Best Booksmart Studios Podcasts (2024)

1
Family Ties 27:01

18d ago27:01

27:01

There are at least five defining features among hundreds of related languages from English to Hindi to Russian. And what does any of that have to do with the Hittites? John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribe…

1
Family Ties

18d ago

—

The Hittite Sacred Water Temple, in what is now Konya, Turkey, consists of a large pool built on a natural water source and god and goddess figures made in relief technique on rectangular shaped rocks. There are at least five defining features among hundreds of related languages from English to Hindi to Russian. And what does any of that have to do…

1
Going Deep 32:50

2M ago32:50

32:50

The simple verb to go quickly gets complex in just about any language and English is no exception. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribeBy John McWhorter

1
Going Deep

2M ago

—

The simple verb to go quickly gets complex in just about any language and English is no exception. John explains.

1
What's at Stake at Columbia University (and beyond)? 6:29

2M ago6:29

6:29

We saw this clip of Columbia University History Professor Christopher Brown and wanted to share it far and wide. Dr. Brown delivered these remarks on Monday, April 20 at a faculty-led “Rally to Support our Students and Reclaim our University.” He was responding to two events: Columbia President Minouche Shafik’s Congressional Testimony on April 17 …

1
Renowned drummer Zoro Talks About His Latest Book “Maria’s Scarf”. 49:27

2M ago49:27

49:27

Zoro, the renowned drummer born Daniel Donnelly, is the latest guest on The Staffa Corner Podcast. Zoro’s impressive career includes performances alongside notable talents such as Lenny Kravitz, Bobby Brown, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and New Edition. With such a diverse musical background, it’s no wonder Zoro has captivating stories to sh…

1
Diversity Is Great, DEI, Inc. Isn't. 31:10

3M ago31:10

31:10

We recently appeared on "How Do We Fix It?", a wonderful podcast in search of constructive and practical ideas to address the many problems that plague our age. We had a fantastic time talking to the hosts Richard Davies and Jim Meigs about free speech, academic freedom and campus politics. We discussed DEI, Inc.—what the term means and why we thin…

1
Come Under Scrutiny 25:32

3M ago25:32

25:32

What does the bat in “acrobat” have to do with the word come? John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribeBy John McWhorter

1
Come Under Scrutiny

4M ago

—

The come bet on a craps table. What does the bat in “acrobat” have to do with the word come? John explains.

1
Tara Pirnia Talks About Her Directorial Debut At SXSW With Switch Up 44:51

4M ago44:51

44:51

One reason I created The Staffa Corner podcast is because we’ve witnessed a decline in our ability to engage in thoughtful debates and maintain civil discussions. When someone disagrees with us, our reflex is often defensiveness. As a TV/film critic, it is easy to write a negative review, post it, and swiftly move on to the next critique. Recently,…

1
Actor And Comedian Victoria Jackson Talks About SNL And Her Career 30:27

5M ago30:27

30:27

What amazes me about doing a podcast is that most people agree to come on and do it in their free time. I sincerely respect that, even when nothing seems to go as planned. This episode is one of those as the entertaining comedian Victoria Jackson joins The Staffa Corner Podcast. Little did I know she was having her guest bathroom remodeled, forcing…

1
Have Your Own Damn Self a Merry Little Christmas 28:14

6M ago28:14

28:14

Reflexive pronouns are redundant in a way, sure, but they’re also quite common in many languages. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribeBy John McWhorter

1
Have Your Own Damn Self a Merry Little Christmas

6M ago

—

A scene from the movie Meet Me in St. Louis, in which Judy Garland sings “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Reflexive pronouns are redundant in a way, sure, but they’re also quite common in many languages. John explains.

1
"Entitled to Judge" 19:29

7M ago19:29

19:29

Celebrated as the bedrock of democracy, freedom of expression is often seen as an American or western value. Yet the concept has a rich and global history. In the spring of 2023 I offered a course on the global history of free expression. The course tracks the long and turbulent history of freedom of expression from ancient Athens and medieval Isla…

1
Director Bronwen Hughes reflects on 14 years since the White Collar pilot 38:15

8M ago38:15

38:15

October 23 marked the 14th anniversary of the USA Network series White Collar premiere. The crime drama starred Matt Bomer as talented con man Neal Caffrey. To avoid returning to prison, Caffrey strikes a deal with the FBI to work for them as a consultant. The series was created by Jeff Eastin, with the pilot directed by Bronwen Hughes. The series …

1
Set Designer Evan Spence talks about Billy the Kid, Fargo, and more 42:45

8M ago42:45

42:45

Growing up, one of my favorite movies was the 1988 film Young Guns, followed by the sequel Young Guns II in 1990. The film starred Emilio Estevez as Billy the Kid. What I loved about the film was it got me to want to learn more about the real-life characters and the history surrounding the Lincoln County War. Through the years, I've made four trips…

1
When Did People Start Talking? 30:12

8M ago30:12

30:12

There’s good reason to believe that sophisticated speech began long before homo sapiens hit the scene. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribeBy John McWhorter

1
When Did People Start Talking?

8M ago

—

There’s good reason to believe that sophisticated speech began long before homo sapiens hit the scene. John explains.

1
Who's Afraid of Ayesha Rascoe? 32:04

9M ago32:04

32:04

Does Ayesha Rascoe have a good radio voice? Not according to many NPR listeners, who find her loud, high-pitched and generally grating. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribe…

1
Who's Afraid of Ayesha Rascoe?

9M ago

—

Ayesha Rascoe is host of NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday. Does Ayesha Rascoe have a good radio voice? Not according to many NPR listeners, who find her loud, high-pitched and generally grating. John explains.

1
What Is Miami English? 26:15

10M ago26:15

26:15

A recent study suggests that a new dialect is emerging in the southern part of Florida. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribeBy John McWhorter

1
What Is Miami English?

11M ago

—

A couple shares coconut water in Little Havana during a heat wave in June, 2023. A recent study suggests that a new dialect is emerging in the southern part of Florida. John explains.

1
Report of the Trial of Levi Weeks 29:11

12M ago29:11

29:11

The trial transcript of a 225-year-old murder is filled with fascinating evidence of the way we used to talk. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribeBy John McWhorter

1
I Got My Nails Did! 29:50

1y ago29:50

29:50

Many English verbs have three forms — sing, sang and sung, for example. The problem is that speakers seem to want only two. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribeBy John McWhorter

1
To v. Too 27:05

1y ago27:05

27:05

Too — whether about excess, addition or contradiction — evolved from to. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribeBy John McWhorter

1
Picture of Health 23:36

1y ago23:36

23:36

Some languages adopt their “health” word from the concept of wholeness — a metaphor that makes perfect sense. Other languages, however, adopt their “health” word from trees. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribe…

1
The Right Stuff 28:14

1y ago28:14

28:14

Like the French word droit, English’s right has taken on a number of useful metaphorical meanings. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribeBy John McWhorter

1
Age, Color, Origin, Material 24:21

1+ y ago24:21

24:21

In this favorite from the archives, John discusses some unwritten rules of English that can be remarkably difficult for a learner of English to master. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribe…

1
One for the Record Books 25:44

1+ y ago25:44

25:44

The word “record” can be broken down into two parts, the re and the cord. But what do those parts even mean? John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribeBy John McWhorter

1
Why Do People in Old Movies Talk Like That? 30:52

1+ y ago30:52

30:52

John is traveling this week and so we’re running a previous episode about the speech patterns of Bette Davis, George Gershwin, Louis Armstrong and countless other Americans of the 1930s. Why do they all sound like that? This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalle…

1
Past Master 24:48

1+ y ago24:48

24:48

So many of our words have ugly associations that are particular to a historical time or event. Should we expunge them entirely from our vocabulary? Can we? John weighs in. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribe…

1
The Sunshine State Descends into Darkness (Again) 13:42

1+ y ago13:42

13:42

Worse than McCarthyism? In this episode of Banished, we explore the all-out assault on academic freedom in higher education in Florida. Turns out there’s a long history of campus witch-hunts in the state. We spoke with Robert Cassenello (history professor at University of Central Florida), Paul Ortiz (history professor at the University of Florida)…

1
Are You Tryna Hear This? 31:21

1+ y ago31:21

31:21

Words that come to mean “want” often start out meaning something else. Take “want,” for example. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribeBy John McWhorter

1
The Ambassadors 29:48

1+ y ago29:48

29:48

Henry James wrote his final novels just over a century ago — and yet they are far less accessible than works written much earlier. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribeBy John McWhorter

1
Apostrophe S 25:31

1+ y ago25:31

25:31

Possession is more or less about ownership, and we denote that in English by adding ’s to the end of a word. But of course there’s far more to the story than just that. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribe…

1
Is "Knocked Up" Racist? 30:54

1+ y ago30:54

30:54

There’s a rumor going around social networks that “knocked up” traces back to American slave trading. Is there any evidence for that etymology? John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribe…

1
Actor Falk Hentschel Talks Fatherhood and The Industry Post Covid 41:30

1+ y ago41:30

41:30

By Greg Staffa

1
What a Young Brain Can Do 37:10

1+ y ago37:10

37:10

It’s tempting to imagine that a sentence will translate rather neatly, word by word, from one language to another. It’s also naive. English, after all, is relatively straightforward, while most languages are far more gunked up with complexity — perhaps none as much as Yimas. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this wit…

1
Will Florida's "Stop WOKE Act" Hold Up in Court? 21:15

1+ y ago21:15

21:15

Banished returns with a special episode on the status of a lawsuit challenging Florida’s “Stop WOKE Act.” To understand how this law threatens open inquiry and academic freedom, Amna talked to the two co-plaintiffs, University of South Florida history professor Adriana Novoa and University of South Florida senior Sam Rechek. For help with the legal…

1
What Do You Talk? 28:40

1+ y ago28:40

28:40

The book and lyrics of The Music Man are replete with everyday, ordinary dialogue that, nevertheless, demonstrates how English often works. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribe…

1
Actress Mallory James Mahoney Talks About “BUNK’D.” and More 24:49

1+ y ago24:49

24:49

My guest this episode is 17-year-old actress Mallory James Mahoney from Disney Channel’s comedy series, This season Mallory’s character has shifted from camper to camp counselor. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Mallory became interested in acting at a very young age. At eight years old, Mallory decided she wanted to try acting in TV/film and ende…

1
The Problem With You 29:13

1+ y ago29:13

29:13

English used to have a more or less typical array of second person pronouns, with thou and thee for the singular — subject and object cases, respectively — and ye and you for the plural. So what happened? John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalle…

1
The Rodney Dangerfield Pronoun 33:35

2y ago33:35

33:35

Comedian Rodney Dangerfield was fond of introducing jokes with a kind of redundancy, for example: “My wife, she told me I was one in a million. I found out she was right.” But those seemingly superfluous pronouns are filled with promise. John explains. Lexicon Valley is a reader-supported publication. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. Thi…

1
Actress Melody Butiu Talks About Comedy "Easter Sunday" and more 51:33

2y ago51:33

51:33

By Greg Staffa

1
Is Negro a Slur or Just Antiquated? 34:35

2y ago34:35

34:35

The racial reckoning of the past several years has altered the way we think about and use language, often for better but occasionally for worse. And sometimes, as John explains in this episode, what we tend to believe is at odds with what is most likely true. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get acce…

1
One Is the Loneliest Number 30:41

2y ago30:41

30:41

Only, lonely, alone and even atone all derive from the number one, which, by the way, wasn’t always pronounced as if it began with the letter w. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribe…

1
Throw Up, Turn Out & Believe 45:36

2y ago45:36

45:36

Words like chit-chat, pitter-patter and wishy-washy are formed that way for a reason beyond the pleasing way that they sound. The vowel change actually signifies something more meaningful to our human way of thinking. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit…

1
Why Fidget Poppers Are "Satisfying" 38:11

2y ago38:11

38:11

What does the proliferation of so-called ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) videos say about the nuanced use of the word satisfying? John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/subscribe…

1
Why Do We Dot Our i's? 32:19

2y ago32:19

32:19

As a guest on The Late Show, John told Stephen Colbert that there was nothing especially interesting to say about the word I. Well, he takes that back — there is, it turns out, much to say. Have a listen. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com/…

1
You Are SO Articulate. Really. 38:08

2y ago38:08

38:08

Do you remember learning — in grade school most likely — the difference between a count noun and a mass noun? Probably not, and yet chances are that you use them correctly. That’s because you’ve mastered your native language. John explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episode…

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