Skip to main content

Up Next

How Brands Ruin Slang

How Brands Ruin Slang

Season 3 Episode 1
8:01
Is "R" a Vowel?

Is "R" a Vowel?

Season 3 Episode 2
6:41
How English Took Over the World

How English Took Over the World

Season 3 Episode 4
6:35
How the Colors Got Their Names

How the Colors Got Their Names

Season 3 Episode 9
6:29
The Most Extreme Place Names

The Most Extreme Place Names

Season 3 Episode 10
7:11
How Language Nerds Solve Crimes

How Language Nerds Solve Crimes

Season 4 Episode 1
8:59
Back to Show
Otherwords

Why Sign Language Was Banned in America

Season 2 Episode 10

Sign Languages are just as linguistically valid and vibrant as spoken languages, and beneficial to learn for Deaf and hearing people. So why for decades was it illegal to teach them in American schools?

Support Provided By
Season
Is Bluey Giving Your Kid Australian Accent
6:21
Children are sponges for language acquisition. Which leads us to ask the question: how much does TV
Is English a Creole?
6:51
We already know that English borrows from everybody, but can it be considered a Creole language?
A Brief History of the Reading Wars?
8:35
How do you teach children to read? This question is at the heart of a decades-long battle.
Why Is English Awash in Sailors Jargon?
8:11
The English language is chock full of sailing jargon but why is that?
Is Body Language Really A Language?
8:58
How do we communicate without words? With our bodies. Body language!
How Cult Leaders Use Language
10:58
What is the best tool for cult leaders to control other people? It’s the power of language.
Why Do Some Names Fall Out of Fashion
7:14
Headlines have sprung up all over declaring that the Southern American dialect is on its way out.
Why Do We Use Cringey Words for Loved Ones?
9:11
Why do we use such unusual words for the people we love?
Is the Southern Accent Disappearing?
7:33
Let’s dig deep and find out why certain names simply fall out of fashion.
Why Do These Words Get Mispronounced So Much?
8:32
There are many words you say incorrectly but don’t know you are saying incorrectly.
How Language Nerds Solve Crimes
8:59
Linguists use language everyday to solve crimes. Let’s take a look the most famous ones!
The Most Extreme Place Names
7:11
Join us as we find out how certain places got their names.
Active loading indicator