Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing Quick and Dirty Tips
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- Education
Five-time winner of Best Education Podcast in the Podcast Awards. Grammar Girl provides short, friendly tips to improve your writing and feed your love of the English language. Whether English is your first language or your second language, these grammar, punctuation, style, and business tips will make you a better and more successful writer. Grammar Girl is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast.
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Exploring the Language of 'Dune': An Interview with Kevin J. Anderson and Scott Brick
994. This week, I sat down with the prolific "Dune" author Kevin J. Anderson and the famed "Dune" narrator Scott Brick to explore the language challenges in the "Dune" series. Learn how Kevin and Scott navigated Frank Herbert's original vocabulary, stayed true to the cultural influences of the names and terms, and created an extensive pronunciation guide. Whether you're a longtime fan or are new to the series, you'll love Kevin and Scott's stories about the language of "Dune" and its quirky history.
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The power of sign language in 'Dune.' The words we use for dad. Chee
993. This week, we cover the strategic use of sign language by the Bene Gesserit in the 'Dune' movies, including its importance in covert communication. Then, we look at the many words for 'father' and their historical and linguistic significance, from early baby talk to more formal terms for adults.
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The crossword craze — now and then — with Ben Zimmer
992. It's been 100 years since the crossword puzzle took America by storm in 1924. This week, Ben Zimmer tells us the little-known story of how this humble word game launched major publishing empires and examines the public's polarized reactions at the time.
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From 'dog' to 'hot dog.' The 'audience of one' trick. More on the long S. Footbridge.
991. This week, we trace the origin and meaning of the word "dog," from its mysterious beginning to its current use in phrases like "hot dog" and "hair of the dog." Then we go through the "audience of one" concept, which involves tailoring content to a single, imagined recipient; and we look at how this approach can make your writing more understandable and engaging.
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Why is this a question? with Paul Anthony Jones
990. Have you ever wondered why English doesn't have gender like Spanish and French? Which languages are the hardest to learn (and why)? And why a Q is always followed by a U? We have the answers to those questions and more this week from Paul Anthony Jones, author of "Why is this a question?"
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What is a Word? Target moments.
989. What is a word? Does "that's" count as one word or two? In this excerpt from Paul Anthony Jones' new book "Why Is This a Question," we look at how things like plurals, compound words, and contractions make defining the word "word" a tricky exercise.