Very Bad Words

Matt Fidler
  • 4.8 (311)
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Very Bad Words

As long as there’s been language, there have been forbidden words. What gives these words their power? Why are they considered “bad”? Producer and Host, Matt Fidler, reaches out to experts, linguists, and historians to explore these words and their cultural significance. From diving into specific bad words to exploring what language has the “worst curses”, Matt weaves personal stories and interviews to help shed light on the power of very bad words. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 42: The N-Word

    06/27/2018

    42: The N-Word

    Guest Producer Stephanie Billman helps guide us through the feelings, emotions, and history of the most violent, loaded word in the English lexicon, The N-Word. With guests Dr. Neil Lester, Dr. David Pilgrim, Marcie Brown, Malik Crumpler, Dardalie Brooks and Ernie Mendoza Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    41 min
  2. 41: Constructed Curses in Sci-Fi & Fantasy

    06/20/2018

    41: Constructed Curses in Sci-Fi & Fantasy

    Nerf-herder? Frack? Farking Zarquon? Guest producers Forrest Phillips and Emily Block guide us through cursing in fictional Worlds. Special guests include Marc Okrand - creator of Star Trek’s Klingon language, David J. Peterson - creator of Game of Thrones Dothraki language, and host of the Imaginary Worlds podcast, Eric Molinsky. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min

  3. 06/13/2018

    40: Minicast - Conversational Klingon

    Matt talks to Marc Okrand about cursing in Klingon. The fictional Star Trek language that has become nearly as popular as the franchise itself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    5 min
  4. 39: Euphemisms

    06/06/2018

    39: Euphemisms

    Certain topics in our society aren’t considered proper to talk about. To make it easier to talk about such sensitive subjects, we have invented terms that dance around the issues, instead of facing them directly. Join me and guests, Steven Pinker, Phyllis Sommer and Kate Burridge as we dig into euphemisms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min

  5. 05/30/2018

    38: Minicast - The "D" Word

    In this week's minicast, Matt reflects on a death that is close to him and how we use or don't use words about "dead". We talk a little with Rabbi Physllis Sommer to help explain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    6 min
  6. 37: The Poo List

    05/23/2018

    37: The Poo List

    Are you allowed to play swear words in scrabble? And if you really can, why aren’t they listed in the official scrabble player’s dictionary? Competitive scrabble players Stephan Fatsis and Brian Richgrubber tell us how it happened and why this is important in the competitive scrabble world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min

  7. 05/16/2018

    36: Minicast - The Accepted Slur

    In this minicast, Matt ponders why it's not okay to use the phrase, "Jew them down" ,but it's okay to say, "I've been gypped". Both words are considered offensive in their communities, but even people that we don't expect still use the word "gyp". We get some help from Romedia Foundation's executive director Katalin Barsony in the below clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmOyG1yz9G8 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    6 min
  8. 35: George Carlin's Last Words

    05/09/2018

    35: George Carlin's Last Words

    On this episode of Very Bad Words, we put the last four words on George Carlin’s list on trial. Are these two 4-letter words, and two compound unequivocally indecent under all circumstances? With dirty words educator and linguist, Randall Eggert, and radio veteran, Ken Freedman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min
See All (42)

4.8
out of 5
311 Ratings

About

As long as there’s been language, there have been forbidden words. What gives these words their power? Why are they considered “bad”? Producer and Host, Matt Fidler, reaches out to experts, linguists, and historians to explore these words and their cultural significance. From diving into specific bad words to exploring what language has the “worst curses”, Matt weaves personal stories and interviews to help shed light on the power of very bad words. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Matt Fidler
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2018
  • Episodes
    42
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    Very Bad Words

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