Radiolingo

4.6 (451)
Society & Culture
Updated Weekly

Radiolingo investigates all the ways language shapes our world and how our world shapes language. Hosted by Ahmed Ali Akbar, an audio journalist and James Beard Award-winning writer, each episode introduces a new way of looking at the impact of language across our lives, our relationships, our culture and much more. Radiolingo is a Crooked Media and Duolingo production.

01/10/2023

That’s Amoré

We say love is love is love is love. And that’s true! But it’s also รัก if you’re Thai. Yêu và quý if you’re Vietnamese. And a lot of hard work no matter where you’re from. In this episode of Radiolingo, the sweet sticky mess that is romance.
01/03/2023

A Language Well Lived” (Language Lifecycle Part 2: Death)

Welcome to Part 2 of our Language Lifecycle series: what causes languages to become endangered, or even die? We’ll discuss the role of colonization on language, and the efforts some communities are taking to revive their dying ways of speaking. Shownotes: https://cherokeepreservation.org/ https://www.cherokee.org/about-the-nation/donations/ https://language.cherokee.org/language-programs/
12/20/2022

Congrats! It’s a Language.” (Language Lifecycle Part 1: Birth)

Constructed Languages and New Languages In the first of our two part series on the life cycle of languages, we address how language is born. We’ll dive into the creation of constructed languages – languages made for film or TV (or even just for fun) – and natural languages, and how the process behind both reveals why new languages come into existence.
12/13/2022

Foul @#$%ing Language

What is the oldest swear word in English? Does swearing help manage pain? We bring you 6 fun lessons on swearing and cursing.
12/06/2022

Speaking of Gender

Language can reflect and reinforce gender expectations. Are there ways to make language more inclusive?
11/29/2022

Lights! Camera! Translate!

From "Seinfeld" to "Squid Game", thanks to streaming, audiences worldwide have access to more TV shows and movies from other countries than ever before, and that includes content in other languages. As such, the localization industry is booming, and the nature of subtitling, dubbing, and captioning is rapidly changing and expanding. We dive into the distinct processes and challenges regarding localization, and how they affect what we see on screen.
11/22/2022

What Accent?

How and why do we make assumptions based on the way people speak? What is considered “proper,” or “correct” language – and who decides that, anyway?
11/15/2022

What’s In A Name

Host Ahmed Ali Akbar has always had trouble getting people to say his name “correctly.” Why? This episode explores how second generation immigrants choose names, and how a name can impact our lives in more ways than we’d think.
10/31/2022

Introducing Radiolingo (coming November 15th)

From Crooked Media and Duolingo, this is Radiolingo, a new limited series that investigates all the ways language shapes our world and how our world shapes language. Hosted by Ahmed Ali Akbar, an audio journalist and James Beard Award-winning writer, each episode introduces a new way of looking at the impact of language across our lives, our relationships, our culture and much more.

9 Episodes

Pod Save America is a no-b******t conversation about politics hosted by former Obama aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer, and Tommy Vietor. It cuts through the noise to break down the week’s news and helps people figure out what matters and how they can help. They’re regularly joined by journalists, activists, politicians, entertainers, and world leaders. You can watch on YouTube or listen to new episodes every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. Subscribe to Friends of the Pod! Your subscription makes Crooked’s work possible and gives you access to ad-free episodes of Pod Save America and Pod Save the World, plus exclusive content and a lively Discord community. Learn more and subscribe at crooked.com/friends or on Apple Podcasts. For a transcript of an episode of Pod Save America, please email transcripts@crooked.com.

4.5 (85006)

Politics
Each week, “Pod Save America” cohost Tommy Vietor and Obama’s former Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes break down the biggest developments in foreign policy, national security and global politics. They try to explain which stories matter and why, and what we can all do to understand and shape the world around us. Subscribe to Friends of the Pod! Your subscription makes Crooked’s work possible and gives you access to ad-free episodes of Pod Save America and Pod Save the World, plus exclusive content and a lively Discord community. Learn more and subscribe at crooked.com/friends or on Apple Podcasts.

4.8 (24464)

Politics
Former Obama speechwriter, self-described comedian and Pod Save America co-host Jon Lovett takes the stage for a new season of the hit show that dared guests from Danny DeVito to Amy Klobuchar to ask “What is this?” and “Where am I?” Each week, Jon breaks down the biggest and dumbest stories in politics to help you keep up with and laugh at the news, with big guests and surprising conversations you won’t find anywhere else. New episodes every Saturday morning on your podcast feed and on YouTube. And if you’re in LA, come to a taping. You’ll be amazed by what we cut from the live show. Subscribe to Friends of the Pod! Your subscription makes Crooked’s work possible and gives you access to ad-free episodes of Lovett or Leave It, Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, and Offline with Jon Favreau, plus exclusive content and a lively Discord community. Learn more and subscribe at crooked.com/friends or on Apple Podcasts.

4.7 (24957)

News
Stay up-to-date with the latest political news and analysis from the voices you trust at Crooked Media—exclusively in video on Spotify and YouTube. Whether you want quick updates or insightful analysis, when the news breaks, we’ve got you covered. Here’s what you’ll get: Rapid Response: Real-time analysis of the biggest stories and breaking news from the Pod Save America hosts and their network of experts. Liberal Tiers (bi-monthly): Tommy Vietor and Brian Tyler Cohen react to the latest news and stories that you may missed amidst everything else going on. SpeechCenter (monthly): Jon Lovett and The Bulwark’s Tim Miller break down the speeches that are shaping the political conversation. Follow to stay up to date with us.

4.5 (83)

Politics
Being an American right now is a wild ride. Every day brings a new controversy, with breathless media narratives and the same loud voices rushing in to score political points. Then another Truth Social post drops and the circus moves on. But all that noise is drowning out the actual story. On her new podcast Runaway Country, veteran journalist Alex Wagner talks to the voices at the center of the headlines: from the fringes of the resistance, to the marrow of MAGA, to the many people who’ve found themselves smack-dab in the crosshairs of a fight they never asked for. Because if you want to understand our unreal times, you’ve got to talk to the very real people who are experiencing it all first-hand. Join Alex as she brings together the stories of everyday Americans trapped in our national car with no brakes, alongside conversations with some of the smartest thinkers in politics. Buckle up, this road could lead anywhere. New episodes every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts, and @RunawayCountryWithAlexWagner on YouTube. Friends of the Pod subscribers can access ad-free episodes of Runaway Country by subscribing through Apple Podcasts, Supercast, Crooked Media on Substack, or the Pod Save America YouTube channel.

4.8 (12949)

Politics
Is the internet slowly breaking our brains, and if so, what can we do about it? Offline with Jon Favreau is a place where you can take a break from doom-scrolling and tune in to deeper conversations about the impact of technology and the internet on our politics and culture. Intimate interviews between Pod Save America host Jon Favreau and notable guests like Stephen Colbert, Hasan Piker, Chimamanda Adichie, ContraPoints, Margaret Atwood, and Rachel Maddow shed light on how our extremely online existence shapes the ways we live, work, and interact with one another. Together we’ll take on the most existential questions facing Americans right now, to figure out how to live happier, healthier lives, both on and offline. New episodes drop every Saturday, wherever you get your podcasts and on the Offline YouTube channel. Subscribe to Friends of the Pod! Your subscription makes Crooked’s work possible and gives you access to ad-free episodes of Offline with Jon Favreau, Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, and Lovett or Leave It, plus exclusive content and a lively Discord community. Learn more and subscribe at crooked.com/friends or on Apple Podcasts.

4.7 (2283)

Society & Culture

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4.6

out of 5

451 Ratings

Underrated show

Feb 11

ranListeningToPodacst

Perfect intro for anyone interested in sociolinguistics. Easy to listen with carefully chosen topics. The host is doing a great job in bringing respect and authenticity to the talk!
Complex concepts in easy to absorb pieces

02/22/2024

Candixoxo

UPDATE 2/2024 What happened? I have been looking forward to more of this show since it first came out and it just hasn't happened! Give us more Radiolingo!!! I love this show. I can’t say with words how much I love it, which I guess seems ironic? But I love all things linguistic and this show makes it interesting and insightful as well as informative and educational. The mix of anecdotes and academics gives it a great balance and I wish it was more than one episode per week. Maybe in the future 😍
Delete Duo

05/21/2025

0xbeepBoop

AI Shills. People before machines, techie scum.
Really interesting and fun to listen to

03/06/2023

Manush2

Informative and entertaining.

Radiolingo investigates all the ways language shapes our world and how our world shapes language. Hosted by Ahmed Ali Akbar, an audio journalist and James Beard Award-winning writer, each episode introduces a new way of looking at the impact of language across our lives, our relationships, our culture and much more. Radiolingo is a Crooked Media and Duolingo production.