidemicsounds.com
References:
Afternoon tea.co.uk. Online. 2020. Viewed 20/06/20. https://afternoontea.co.uk/information/what-is-high-tea/
GUARDIAN.CO.UK, DOMINIC WATT. Semantic Enigmas. Online. 2011. Viewed 20/06/20. https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-3153,00.html
DOUGLAS HARPER. Etymology Online. Online. 2001-present. Viewed May 2020. https://www.etymonline.com
CHRISTOPHER KLEIN. The Sweet History of Chocolate. Online. Aug 22, 2018. Viewed 21/06/20. https://www.history.com/news/the-sweet-history-of-chocolate
BEN JOHNSON. Historic UK, Afternoon Tea. Online. Visited 21/06/20. https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Afternoon-Tea/
MANDY BARROW. Project Britain. Online. 2014. Viewed 21/06/20. http://projectbritain.com/flowers.html
ERIC T. Culinary Lore. Online. June 9, 2018. Viewed 22/06/20. https://culinarylore.com/drinks:whats-the-difference-between-a-tisane-and-a-decoction/
ROBIN MCKIE. The Observer: How do you pronounce ‘scone’, to rhyme with ‘cone’ or ‘gone’? It depends where you’re from. Online. April 23, 2017. Viewed 22/06/20. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/apr/23/how-do-you-pronounce-scone-answer-says-a-lot-english-language-day-shakespeare-birthday -
The Peacock has Landed
Bon joor? Bone jowar? Bong zhoor? BONJOUR!
Justin Case was played by Paul Sandys
Gudrun Schneider was played by Rachel Morgan
Music and effects by Epidemicsounds.com
References:
1. Alex’s bizarre mind.
2. KAREN LEONG. Peacock Plume; A Short History of the Croissant. Online. Sept 12, 2016. Visited 07/06/20. http://peacockplume.fr/arts-culture/croissant-really-french
3. ACADÉMIE FRANÇAISE. Online. Visited 06/07/20. http://www.academie-francaise.fr
3. DOUGLAS HARPER. Etymology Online. Online. 2001-present. Viewed May 2020. https://www.etymonline.com
4. HENRIETTE WALTER. L'Aventure des langues en Occident - Leur origine, leur histoire, leur géographie (préface d'André Martinet), Robert Laffont, 1994 (ISBN 978-2-2210-5918-0) (prix spécial de la Société des gens de lettres et grand prix des lectrices de Elle) : une présentation accessible des différentes langues parlées en Europe, avec leur origine et leur évolution. Quelques exercices pour tester ses connaissances. -
Biting the Wax Tadpole
Still hanging. Need some fried carbs, and good chat. Pocari Sweat, anyone?
This episode contains some swearing
Britney was played by Helen Keeley
Music and effects by Epidemicsounds.com
References:
1. INC, GEOFFREY JAMES. 20 Epic Fails in Global Branding. Online. 2020. Viewed 19/05/20. https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/the-20-worst-brand-translations-of-all-time.html
2. BUSINESS NEWS DAILY, SKY SCHOOLEY. Lost in Translation: 10 International Marketing Fails. Online. August 12th, 2019. Visited 19/05/20. https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5241-international-marketing-fails.html
3. BLOGGER, JERILYN. ARTIST CHICK. Clairol “Mist Stick” in Germany “Manure Stick”. Online. 2007. Visited 20/05/20. http://jmo83.blogspot.com/2007/04/clairol-in-germany.html?m=1
4. GLANTZ DESIGN. Say What??? Campaigns that Failed To Translate. Online. 2008-20. Visited 20/05/20. https://glantz.net/blog/campaigns-that-failed-to-translate/
5. SNOPES.COM. Did the Chevrolet Nova Fail to Sell in Spanish-Speaing Countries?. Online. 3rd April 1999. Visited 20/05/20. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/chevrolet-nova-name-spanish/
6. LISTEN & LEARN BLOG. The Funniest Food Translations. Online. 2007-2020. Visited 22/05/20. https://www.listenandlearnusa.com/blog/the-funniest-food-translations/
7. SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. JULIAN RYALL. Pocari Sweat: how the iconic sports drink, huge in Asia, became one of Japan’s most successful beverages. Online. 30th November 2019. Visited 22/05/20. https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3039792/pocari-sweat-how-iconic-sports-drink-huge-asia-became-one -
On the (Etymological) Lash
Alex really wanted to take you out for a drink, because you’re awesome. However, seeing as that’s off the cards at the moment, he decided he’d take you on a virtual night out instead. Go on, you know you want to. Let’s go on the (etymological) lash. Just, don’t tell his mum...
Credits:
Mylène: Charlotte Mangel
Yelena: Kat Soloviev
Piotr: Egor Gavrilin
Barman: Alex’s Father
Darren: Also Alex’s Father
Alex’s Mother:...Alex’s Mother
Music and effects by Epidemicsounds.com
References:
1. RAMMINGER, JOHANN. (accessed 16 July 2016). Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700[2]. Pre-publication website, 2005-2016
2. HARDY A, WALTON R, VAISHNAV R Int J Environ Health Res. 2004 Feb;14(1):83–91. Composition of eye cosmetics (kohls) used in Cairo.
3. DOUGLAS HARPER. Etymology Online. Online. 2001-present. Viewed May 2020. https://www.etymonline.com
4. EMMA. A Brief History of Gin and Tonic - Flaviar. Online. July 2018. Viewed. May 2020. https://flaviar.com/blog/gin-tonic-history
5. BRUCE MOORE (1999). The Vocabulary of Australian English. Australian National Dictionary Centre.
6. REAL ACADEMIA ESPAÑOLA (2014). Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición. Real Academia Española, 2014
7. Trésor de la langue Française informatisé. Online. Viewed May 2020. http://www.atilf.fr/tlfi, ATILF - CNRS & Université de Lorraine.
8. Findwords.info. Word finder 2020. Viewed May 2020. https://findwords.info/term/cognac
9. BARNHART, ROBERT ED., Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology. H.W. Wilson Co., 1988.
10. Whiskyforeveryone.com. Whiskey or whisky? Online blog 2012. viewed May 2020. http://www.whiskyforeveryone.com/whisky_basics/whisky_or_whiskey.html
11. European Waterways, Whisky Business: The Celtic Love of the ‘Water of Life’. Online 2020. Viewed May 2020, https://www.europeanwaterways.com/blog/whisky-business/
12. Arcanum adatbazis. Online. Viewed 2020 https://www.arcanum.hu/hu/online-kiadvanyok/Lexikonok-magyar-etimologiai-szotar-F14D3/b-F1794/bor-F1966/
13. VinePair Inc.,The Oddly Interesting Origins Of Wine Words 2014-2020. Online. Viewed May 2020 https://vinepair.com/wine-blog/etymology-wine-words/
14. Voxy, Why is Spanish cerveza So Different? Online. April 6 2012. Viewed May 2020 https://voxy.com/blog/2012/04/spanish-cerveza-english-beer/
15. WILLIAM DWIGHT WHITNEY. The Century Dictionary: An Encyclopedic Dictionary of the English Language vol. 1.
16. HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language(5th ed.). Boston: . Retrieved 18 May 2019
Customer Reviews
Thought you were the footballer
I came here after looking for the footballer but then saw this and thought I might give it a try and it is fantastic!
Fascinating & lively
Alex Morgan has the innate gift of knowing how to blend a genuine passion for linguistics with a wry, gentle humour that is both soothing and fascinating. The episodes are frothy yet weighty - light enough to devour during a tea break, but offering a depth of historic and academic richness that will keep your mind meandering back to it all day long. Addictive and fiendishly clever.
Funny and informative!!
A tour de force...I wonder where that comes from? Maybe Alex can tell me!