Shows / Grammar Girl
Grammar Girl
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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Episodes
Grammar GirlThe art of punctuation and the charm of 'kerfuffle.' Nicing.
995. This week, we look at when to use parentheses, dashes, and commas and how the choice can change the tone of your writing. Then, we dive into the history…
Grammar GirlExploring 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…
Grammar GirlThe 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…
Grammar GirlThe crossword craze — now and then — with Ben Zimmer
992. What began as a simple word game in 1913 sparked a nationwide craze just a decade later, causing a moral panic and changing American publishing forever…
Grammar GirlFrom '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…
Grammar GirlWhy 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…
Grammar GirlWhat 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…
Grammar GirlHow a special dictionary kept soldiers connected during WWII, with Peter Sokolowski
988. Peter Sokolowski, an editor at Merriam-Webster, goes through the fascinating history of the Armed Services Editions, a series of books published during…
Grammar GirlWhy some sentences have double subjects. The story behind the old F-like letter S. Schwen schwen on dill.
987. This week, we look at why people sometimes double their subjects, writing sentences such as "John, he bought a car," and when it's OK (and not OK) to do…
Grammar GirlEfficiency hacks for writers and editors with Erin Brenner
986. Erin Brenner, author of "The Chicago Guide for Freelance Editors," shares time-saving tips including the best practices for using Word, creating macros…
Grammar GirlWe found the story behind "whim wham for a mucket"!
985. This week, we look at the world of whimsical words, including the origins and meanings of terms like "dinkus," "gadzook," "petrichor" and the phrase…
Grammar GirlWords, coffee, and urban planning: Eli Burnstein on the Dictionary of Fine Distinctions
984. This week, we talk about the subtle differences between words such as "stock" or "broth," "street" or "boulevard," "maze" or "labyrinth" and more with Eli…
Grammar GirlSkunked words. The power of pronouns. Quigleys
983. This week, we explore "skunked" words — terms going through hotly disputed meaning changes. We look at the debate between prescriptivists who stick to…
Grammar GirlAir worms and fire breathing dragons: Old English animal stories with Hana Videen
982. This week, we delve into the fascinating world of Old English with medievalist Hana Videen, author of "The Deorhord." We'll uncover the secrets of Old…
Grammar GirlWhen (and How) Should You Cite AI? 'Critters,' 'Varmints,' and Beyond. Choobers.
981. Major style guides now have advice on when and how you should cite AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. We look at what you need to include in…
Grammar GirlExploring the 'Funnest' Parts of Language with Anne Curzan
980. This week, I talk with with Anne Curzan about the fascinating world of language evolution, her new book, "Says Who? A Kinder, Funner Usage Guide for…
Grammar GirlThe birth of punctuation: from oral traditions to silent reading. Noun clusters. A wing wang in a mucket.
979. In the first segment, we unravel the mysteries surrounding the origins and transformation of punctuation. From the early days when words ran together…
Grammar GirlHow to become a supercommunicator, with Charles Duhigg
978. Join Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author, Charles Duhigg, as we talk about mastering the art of communication and his new book…
Grammar GirlBig changes in Associated Press style. The 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' finale was catawampus. Bappy
977. This week, we cover the latest AP Stylebook updates that were just revealed at the ACES conference. From the switch to Merriam-Webster to easing up on the…
Grammar GirlPet-Speak: From Meowlogisms to Zoomies. 'Imply' or 'Infer'?
976. How have our pets influenced the way we use language? This week, we dive into the "cativerse" and explore the vocabulary, grammar, and spelling habits of…
Grammar GirlYou love to read. Could you narrate?
975. This week, I learned all about audiobook narration from David H. Lawrence XVII, who is launching a new program called "Narrate Your Own Book." If you've…
Grammar GirlMemory, Aging, and the Lingering 'Anyways'
974. How does aging affect our ability to understand language? From the challenges of processing complex sentences to the resilience you get from a rich…
Grammar GirlA nuclear win at the Oscars. CamelCase. One clo.
973. "Oppenheimer" leads us to wonder about the "nucular" pronunciation of "nuclear." And why do people have that second capital letter in the middle of…
Grammar GirlFrom grunts to grammar. The Irish 'after doing.' The winning NGD poem!
972. How did humans evolve from grunting ancestors to masters of language and poetry? This week, we explore fascinating theories on the origins of human…
Grammar GirlWhere did our language start?
971. Linguists have traced modern languages like English and Sanskrit back thousands of years to a single Proto-Indo-European source. This week, we explore…
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'Addictive' or 'addicting'? Types of nouns. Folley
970. We answer a listener question about the difference between "addictive" and "addicting," and then we look at how to write compound nouns: did you visit a…
Grammar GirlTracing the origins of Miami's new English. Why it's not a 'gumballs' machine. Embassy Sweets.
969. From "wolkenkratzer" in German to "flea market" in English, direct translations called calques show how languages borrow from each other. This week, we…
Grammar GirlTaylor Swift Doesn't Need Your Grammatical Approval. In Love. Foil Lump Surprise.
968. This week, I expand on my comments for the New York Times about Taylor Swift's grammatically sound but apostrophe-free new album title: "The Tortured…
Grammar Girl'A' versus 'an.' 'Larruping' rides again. Euonyms. Flavoring.
967. Should you say "a honor" or "an honor"? It's trickier than you think! We explore why articles depend on sounds and regional variations, the difference…
Grammar GirlFrom 'hwhat' to 'what': Tracing a letter's disappearing act. Barkhouse.
966. We explore the rise and fall of the letter H: Debates over its name ("haitch" or "aitch"?) and why a once-prestigious pronunciation like "hwhat" now seems…
Grammar GirlThe listener show! (canceled, think, lettuce, funnily, episode numbers, at about, mangos, musgos)
965. It's a listener question extravaganza! I answer your questions about "canceled," "another think/thing coming," zero plurals such as "fish," the way I…
Grammar GirlTechnology changes how we write. Who was the first Goody Two Shoes?
964. From Nietzsche's writing ball to word processors and beyond, we look at how technology can change the way people write. Plus, we unpack the origin of the…
Grammar GirlMore than fluff: Understanding 'needless' words. Larruping. Chicken surprise.
963. Strunk and White said to omit needless words, but sometimes "redundant" words can serve a meaningful purpose. Plus, we have the story behind larruping…
Grammar GirlThe psychology (and language) of time. Commas are like people on the subway. Fox chores.
962. We explore why phrases like "time flies" and "fast approaching" reveal deeper perspectives on time — is it us moving or the event? Plus, you may think you…
Grammar GirlA rizzy word-of-the-year chat (with Jess Zafarris)
961. Prompting, hallucinating, and more! Jess Zafarris, author of "Words from Hell," joins me for a word-of-the-year chat. Hang out with us as we look at how…
Grammar GirlWhy English has silent letters. Dayjamas.
960. Some English letters are seen but not heard. In fact, more than half the letters in our alphabet are sometimes silent. We look at the many reasons we have…
Grammar GirlThe special sauce of human language. Gotten. NATO alphabet. A1 sauce.
959. Learn why human language goes beyond basic communication to allow spontaneous creativity, expression of identity, and leadership in linguistic change —…
Grammar GirlWhat's the difference between Hispanic, Chicano, Latino, Latinx, and Latine? Can something 'grow' smaller? Musko.
958. We trace the history, usage, and meaning behind identifiers such as "Hispanic," "Chicano," "Latino," "Latina," "Latinx," and "Latine." Plus, we look at…
Grammar GirlWhen does a house become a mansion? Giving someone house.
957. We trace the linguistic history behind "house" and "mansion" to uncover how these two humble words for dwellings grew apart, with "mansion" gaining airs —…
Grammar GirlFrom metal type to metaphor: printing terms that extended their reach. The positive 'anymore.' Gigglemare.
956. How did terms like "stereotype," "boilerplate," and "typecast" make the leap from specialist printing vocabulary to widespread figurative language? We…
Grammar GirlWhy is Black Friday black? The NATO alphabet. Byeloveyou.
955. This week, we're looking at the curious origins and histories behind common idioms and expressions that use "black," like "Black Friday," "black sheep,"…
Grammar GirlThe science of the plot twist. Irregardless. Spug.
954. Uh-oh, "irregardless" isn’t going away anytime soon. Take a deep breath while we dig into this hated word’s history, from its first appearance in 1795 to…
Grammar GirlOmnishambles! Military slang across the pond (interview with Ben Yagoda)
953. In honor of Veterans Day, Ben Yagoda tells us tales of military words that marched from the British lexicon to American English and influence the way we…
Grammar GirlCliches. Organic. Bully pulpit. Fimfy.
951. In honor of National Cliché day, we uncover why some overused phrases rub us the wrong way. What is the boundary between idioms, slang, and clichés—and…
Grammar GirlThe dark histories behind your favorite scary words, with Jess Zafarris
951. What's the difference between terror and horror? Why was the word for "bear" so scary that it is lost to history? Jess Zafarris, author of "Words from…
Grammar GirlNamesake. Commentate. Sprigly
950. Nowthen, a town with an odd little name, helps us understand the word "namesake," and then I have some surprising poll results about the much-hated verb…
Grammar GirlHow to write great topic sentences. Fanilects. Throwawayable.
949. Topic sentences aren't just for students! This week, we have real-life, grown-up examples — and you'll finally understand why that concept your English…
Grammar GirlWhen 'nice' was bad and 'bully' was good. Is 'preorder' redundant? High-intensity transformer.
948. Think you know where words like "bully," "nice," and "bimbo" come from? Think again! Join me as we explore surprising origins of common words. We'll see…
Grammar GirlThink faster and talk smarter. Tips from Matt Abrahams that will make you a better writer and speaker
947. Do you wish you could think on your feet faster? Well, Stanford business professor and communication expert Matt Abrahams has insights on having great…
Grammar GirlDid Disney nail the pronunciation of 'Caribbean'? How to write equations. Chuther.
946. It's Talk Like a Pirate Day, which brings to mind "Pirates of the Caribbean," but you can actually pronounce "Caribbean" at least two different ways. Did…
Grammar GirlAsking experts about language (interview with Steve Kleinedler, former executive editor of the American Heritage Dictionary Usage Panel)
945. What was the famous Usage Panel from the American Heritage Dictionary and how did the panel's opinions influence dictionary entries? Steve Kleinedler, who…
Grammar GirlWhen you shouldn't 'write tight.' 'Behead' versus 'decapitate.' YesHony.
944. Today, we untangle the often confusing web of writing styles. We'll explore the benefits of loose writing in fiction, creative writing, and academic…
Grammar GirlSay hwat?! 'Anxious' versus 'eager.' Pink stein.
943. Join us for a fascinating romp through the evolution of phrases like "you know," "right?" and "I mean" from Beowulf's time to today. Plus, we look at how…
Grammar GirlThe wonders of the 'a-' prefix in English. 'Personal' versus 'personnel.'
942. We’re diving deep into the chameleon-like nature of the "a-" prefix, tracing its journey from Latin, where it often started out as "ad-," to its function…
Grammar GirlHilarious typos (and how to avoid them). Why do we 'take' a walk?
941. Whether you've been betrayed by autocorrect or your own fingers, almost everyone has made embarrassing typos. Even the Bible isn't immune: typos led to an…
Grammar GirlHave you ridden an acoustic bike lately? Write it tight.
940. Pork bacon, manual transmissions, and acoustic guitars: retronyms help us describe the original form of something that has now become a class. But…
Grammar GirlDid you know that on US Army bases, soldiers get a tattoo every day? Keep writing.
939. When I say the word "tattoo," you probably think of body art, but "tattoo" has another meaning that's related to a famous Edinburgh festival that is…
Grammar GirlPeople have ~feelings~ about the exclamation point (Florence Hazrat interview)
938. Love it or hate it, the exclamation point has been on the red carpet lately because we're using it more. But it also has a fascinating history: the man…
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15 years of podcasting with Money Girl and Nutrition Diva
In this special bonus episode, I sat down with Laura Adams and Monica Reinagel, who host Money Girl and Nutrition Diva here on the Quick and Dirty Tips…
Grammar Girl'Less' versus 'fewer.' Fun names for fingers. Scunscreen.
937. Today, we explore the traditional advice of using "fewer" for things you can count and "less" for things you can't, but you'll also learn about the idea…