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Submit Review1067. Think "'til" is a valid alternative to "until"? Think again! We learn about the difference between "till" and "until" and why many style guides frown on "'til." Then, we uncover the hidden power of interjections—words like "um," "huh," and "mm-hmm"—and how they help us negotiate meaning, keep conversations flowing, and even challenge artificial intelligence.
The "interjections" segment was written by Bob Holmes, a science writer living in Edmonton, Canada and who until recently, had no idea how often he uses interjections.
The piece originally appeared in Knowable Magazine, a digital publication dedicated to making scientific knowledge accessible to all. And they've produced a special standalone episode of their podcast about interjections, so if you want to learn more, check that out too.
You can find their podcast and explore new articles at knowablemagazine.org.
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| HOST: Mignon Fogarty
| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).
| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.
- Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
- Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
- Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
- Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
- Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings
- Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes
| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.
| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon. Bluesky.
1066. Do you really need that comma? Should your dashes have spaces? Is there ever just one "right" way to punctuate? June Casagrande, author of "The Best Punctuation Book, Period," busts punctuation myths, compares style guides, and looks at the surprising complexity of the humble em dash.
Find June Casagrande at grammarunderground.com.
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| HOST: Mignon Fogarty
| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).
| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.
- Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
- Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
- Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
- Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
- Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings
- Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes
| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.
| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon. Bluesky.
1065. Is it "OK" or "okay"? We look at the surprising history of one of the world’s most recognized English words and how a 19th-century election campaign helped it stick. Then, we have some fun with Victorian tea culture and the many idioms it inspired, from Cockney rhyming slang to "scandal broth."
The "tea" segment is by Karen Lunde, a former Quick & Dirty Tips editor and digital pioneer who's been spinning words into gold since before cat videos ruled the internet. She created one of the first online writing workshops, and she's published thousands of articles on the art of writing. These days, she leads personal narrative writing retreats and helps writers find their voice. Visit her at ChanterelleStoryStudio.com.
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🔗 Get the edited girl.simplecast.com/episodes/1800s-tea/transcript">transcript.
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🔗 Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference.
| HOST: Mignon Fogarty
| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).
| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.
- Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
- Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
- Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
- Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
- Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings
- Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes
| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.
| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon. Bluesky.
1064. Is Wikipedia the last refuge on online truth? With AI-generated content and misinformation spreading online, Wikipedia is growing in esteem, but who decides what gets published? How does Wikipedia determine things like credibility and notability? Wikipedia consultant Jonathan Rick gives us the inside scoop on Wikipedia’s strict sourcing rules, why some pages get deleted, and how you can become an editor.
Jonathan Rick helps people make sense of — and profit from — business communication. Whether through ghostwriting, speaking, or marketing, he helps clients engender buzz, shape public opinion, and become thought leaders.
🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.
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🔗 Get the edited girl.simplecast.com/episodes/wikipedia/transcript">transcript.
🔗 Get Grammar Girl books.
🔗 Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference.
| HOST: Mignon Fogarty
| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).
| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.
- Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
- Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
- Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
- Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
- Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings
- Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes
| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.
| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon. Bluesky.
1063. Why is it called "corned beef" when there’s no corn involved? We look at how the word "corn" evolved to mean different things over time. Then, we look at the role of accent marks in English — why some words keep them, why others lose them, and what they tell us about language.
The "corn" segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." You can find her at valeriefridland.com.
The "diacritic" segment was written by Karen Lunde, a former Quick & Dirty Tips editor and digital pioneer who's been spinning words into gold since before cat videos ruled the internet. She created one of the first online writing workshops, and she's published thousands of articles on the art of writing. These days, she leads personal narrative writing retreats and helps writers find their voice. Visit her at ChanterelleStoryStudio.com.
🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.
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🔗 Get the edited girl.simplecast.com/episodes/corn/transcript">transcript.
🔗 Get Grammar Girl books.
🔗 Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference.
| HOST: Mignon Fogarty
| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).
| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.
- Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
- Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
- Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
- Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
- Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings
- Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes
| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.
| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon. Bluesky.
1062. Did you know that 21% of U.S. adults struggle with basic literacy? In this eye-opening episode, literacy specialist Kate Crist talks about the literacy crisis in America, how reading is taught incorrectly in schools, and what we can do to fix it. She has real stories of students and adults overcoming reading struggles, the science behind learning to read, and practical advice for parents, educators, and anyone who wants to help.
Resource list
Literacy rates:
county-estimates.asp#4">PIAAC, NAEP
Why do we have these low rates of literacy?
- Two great films - The Truth About Reading [OFFICIAL TRAILER] [NOW STREAMING] and Right to Read
- Podcast = Sold a Story
How can I help the readers in my life?
- Family Guides from Seek Common Ground (what your kids should know at grade level)
- FULCRUM for advocacy resources
- To understand how we learn to read, this graphic guide cannot be beat: How We Read (written for adolescent students, it’s great for adults too)
- Tools to use at home: Reading Buddies, Toddlers Can Read, Learning Dynamics, How to Teach your Kid to Read in 100 easy lessons
- For older readers City Stories and this set of recommendations from the Literacy Architects (and if you want to get super nerdy, this article from Reading Rockets
- And if you have the money/are low-cost resources in your community: Get a literacy tutor.
What is phonics?
- Really, it's part of the science of reading ( body of interdisciplinary research about reading: studies done all over the globe for the last 5 decades. There is a preponderance of evidence to inform how to read and what instruction should look like) The Reading League has this cool of-Reading-eBook-2022.pdf">definition guide.
- Phonics is part of foundational skills, which is only part of what kids need to learn to read. Check out:
- Early reading accelerator quick start guide
- This graphic from FULCRUM Or this from the AZ department of education give a visual for the full picture of what a reader needs to become a good reader.
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🔗 Get the edited girl.simplecast.com/episodes/crist/transcript">transcript.
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🔗 Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference.
| HOST: Mignon Fogarty
| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).
| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.
- Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
- Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
- Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
- Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
- Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings
- Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes
| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.
| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon. Bluesky.
1061. Ever wonder why we say "It's raining" even though "it" doesn't refer to anything? We explain the logic behind this quirky English rule. Then, we look at some of the most dramatic moments in grammar history, including a semicolon duel, a costly comma mistake, and a famous book with 5,000 typos.
The "dummy 'it'" segment is by Karen Lunde, a former Quick & Dirty Tips editor and digital pioneer who's been spinning words into gold since before cat videos ruled the internet. She created one of the first online writing workshops, and she's published thousands of articles on the art of writing. These days, she leads personal narrative writing retreats and helps writers find their voice. Visit her at ChanterelleStoryStudio.com.
"Ghost Town Mad" by Lex Friedman.
🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.
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🔗 Get the edited girl.simplecast.com/episodes/grammar-drama/transcript">transcript.
🔗 Get Grammar Girl books.
🔗 Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference.
| HOST: Mignon Fogarty
| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).
| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.
- Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
- Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
- Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
- Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
- Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings
- Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes
| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.
| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon. Bluesky.
1060. Why do villains always have British accents? Why was "Parasite" a game-changer for non-English films? And how is AI secretly shaping the voices you hear on screen? With the Oscars coming up, Dr. Andrew Cheng talks about how films are evolving to reflect linguistic authenticity — and why it matters. From heritage speakers in "Anora" to made-up languages in "Dune" and "Avatar," we look at the complexities of representing real and fictional languages in film.
Dr. Andrew Cheng teaches Linguistics at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, located in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. His academic research focuses on the sounds of language, the social perceptions of language, and all sorts of linguistic phenomena associated with bilingualism and multilingualism. When he's not geeking out about linguistics, he can be found playing tabletop games, hiking in the jungle, or, of course, watching movies. You can find him on Bluesky and Letterboxd (for film buffs).
🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.
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🔗 Get the edited girl.simplecast.com/episodes/oscars/transcript">transcript.
🔗 Get Grammar Girl books.
🔗 Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference.
| HOST: Mignon Fogarty
| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).
| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.
- Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
- Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
- Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
- Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
- Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings
- Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes
| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.
| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon. Bluesky.
1059. Ever wonder why Americans use "canceled" with one L but still write "cancellation" with two? We explore how spelling rules, stress patterns, and historical quirks explain this inconsistency. Plus, we look at the history of "fine print" — from typesetting in smoky print shops to its modern use in hiding legal loopholes.
The "fine print" segment was by Glenn Fleishman, a typesetter, graphic designer, journalist, print historian, and author of the book “How Comics Were Made: A Visual History from the Drawing Board to the Printed Page,” which you can find at howcomicsweremade.ink.
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🔗 Get the edited girl.simplecast.com/episodes/cancellation/transcript">transcript.
🔗 Get Grammar Girl books.
🔗 Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference.
| HOST: Mignon Fogarty
| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).
| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.
- Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
- Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
- Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
- Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
- Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings
- Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes
| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.
| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon. Bluesky.
1058. If you struggle to sit down and write, you’ll love this conversation with award-winning author and podcaster Mary Robinette Kowal. Learn how to conquer writing obstacles with tips on managing distractions, handling research rabbit holes, and making time to write — even when life gets in the way.
Mary Robinette Kowal is the author of The Spare Man, Ghost Talkers, The Glamourist Histories series, and the Lady Astronaut Universe. She is part of the award-winning podcast Writing Excuses and a four-time Hugo Award winner. Her short fiction appears in Uncanny, Tor.com, and Asimov’s. Mary Robinette, a professional puppeteer, lives in Denver. Visit at maryrobinettekowal.com.
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🔗 Get the edited girl.simplecast.com/episodes/kowal/transcript">transcript.
🔗 Get Grammar Girl books.
🔗 Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference.
| HOST: Mignon Fogarty
| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).
| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.
- Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
- Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
- Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
- Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
- Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings
- Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes
| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.
| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon. Bluesky.
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