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Word of Mouth

Series exploring the world of words and the ways in which we use them

Ranked #1

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Steven Pinker on Language

Steven Pinker on Language

Professor Steven Pinker joins Michael Rosen and Dr Laura Wright in the studio for a wide-ranging talk about his love of,... Read more

5 Apr 2016

28mins

Ranked #2

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Small Talk

Small Talk

Pointless chit chat or vital social lubricant? Michael Rosen and Dr Laura Wright talk small talk with psychotherapist an... Read more

27 Sep 2016

27mins

Similar Podcasts

Ranked #3

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Anglo Saxon

Anglo Saxon

Michael Rosen explores the origins of English in the Anglo-Saxon world. Ancient riddles, poems and a multi-cultural Bri... Read more

27 Aug 2019

27mins

Ranked #4

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Dyslexia

Dyslexia

Michael Rosen talks in depth about dyslexia: what it is, how to understand it and useful advice for parents and teachers... Read more

12 Feb 2019

27mins

Most Popular Podcasts

Ranked #5

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Talking or Texting?

Talking or Texting?

We take it for granted that we can maintain our friendships and family relationships now in so many ways: phone, voicema... Read more

23 Feb 2016

27mins

Ranked #6

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Reading: The Science and the Pleasure

Reading: The Science and the Pleasure

As part of the BBC LovetoRead campaign, Michael Rosen talks about his first experience in reading, with Dr Laura Wright,... Read more

11 Oct 2016

27mins

Ranked #7

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Slang

Slang

What is slang, where does it come from, and which subjects attract the most slang words? Michael Rosen and Dr Laura Wrig... Read more

19 Jan 2016

27mins

Ranked #8

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The Top 20 Words in English

The Top 20 Words in English

Michael Rosen and Dr Laura Wright guide us through the top 20 words in English. Not the best or most popular (that would... Read more

2 Feb 2016

27mins

Ranked #9

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Lost Words and Secret Connections

Lost Words and Secret Connections

Have you ever wondered why there's no word for that universal affliction of early morning worry & wakefulness? Or ho... Read more

13 Sep 2016

27mins

Ranked #10

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Listen and learn: how to make better conversation

Listen and learn: how to make better conversation

Michael Rosen talks to Eddy Canfor-Dumas and Peter Osborn about how improving our dialogue is good for everything, from ... Read more

19 Feb 2019

27mins

Ranked #11

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Andrew Graham-Dixon on the naming of art movements

Andrew Graham-Dixon on the naming of art movements

Michael Rosen and art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon take a tour through the naming of art movements. Surrealism, Impression... Read more

17 May 2016

27mins

Ranked #12

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Stephen Fry and Michael Rosen talk language

Stephen Fry and Michael Rosen talk language

Stephen Fry talks to presenter Michael Rosen about their mutual obsession with language: the particular joys they both f... Read more

11 Sep 2018

27mins

Ranked #13

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Pet or Pest? The revealing words we use about animals, and dog names

Pet or Pest? The revealing words we use about animals, and dog names

Michael Rosen and Laura Wright on the language we use to talk about animals - and the names we give our dogs. Do the wor... Read more

7 Feb 2017

27mins

Ranked #14

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Punctuation

Punctuation

Michael Rosen talks to Keith Houston about punctuation symbols and how they came to exist. Keith is the author of Shady ... Read more

24 May 2016

27mins

Ranked #15

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Snuck and Sung: Irregular Verbs

Snuck and Sung: Irregular Verbs

Michael Rosen and Dr Laura Wright explore irregular verbs with Dr Marcelle Cole, and a contribution from Steven Pinker.W... Read more

10 May 2016

27mins

Ranked #16

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The most powerful word

The most powerful word

Michael Rosen explores the strange history of 'The', the most influential word in English. It's used more than twice as ... Read more

17 Jul 2019

27mins

Ranked #17

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Naming Emotions

Naming Emotions

Michael Rosen talks to Dr Tiffany Watt Smith about the words we use to try and describe our emotions, and what that can ... Read more

24 Apr 2018

28mins

Ranked #18

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Shop Names

Shop Names

Michael Rosen and Laura Wright look at the history behind and witty wordplay used in shop names, with guest Greg Rowland... Read more

22 May 2018

28mins

Ranked #19

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Haggard Hawks

Haggard Hawks

Why do we 'let the cat out of the bag' or 'go the whole nine yards'? What is a hackle and why might it be raised? What d... Read more

20 Feb 2018

28mins

Ranked #20

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The First Language

The First Language

Michael Rosen asks what the earliest language was and how it evolved. Michael joins linguist Dr Laura Wright on a jour... Read more

16 Jul 2019

28mins

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