Word Matters Podcast
1) 61. How Words Are Dropped from the Dictionary
We talk all the time about how words are entered. But what about the ones that fall away? How are those decisions made? Let's get into it. Hosted by Emily Brewster, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski. ...Show More
2) An Interview with John Morse, Part 3
Part three of a three-part interview with John Morse, former president and publisher of Merriam-Webster Hosted by Emily Brewster and Peter Sokolowski. Produced in collaboration with New England Publ...Show More
3) An Interview with John Morse, Part 2
Part two of a three-part interview with John Morse, former president and publisher of Merriam-Webster Hosted by Emily Brewster and Peter Sokolowski. Produced in collaboration with New England Public...Show More
4) An Interview with John Morse, Part 1
John Morse retired as president and publisher of Merriam-Webster in 2016 after a long career in lexicography that included shepherding the company through periods of enormous change. His story provide...Show More
5) Episode 100: How did we get here?
It’s our 100th episode, which seemed like a good occasion to answer a listener question of a more personal type: how did we—that is, we three editors—get here? Hosted by Emily Brewster, Ammon Shea, a...Show More
6) Do we repeat ourselves? Very well then, we repeat ourselves.
A listener questions a tautology in one of our definitions and starts us off on a discussion of all types of repetition and redundancy. Hosted by Emily Brewster, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski. ...Show More
7) Hackneyed Phrases, Both Old and New
Writing advice often includes hackneyed phrases we’re supposed to avoid. The phrases we're warned against today are different from the ones of yesteryear. We'll explore both. Hosted by Emily Brews...Show More
8) Tips for Frenchifying Your French
Whether you're hoping to improve your high school French or just order that croissant with more confidence, we have some tips for you. Hosted by Emily Brewster, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski. Pro...Show More
9) Eggcorns, Mondegreens, and Spoonerisms—Oh My!
A discussion of various kinds of slips of the tongue and errors of the ear. Hosted by Emily Brewster, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski. Produced in collaboration with New England Public Media. T...Show More
10) Traveling Words: Luggage, Baggage, and the Recombobulation Station
In the disconcerting event that your travels by air deliver you, but not what you've packed, to your destination, you may find yourself filing a lost luggage claim, or a lost baggage claim—it could be...Show More