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With esteemed Columbia University linguistics professor John McWhorter as your host, Lexicon Valley dissects this messy, maddening and thoroughly wonderful thing we call language.

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Latest Episodes View All

Podcast Episode

Down the Rabbit Hole

Do you know the difference between a rabbit and a hare? And what then is a bunny? Follow John through the etymological warrens of these several words. This is a public episode. If you would like to di...

· 22 min 55 sec

Podcast Episode

Giving You the Business

It may seem apparent how we got from busyness to business, but the origins of the word “busy” itself are shrouded in mystery. John explains. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this...

· 24 min 45 sec

Podcast Episode

When Is Code-Switching Inappropriate?

As a daily listener to WNYC Public Radio in New York City, John has noticed that a certain announcer frequently mispronounces words on air. He has thoughts. This is a public episode. If you would like...

· 27 min 27 sec

Podcast Episode

The World's Largest Family

Working backwards from existing languages, linguists have had great success reconstructing Proto-Indo-European. Does that mean we can do the same for all language families? John explains. This is a pu...

· 19 min 27 sec

About us

In his close examination of language — its power to inform and misinform, to elucidate and obfuscate, John analyzes the words and phrases that dominate our discourse and make the headlines.

Questions? Comments? E-mail booksmartstudios@gmail.com and one of our producers will get back to you as soon as possible.