Lingthusiasm
@lingthusiasm.com
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
"Fascinating" -NYT
"Joyously nerdy" -Buzzfeed
lingthusiasm.com
Not sure where to start? Try our silly personality quiz: bit.ly/lingthusiasmquiz
Pinned
119: Irregularity is all over the place
Talk, talked. Walk, walked. Go...went?
In this episode, your hosts Gretchen McCulloch and Lauren Gawne get enthusiastic about the many ways that languages are irregular in their patterns! We talk ab
soundcloud.com
Talk, talked. Walk, walked. Go...went?
In this episode we get enthusiastic about the many ways that languages are irregular in their patterns!
soundcloud.com/lingthusiasm...
In this episode we get enthusiastic about the many ways that languages are irregular in their patterns!
soundcloud.com/lingthusiasm...
In this bonus episode, we get enthusiastic about the relationship of language and music!
🎹 How languages with tone deal with musical pitches
🥁 Mapping drums and whistles onto sounds to communicate across long distances
🗣️ Physical scans of genres of music like opera and beatboxing
🎹 How languages with tone deal with musical pitches
🥁 Mapping drums and whistles onto sounds to communicate across long distances
🗣️ Physical scans of genres of music like opera and beatboxing
Bonus 41: Tones, drums, and whistles - linguistics and music | Lingthusiasm
Both speech and music can involve making sounds using the human body, but they also have differences -- for example, music is generally more
www.patreon.com
September 17, 2026 at 3:30 AM
In this bonus episode, we get enthusiastic about the relationship of language and music!
🎹 How languages with tone deal with musical pitches
🥁 Mapping drums and whistles onto sounds to communicate across long distances
🗣️ Physical scans of genres of music like opera and beatboxing
🎹 How languages with tone deal with musical pitches
🥁 Mapping drums and whistles onto sounds to communicate across long distances
🗣️ Physical scans of genres of music like opera and beatboxing
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
Our new paper may be one of coolest studies I've ever done. We show that the structures of visual storytelling in comics aligns with the word order of the languages of the comic authors. Here's what we did... www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Syntactic headedness aligns with visual narrative structure
Recent research has highlighted how visual narrative sequences involve similar structures and processing as syntax in language, yet no work has asked …
www.sciencedirect.com
September 14, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Our new paper may be one of coolest studies I've ever done. We show that the structures of visual storytelling in comics aligns with the word order of the languages of the comic authors. Here's what we did... www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
Wikipedia took a picture of me wearing the @lingthusiasm.com comparative illusion T-shirt at WorldCon and now it's on my page! (Caption has a typo. It was at WorldCon, aka LACon V.)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Chu
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Chu
John Chu - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
September 16, 2026 at 10:49 AM
Wikipedia took a picture of me wearing the @lingthusiasm.com comparative illusion T-shirt at WorldCon and now it's on my page! (Caption has a typo. It was at WorldCon, aka LACon V.)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Chu
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Chu
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
Why do some kinds of conversations seem to flow really easily, while other times, it feels like you can’t get a word in edgewise, or that the other person isn’t holding up their end of the conversation?
This is the Lingthusiasm episode that people keep telling us changed their life
This is the Lingthusiasm episode that people keep telling us changed their life
39: How to rebalance a lopsided conversation
Lingthusiasm Episode 39: How to rebalance a lopsided conversation
Why do some conversations seem to flow really easily, while other times, it feels like you can’t get a word in edgewise, or that t...
lingthusiasm.com
September 6, 2026 at 2:19 PM
Why do some kinds of conversations seem to flow really easily, while other times, it feels like you can’t get a word in edgewise, or that the other person isn’t holding up their end of the conversation?
This is the Lingthusiasm episode that people keep telling us changed their life
This is the Lingthusiasm episode that people keep telling us changed their life
Why do some kinds of conversations seem to flow really easily, while other times, it feels like you can’t get a word in edgewise, or that the other person isn’t holding up their end of the conversation?
This is the Lingthusiasm episode that people keep telling us changed their life
This is the Lingthusiasm episode that people keep telling us changed their life
39: How to rebalance a lopsided conversation
Lingthusiasm Episode 39: How to rebalance a lopsided conversation
Why do some conversations seem to flow really easily, while other times, it feels like you can’t get a word in edgewise, or that t...
lingthusiasm.com
September 6, 2026 at 2:19 PM
Why do some kinds of conversations seem to flow really easily, while other times, it feels like you can’t get a word in edgewise, or that the other person isn’t holding up their end of the conversation?
This is the Lingthusiasm episode that people keep telling us changed their life
This is the Lingthusiasm episode that people keep telling us changed their life
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
🎶 Meat clarinet,
I'm gonna keep on singing with my meat clarinet,
I'm gonna keep on singing with this wet tube flesh,
I'm gonna keep on singing with my meat clarinet,
Meat clarinet 🎶
I'm gonna keep on singing with my meat clarinet,
I'm gonna keep on singing with this wet tube flesh,
I'm gonna keep on singing with my meat clarinet,
Meat clarinet 🎶
September 5, 2026 at 9:55 PM
🎶 Meat clarinet,
I'm gonna keep on singing with my meat clarinet,
I'm gonna keep on singing with this wet tube flesh,
I'm gonna keep on singing with my meat clarinet,
Meat clarinet 🎶
I'm gonna keep on singing with my meat clarinet,
I'm gonna keep on singing with this wet tube flesh,
I'm gonna keep on singing with my meat clarinet,
Meat clarinet 🎶
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
God, what have you done?
I've a meat clarinet
From my lips to my lungs oh mama
My windpipe and tongue
Are a meat clarinet
(the bassoon is my bum)
I've a meat clarinet
From my lips to my lungs oh mama
My windpipe and tongue
Are a meat clarinet
(the bassoon is my bum)
September 5, 2026 at 9:54 PM
God, what have you done?
I've a meat clarinet
From my lips to my lungs oh mama
My windpipe and tongue
Are a meat clarinet
(the bassoon is my bum)
I've a meat clarinet
From my lips to my lungs oh mama
My windpipe and tongue
Are a meat clarinet
(the bassoon is my bum)
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
Meat clarinet, I'm gonna keep on speaking from my
Meat clarinet, I'm gonna keep on speaking from my
Pink vocal tract, I'm gonna keep on speaking from my
Meat clarinet, meat clarinet
Meat clarinet, I'm gonna keep on speaking from my
Pink vocal tract, I'm gonna keep on speaking from my
Meat clarinet, meat clarinet
September 5, 2026 at 9:51 PM
Meat clarinet, I'm gonna keep on speaking from my
Meat clarinet, I'm gonna keep on speaking from my
Pink vocal tract, I'm gonna keep on speaking from my
Meat clarinet, meat clarinet
Meat clarinet, I'm gonna keep on speaking from my
Pink vocal tract, I'm gonna keep on speaking from my
Meat clarinet, meat clarinet
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
Today I learned that "meat clarinet" can be sung to the tune of "Pink Pony club" and if I have to know this then so do you
In this Lingthusiasm zine, @gretchenmcculloch.com gets a little bit too enthusiastic about a horrifying metaphor to encourage you to explore the workings of your own meat clarinet
For more zines and downloadable files to print your own, check out our zine page: lingthusiasm.com/zines
For more zines and downloadable files to print your own, check out our zine page: lingthusiasm.com/zines
September 5, 2026 at 9:49 PM
Today I learned that "meat clarinet" can be sung to the tune of "Pink Pony club" and if I have to know this then so do you
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
Something I've been realizing about getting into zines is that they have some interesting things in common with podcasts
They're both decentralized formats that aren't trying to feed an algorithm or encourage you to doomscroll
lingthusiasm.com/zines
They're both decentralized formats that aren't trying to feed an algorithm or encourage you to doomscroll
lingthusiasm.com/zines
September 4, 2026 at 6:44 PM
Something I've been realizing about getting into zines is that they have some interesting things in common with podcasts
They're both decentralized formats that aren't trying to feed an algorithm or encourage you to doomscroll
lingthusiasm.com/zines
They're both decentralized formats that aren't trying to feed an algorithm or encourage you to doomscroll
lingthusiasm.com/zines
It can be sort of hard to make the podcasts you're into leap off your phone and into people's hands, so we've made some Lingthusiasm zines!
In this bonus episode we go Behind the Zines with our technical editor Leah Velleman about the process behind making the first four Lingthusiasm zines
In this bonus episode we go Behind the Zines with our technical editor Leah Velleman about the process behind making the first four Lingthusiasm zines
Bonus 115: Behind the Zines - Interview with Leah Velleman | Lingthusiasm
We've been hearing from people that you're trying to get others to be as enthusiastic about linguistics as you are, but it can be sort of ha
www.patreon.com
September 4, 2026 at 2:50 AM
It can be sort of hard to make the podcasts you're into leap off your phone and into people's hands, so we've made some Lingthusiasm zines!
In this bonus episode we go Behind the Zines with our technical editor Leah Velleman about the process behind making the first four Lingthusiasm zines
In this bonus episode we go Behind the Zines with our technical editor Leah Velleman about the process behind making the first four Lingthusiasm zines
I like talking about hypocorisms as "hypocoros" for the same reason
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocor...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocor...
September 3, 2026 at 8:19 PM
I like talking about hypocorisms as "hypocoros" for the same reason
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocor...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocor...
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
You mentioned the oxen/boxen thing with computer nerds, which immediately made me think of this Brian Regan bit. The whole thing is great and pretty relevant here tbh! I'm not sure what period of history you meant, but I wonder if it could have come from this or predates it
youtu.be/ZPehhdkpBbk
youtu.be/ZPehhdkpBbk
Brian Regan Plurals
YouTube video by xxXxCOMEDYxXxx
youtu.be
August 31, 2026 at 6:32 AM
You mentioned the oxen/boxen thing with computer nerds, which immediately made me think of this Brian Regan bit. The whole thing is great and pretty relevant here tbh! I'm not sure what period of history you meant, but I wonder if it could have come from this or predates it
youtu.be/ZPehhdkpBbk
youtu.be/ZPehhdkpBbk
🎶 a-prefixing we go, a-prefixing we go, hi ho the dairy oh, a-prefixing we go 🎶
(linguistics takes on nursery rhymes
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-Hunti... )
(linguistics takes on nursery rhymes
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-Hunti... )
September 2, 2026 at 1:27 PM
🎶 a-prefixing we go, a-prefixing we go, hi ho the dairy oh, a-prefixing we go 🎶
(linguistics takes on nursery rhymes
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-Hunti... )
(linguistics takes on nursery rhymes
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-Hunti... )
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
We're a-fixin' to prefix an a- and do some a-prefixin'
It's called a-prefixing, and it's been around in English for a long time, still found in some varieties!
The Yale Grammatical Diversity Project has a whole article about it here
ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/a-...
The Yale Grammatical Diversity Project has a whole article about it here
ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/a-...
August 31, 2026 at 4:47 PM
We're a-fixin' to prefix an a- and do some a-prefixin'
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
I have very limited knowledge about schwas, just stuff I've picked up from podcasts, reading etc. I recommend @lingthusiasm.com if you want to get into the nitty gritty of linguistics as a lay person. And Helen Zaltzman's Allusionist Podcast is another great one about language in general.
August 31, 2026 at 8:24 PM
I have very limited knowledge about schwas, just stuff I've picked up from podcasts, reading etc. I recommend @lingthusiasm.com if you want to get into the nitty gritty of linguistics as a lay person. And Helen Zaltzman's Allusionist Podcast is another great one about language in general.
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
September 1, 2026 at 2:37 PM
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
And this is how I learned that the {a-} is derived from a preposition (probably "at" or "on") and hence the construction is analogous to the progressive constructions German "am Kochen" and Dutch "aan het koken" (both 'at cooking')
It's called a-prefixing, and it's been around in English for a long time, still found in some varieties!
The Yale Grammatical Diversity Project has a whole article about it here
ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/a-...
The Yale Grammatical Diversity Project has a whole article about it here
ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/a-...
August 30, 2026 at 7:53 AM
And this is how I learned that the {a-} is derived from a preposition (probably "at" or "on") and hence the construction is analogous to the progressive constructions German "am Kochen" and Dutch "aan het koken" (both 'at cooking')
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
I would call it "a-prefixin'", personally. (I can't do a-prefixin' and then pronounce the -ing the formal way.)
It's called a-prefixing, and it's been around in English for a long time, still found in some varieties!
The Yale Grammatical Diversity Project has a whole article about it here
ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/a-...
The Yale Grammatical Diversity Project has a whole article about it here
ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/a-...
August 30, 2026 at 7:55 AM
I would call it "a-prefixin'", personally. (I can't do a-prefixin' and then pronounce the -ing the formal way.)
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
Also found in conservative Ulster English, but with a different use and meaning - it's used there as an agentless passive form. E.g. He's a-burying the-morra (He's being buried tomorrow), The house is a-building (The house is being built), There's no work a-doing (There's no work being done).
August 30, 2026 at 8:21 AM
Also found in conservative Ulster English, but with a different use and meaning - it's used there as an agentless passive form. E.g. He's a-burying the-morra (He's being buried tomorrow), The house is a-building (The house is being built), There's no work a-doing (There's no work being done).
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
Oh, we're goin' a-a-prefixin', are we?
It's called a-prefixing, and it's been around in English for a long time, still found in some varieties!
The Yale Grammatical Diversity Project has a whole article about it here
ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/a-...
The Yale Grammatical Diversity Project has a whole article about it here
ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/a-...
August 30, 2026 at 10:47 AM
Oh, we're goin' a-a-prefixin', are we?
It's called a-prefixing, and it's been around in English for a long time, still found in some varieties!
The Yale Grammatical Diversity Project has a whole article about it here
ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/a-...
The Yale Grammatical Diversity Project has a whole article about it here
ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/a-...
August 30, 2026 at 6:34 AM
It's called a-prefixing, and it's been around in English for a long time, still found in some varieties!
The Yale Grammatical Diversity Project has a whole article about it here
ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/a-...
The Yale Grammatical Diversity Project has a whole article about it here
ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/a-...
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
I was listening to this episode and thinking about the unexpected ways people have gone grammatically with the kirby meme
bc I expected "eat their frame / ate their frame" but mostly people are like "you gotta kirby that shit" or "she kirby'd them"
bc I expected "eat their frame / ate their frame" but mostly people are like "you gotta kirby that shit" or "she kirby'd them"
Talk, talked. Walk, walked. Go...went?
In this episode we get enthusiastic about the many ways that languages are irregular in their patterns!
soundcloud.com/lingthusiasm...
In this episode we get enthusiastic about the many ways that languages are irregular in their patterns!
soundcloud.com/lingthusiasm...
119: Irregularity is all over the place
Talk, talked. Walk, walked. Go...went?
In this episode, your hosts Gretchen McCulloch and Lauren Gawne get enthusiastic about the many ways that languages are irregular in their patterns! We talk ab
soundcloud.com
August 28, 2026 at 7:50 PM
I was listening to this episode and thinking about the unexpected ways people have gone grammatically with the kirby meme
bc I expected "eat their frame / ate their frame" but mostly people are like "you gotta kirby that shit" or "she kirby'd them"
bc I expected "eat their frame / ate their frame" but mostly people are like "you gotta kirby that shit" or "she kirby'd them"
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
i don't speak French at all but thanks to @gretchenmcculloch.com and @lingthusiasm.com, I immediately understood this French-Canadian meme
August 28, 2026 at 10:58 PM
i don't speak French at all but thanks to @gretchenmcculloch.com and @lingthusiasm.com, I immediately understood this French-Canadian meme
Reposted by Lingthusiasm
We do have a fair number of SFF authors who tell us they follow @lingthusiasm.com for worldbuilding ideas! I think it could work as a crossover!
The other podcasts I regularly listen to are writing podcasts (SFF writing, specifically). I am wondering whether @worldbuildcast.bsky.social would be interested. Their guests are usually SFF authors, but I could see some potential for an episode on language in worldbuilding.
August 24, 2026 at 7:49 PM
We do have a fair number of SFF authors who tell us they follow @lingthusiasm.com for worldbuilding ideas! I think it could work as a crossover!