Lingthusiasm

@lingthusiasm.com

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A podcast that's enthusiastic about linguistics! By @gretchenmcculloch.com and @superlinguo.bsky.social "Fascinating" -NYT "Joyously nerdy" -Buzzfeed lingthusiasm.com Not sure where to start? Try our silly personality quiz: bit.ly/lingthusiasmquiz

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Lauren: I think we could also have a go at making World Schwa Day happen. Gretchen: What day would you propose for that? Lauren: It would have to be the very middle of the year (which I now realise I’m not sure if that’s the 1st of July of the 30th of June), and it would have to change on a leap year. Gretchen: According to Wikipedia it is July 2nd. Lauren: Right, July 2nd. So, July 2nd at midday, peak schwa day. Gretchen: July 2nd at midday everyone just stand outside and go /ə:/. That can be schwa day. Lauren: Schwa Day – it’s extremely mid. You can’t make it too much of a big deal because it’s schwa. It’s unstressed. It’s not a big deal. Gretchen: It’s just sort of chill. I think that’s particularly good in the North American context because a lot of border cities between Canada and the US will celebrate both July 1st, which is Canada Day, and July 4th, which is American Independence Day, and they’ll have fireworks on both of those days. It’s nice to have a lull day in the middle. Lauren: Oh, I was gonna say we’ve got a new holiday for them where they could just do both at once. Gretchen: But they have to put off incredibly quiet fireworks if it’s Schwa Day.
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A calendar reading: 7am - beat the dead horse 8am - push someone's buttons 9am - skate on thin ice 9:30 - beat around the bush 10am - put in my 2 cents, knock it till I try it 11am address the elephant in the room
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Carolynn T - 19hr ago I think this is one of the most delightfully weird topics Lingthusiasm has ever covered. I can understand why people are so fascinated by this manuscript. Even if it is gibberish, it had to have been FOR something, right? But what??
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Lingthusiasm (hosted by Dr. Lauren Gawne & Gretchen McCulloch) If you’re like me, you find words fascinating. If you’re not like me, this podcast will convince you that they’re fascinating. Every week, Lauren and Gretchen do deep-dives into the origins and thought processes behind language that always leave me feeling like I really learned something new. Highly recommend the episodes on swearing and whether or not a hot dog is a sandwich.
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