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Published by Dr Rebecca Mitchell
Are you curious about how languages work? Have you ever wondered, for example, why humans speak and animals don’t, or why there are so many different languages? Maybe at some point you’ve asked yourself why some people start a sentence in one language and finish it in another, or whether women really do talk more than men, or who invented the alphabet, or where we get new words from. Perhaps you want to know why the language you’re learning has masculine and feminine words, or you’ve heard rumours of languages that consist entirely of whistling! And where do designer dogs fit into all this?! Well, you’ve come to the right place, because the Linguistics HQ podcast will answer all of these questions and many more! We’ll explore every aspect of the science of language, starting with the basics, from how languages are structured to how we can use our knowledge of linguistics to discover exciting things and even make our world a better place. Whatever sort of language enthusiast you are, Linguistics HQ has got something for you. I’m Dr Rebecca Mitchell and I’m a lecturer, teacher and public speaker, and I’m on a mission to make the science of language everyone’s business. So hit subscribe and let’s get thinking, talking and learning about linguistics! www.linguisticshq.co.uk
On the charts
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From the feed
The latest episodes published to this podcast’s own RSS feed. Titles and descriptions are the publisher’s.
How do languages end up with family resemblances? Can two words really be separated at birth? What does your vocabulary have to say about your ancestors? And who invited Sanskrit to the family reunion? Tune into the first episode of this new series on historical linguistics and language families to find out more!
Why are some languages living on borrowed time? Is there life after death for a language? And could your language be next? Tune into this episode to find out the answers to these questions and many more! Linguistics HQ will now take a summer break but will return on September 2nd with a new series, so do subscribe so that you don't miss out!
Why do grandchildren always seem to answer in the wrong language? Can a language lose a popularity contest? And is language shift just rebranding with better marketing? Tune into this episode to find out!
Could you survive an Arctic trading expedition armed with twenty words and your creativity? When is a pidgin fully fledged? And how can you accidentally invent a language? Tune into today's episode to find out!
Do you ever start a sentence in one language and terminarla en otra? Would you like to learn a cunning way to make people think you're bilingual? And the ancient grammarians are back! Tune in da learn bagaimana multilingual speakers miksaju i matchaju on a daily basis!
Do you know your Balkans from your Baltic? Does that preposition have a passport? And how did the Normans get their own back on us for borrowing so many of their words? Tune into this episode on syntactic borrowing to find out about structural borrowing and convergence!
Take a siesta from your schedule , hit the sofa in your pyjamas and rendezvous for a linguistic smorgasbord of loan words! Tune in to this episode to find out why and how we borrow words and where borrowing fits in to a more sinister picture!
How can you trick someone into thinking you're bilingual? What are AAVE, MLE and UBE? And where have the Ancient Greeks got to?! Tune in to find out about how a person's ethnic identity and mother tongue might influence the way they speak. Linguistics HQ will then go on an epic Easter egg hunt, but will be back for a new season on Wednesday 22nd April. so don't forget to subscribe, and see you then!
Who was behind the decipherment of Linear B? Who was the 'Saxon Nymph'? And was there once a high priestess of linguistics? Tune in to find out about the work of some influential female linguists and language advocates, and how they’ve made a difference!
What's another name for a precarious proletariat? Do accents open doors - or are they still quietly closing them? And is covert prestige just for secret agents? This episode, which explores the relationship between language, socioeconomic status and education, will answer all of these questions and more! On your Marx, get set, go! NB. The next episode will be on Wednesday 4th March.
Do you know your MLE from your UBE? Are you more of a trapper or a strutter? Do you ever find yourself changing your accent to fit the situation? And is that a thorn in that rose bush, or a fawn?? This episode will examine how our language use reveals where we come from, and how it can affect people's perception of us. Tune in to find out more! NB. The next episode will be on Friday February 20th. Don't miss it!
Does language use really get worse over time, or are we just getting older? Is slang just too skibidi for a parliamentary speech? And for how long have we been at risk of brain rot? This episode, which looks at the relationship between age and language use, will answer all of these questions and more!
What makes a Greek grammarian grumpy? Is it asking for purple but getting midnight aubergine? Or is it appearing in the same podcast episode as Britney Spears and the Kardashians? This episode is the first in a new season on sociolinguistics, starting with language and gender. From swearing to vocal fry, tune in to find out the truth behind some of the stereotypes!
Have you ever wondered where language actually comes from? Why did humans develop language in a way that other species didn't? And are bow-wow, ding-dong and poo-poo bona fide academic theories? Season 1 will go out with a bang as this episode attempts to answer one of the biggest questions in linguistics! Linguistics HQ will then go into a brief period of hibernation, but it will be back on Wednesday 6th January with a new season all about sociolinguistics, so see you then!
Why do we say 'I’ll think about it' when we’ve already decided? What's the difference between 'thanks' and 'thanks'? Could a misplaced emoji start a war? And are you stuck for ways to celebrate National Linguistics Day? In this episode, we unwrap the hidden messages in everyday talk — where words are just the beginning and context is everything. Tune in to learn about pragmatics and ways to get #NationalLinguisticsDay trending!
Have you been mixing your metaphors recently? Are you reticent or reluctant? How can you reanalyse a crayfish? And which deadly device is lurking in your office? This episode looks at semantics, including what makes up meaning, how meaning changes over time, and how AI handles it (obviously not as well as we do!).
Is it really possible to succeed academically on four hours sleep a night (and retain your good looks)? What’s the key to getting people to use your new alphabet? And is it ever wise to act on an idea you’ve had in a dream? Tune in to find out about the work of some influential black linguists and language advocates and how they’ve made a difference!
Do you know your equative from your versative? Why do some languages play fast and loose with word order? And what did Plato have to say about parts of speech? This episode looks at syntax, including what makes a sentence make sense, different word orders around the world, and how to draw a very simple constituent structure diagram. Pens at the ready!
Have you ever wondered how new words are made? Or how to avoid getting delayed by a chatty Aztec? Is talk of acronyms giving you FOMO? This episode looks at derivational morphology and all the different ways in which languages create their own words, from compounding to back formation to blending. And for a cross-disciplinary twist, we've also got maths with dogs! Don't miss it! www.linguisticshq.co.uk
What’s the difference between a pharyngeal and an alveolar? How many types of 'd' do we really need? What are people really doing when they tut-tut disapprovingly? And is Mark a suitable name for a hamster? In this episode we make the big ideas of phonology bite-sized and fun. From tone to whistling languages, discover the sounds that shape how we communicate! www.linguisticshq.co.uk
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Observed September 20, 2026.
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