108: Mailbag of Etymology (with Douglas Harper)

episode

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the science of language. not yet transcribed

▲ 0

Transcript

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet Upvotes decide what gets transcribed next — 0 so far. Sign in to upvote

Related

recent transcribed audio

A.I. Safety Goes Mainstream + a ‘Hard Fork’ Exit AMA 1h 25m · 18 Sep 2026 · Hard Fork

Layoffs at the Kansas City Star will hurt local communities 15 min · 18 Sep 2026 · Kansas City Today

AWP: Beyond the Exam Room: Purpose, Myopia, and Population Health 54 min · 17 Sep 2026 · EyeCode Media

Planning Commission Meeting - Sep 17, 2026 1h 11m · 17 Sep 2026 · Leesburg Planning Commission

Heritage Commission - Sep 14, 2026 1h 57m · 17 Sep 2026 · Loudoun County Board Committees and Advisory Boards

Historic District Review Committee - Sep 14, 2026 1h 36m · 17 Sep 2026 · Loudoun County Board Committees and Advisory Boards

Report any issue

Source

Recorded16 Nov 2024

Publishertalkthetalk.libsyn.com ↗

Handlerec:5603384

Show notes

We're joined for the first time by Douglas Harper, proprietor of the world-renowned Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com). He's here to help us with our Mailbag questions, and even test us in a game of Related or Not. In our Mailbag this time: What's the difference between DEPENDENCE and DEPENDENCY? Why is TONGUE spelled that way? What does it mean if reciting a tongue twister in your mind is just as hard as saying it out loud? Why is STYGIAN the adjective form of the River Styx? Why are WHY and BECAUSE the same in some languages? Timestamps Cold open: 0:00 Intros: 2:01 Questions for Douglas Harper: 9:16 Mailbag questions 1: 24:00 Related or Not: 41:24 Mailbag questions 2: 1:03:20 Comments: 1:14:18 The Reads: 1:18:00 Outtakes: 1:22:47

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Sign in