Booksmart Studios

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Channel • 2 Shows

Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated weekly
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated weekly

10/04/2023 · BONUS • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Playwright. Ghostwrite. Yeah, Right.

What exactly is “wrought” iron and what does it have to do with the word wright? Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexicon Valley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. A Booksmart Studios production. Bonus: "Playwright. Ghostwrite. Yeah, Right." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved.

10/04/2023 · Bonus

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4 min
23/02/2015

Sex Workers

The rise and fall of the feminine ending. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

23/02/2015

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36 min
13 JAN · BONUS • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Why We Don't Say "the" Ukraine

In addition to its singular and plural forms for nouns, Slovenian has a "dual" — for when there is not one, not many, but precisely two of something. Visit ⁠Lexicon Valley⁠. A Booksmart Studios production. Bonus: "Why We Don't Say 'the' Ukraine." With John McWhorter. Produced by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved.

13 Jan · Bonus

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7 min
21/07/2020

Does English Have a Future?

Do languages even need a future tense, or can we get along just fine without it? X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

21/07/2020

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53 min
03/04/2023

The Right Stuff

Like the French word 'droit,' English’s 'right' has taken on a number of useful metaphorical meanings. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexicon Valley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 257: "The Right Stuff." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

03/04/2023

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31 min
16/12/2025 · BONUS • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

From Onism to Perdickety

John Koenig weighs in on a few of Mike Vuolo's obscure sorrows — what are yours? Visit ⁠Lexicon Valley⁠. A Booksmart Studios production. Bonus: "From Onism to Perdickety." With Bob Garfield, John Koenig, and Mike Vuolo. Produced by Livia Bloom Ingram. All rights reserved.

16/12/2025 · Bonus

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8 min
16/10/2018

Like-Minded

There's lots to like about like. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

16/10/2018

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32 min
10/06/2024

Family Ties

There are at least five defining features among hundreds of related languages from English to Hindi to Russian. And what does any of that have to do with the Hittites? Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexicon Valley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 268: "Family Ties." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10/06/2024

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30 min
09/07/2025

The American Accent Came First

What did English sound like during the Revolutionary War? John has a number of fascinating observations about the way the language was spoken back then — including the accents! Visit ⁠⁠⁠Lexicon Valley⁠⁠⁠. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 278: "The American Accent Came First." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

09/07/2025

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33 min
19/10/2015

LinguaFile XVII | Humdinger

On a real beauty of a word, with lexicographer Ben Zimmer. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

19/10/2015

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28 min

A podcast about language, with hosts Mike Vuolo, Bob Garfield and John McWhorter.

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SOCIETY & CULTURE

Exploring the power of language to inform and misinform. Podcast by Mike Vuolo, Bob Garfield and John McWhorter. If you haven’t yet, please consider a paid subscription to Lexicon Valley. Visit BooksmartStudios.com!

Website

Booksmart Studios

Ad free and exclusive episodes from Lexicon Valley

Top Shows

Playwright. Ghostwrite. Yeah, Right.

Sex Workers

Why We Don't Say "the" Ukraine

Does English Have a Future?

The Right Stuff

From Onism to Perdickety

Like-Minded

Family Ties

The American Accent Came First

LinguaFile XVII | Humdinger

Ad free and exclusive episodes from Lexicon Valley

Playwright. Ghostwrite. Yeah, Right.

Why We Don't Say "the" Ukraine

From Onism to Perdickety

I Lighted Them Downstairs

Going Dutch

Before Ain't, There Was Ben't

Come Again

Frame Job

Ghost Town

What Is Yiddish?

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Booksmart Studios

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