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The Screwed-Up History of English Spelling

Season 2 Episode 3 | 7m 50s

The English spelling system is a MESS... arguably more than any other language. How did it get this way?

Aired: 03/23/22

From

Extras

Otherwords

Is Social Media Censorship Unaliving Language?

Is TikTok ruining language?

Episode: E7 | 7:21

Otherwords

The Mysterious Origins of Abracadabra and Other Magic Words

Are there 'magic' words?

Episode: E6 | 7:21

Otherwords

Where Did Cringey Corporate Jargon Come From?

We're gonna have to ask you to go ahead and watch this video. "

Episode: E5 | 5:51

Watch • 12:22

Otherwords

Inside the Fiercest Debate in Linguistics

It's one of the most contentious debates in linguistics!

Episode: E4 | 12:22

Otherwords

Why A.I. Struggles with Negative Words

The ways we use negation in language can be pretty complex, even AI can’t seem to make sense of it.

Episode: E3 | 7:05

Otherwords

The Ancient Origins of Body Words

Join us as we try to figure out how our body parts got their names.

Episode: E1 | 8:36

Otherwords

Is Bluey Giving Your Kid Australian Accent

Children are sponges for language acquisition. Which leads us to ask the question: how much does TV

Episode: S4 E11 | 6:21

Otherwords

Is English a Creole?

We already know that English borrows from everybody, but can it be considered a Creole language?

Episode: S4 E10 | 6:51

Otherwords

A Brief History of the Reading Wars?

How do you teach children to read? This question is at the heart of a decades-long battle.

Episode: S4 E9 | 8:35

Otherwords

Why Is English Awash in Sailors Jargon?

The English language is chock full of sailing jargon but why is that?

Episode: S4 E8 | 8:11

Latest Episodes

All

Otherwords

Is Social Media Censorship Unaliving Language?

Is TikTok ruining language?

Episode: E7 | 7:21

Otherwords

The Mysterious Origins of Abracadabra and Other Magic Words

Are there 'magic' words?

Episode: E6 | 7:21

Otherwords

Where Did Cringey Corporate Jargon Come From?

We're gonna have to ask you to go ahead and watch this video. "

Episode: E5 | 5:51

Watch • 12:22

Otherwords

Inside the Fiercest Debate in Linguistics

It's one of the most contentious debates in linguistics!

Episode: E4 | 12:22

Otherwords

Why A.I. Struggles with Negative Words

The ways we use negation in language can be pretty complex, even AI can’t seem to make sense of it.

Episode: E3 | 7:05

Otherwords

The Ancient Origins of Body Words

Join us as we try to figure out how our body parts got their names.

Episode: E1 | 8:36

Otherwords

Is Bluey Giving Your Kid Australian Accent

Children are sponges for language acquisition. Which leads us to ask the question: how much does TV

Episode: S4 E11 | 6:21

Otherwords

Is English a Creole?

We already know that English borrows from everybody, but can it be considered a Creole language?

Episode: S4 E10 | 6:51

Otherwords

A Brief History of the Reading Wars?

How do you teach children to read? This question is at the heart of a decades-long battle.

Episode: S4 E9 | 8:35

Otherwords

Why Is English Awash in Sailors Jargon?

The English language is chock full of sailing jargon but why is that?

Episode: S4 E8 | 8:11