Cover image of Word for Word

Word for Word

Australian English has many fascinating stories, interesting etymologies, and wonderfully weird slang. The language is constantly evolving as the world around us changes; new words are created, meanin... Read more

Ranked #1

Podcast cover

#21 For the love of words

#21 For the love of words

Surprise! We're back with another bonus episode, featuring some funny, fascinating, unaired tidbits from Season 2.   Als... Read more

29 Mar 2018

15mins

Ranked #2

Podcast cover

#11 Strine; the Australian accent

#11 Strine; the Australian accent

Winston Churchill called the Australian accent "the most brutal maltreatment that has ever been inflicted" on the Englis... Read more

12 Sep 2017

22mins

Similar Podcasts

Ranked #3

Podcast cover

#31 Fishing for cats, dogs & hats

#31 Fishing for cats, dogs & hats

From catfishing and FOMO, to the rise of the ‘influencer’, the internet is a rich source for ever-evolving slang words a... Read more

28 Jan 2020

9mins

Ranked #4

Podcast cover

#25 Word of the Year 2018

#25 Word of the Year 2018

It's that time! Take a peek behind the scenes with us as Macquarie Dictionary chooses its 2018 Word of the Year.   In th... Read more

15 Jan 2019

20mins

Most Popular Podcasts

Ranked #5

Podcast cover

#12 They: A singular pronoun?

#12 They: A singular pronoun?

When it comes to the language we use around gender, change is happening fast. But some of that new language isn't so new... Read more

19 Sep 2017

28mins

Ranked #6

Podcast cover

#9 Australian indigenous languages

#9 Australian indigenous languages

Before 1788, hundreds of Indigenous languages were spoken in Australia. Today, that picture looks very different, but la... Read more

27 Apr 2017

32mins

Ranked #7

Podcast cover

#18 Harmless drudgery

#18 Harmless drudgery

It takes a special kind of person to be a dictionary editor. You need an instinctive understanding of language, a sharp,... Read more

29 Nov 2017

18mins

Ranked #8

Podcast cover

#15 The A-B-Cs of spelling bees

#15 The A-B-Cs of spelling bees

Sometimes English spelling seems designed to bamboozle. How did we end up with all these inconsistencies, quirky flouris... Read more

10 Oct 2017

27mins

Ranked #9

Podcast cover

#16 Slang from Down Under

#16 Slang from Down Under

In Australia, we're working with a wild array of slang: classic phrases, new inventions, and slang so good that other co... Read more

17 Oct 2017

22mins

Ranked #10

Podcast cover

#7 Emojis, hashtags & internet slang

#7 Emojis, hashtags & internet slang

Yas queen, we're finally talking internet slang! In this episode, we marvel at the evolution of language online, explori... Read more

14 Dec 2016

17mins

Ranked #11

Podcast cover

#6 Toorak tractors & sausage sandwiches

#6 Toorak tractors & sausage sandwiches

It's the question that sparked debate around the country: what do you call a sausage in a piece of bread? Your answer wi... Read more

7 Dec 2016

15mins

Ranked #12

Podcast cover

#22 Forensic linguistics, crime & punishment

#22 Forensic linguistics, crime & punishment

When it comes to bugging a suspect, re-interpreting a dusty statute, or presenting evidence in a criminal trial, the shi... Read more

6 Nov 2018

32mins

Ranked #13

Podcast cover

#26 Polari

#26 Polari

Secret languages abound in history and in modern culture, with words occasionally making the leap into the mainstream of... Read more

22 Oct 2019

38mins

Ranked #14

Podcast cover

#3 Omar Musa: Wandering rhapsodist

#3 Omar Musa: Wandering rhapsodist

This week on Word for Word, poet, rapper and author Omar Musa waxes lyrical on the rich diversity of Australian slang. A... Read more

15 Nov 2016

18mins

Ranked #15

Podcast cover

#29 Word of the Year 2019

#29 Word of the Year 2019

It's that time! Take a peek behind the scenes with us as Macquarie Dictionary chooses its 2019 Word of the Year. We once... Read more

4 Dec 2019

20mins

“Podium: AI tools for podcasters. Generate show notes, transcripts, highlight clips, and more with AI. Try it today at https://podium.page”