Word of Mouth Podcast
Series exploring the world of words and the ways in which we use them
Episodes to download
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Social media language
Thu 3 Oct 2024
How language is used on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter/X.
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How Animals Talk
Thu 26 Sep 2024
Michael hears about how animals communicate, and why, from zoologist Arik Kershenbaum.
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Former astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield on the language of Space exploration
Thu 5 Sep 2024
The Canadian former astronaut and author talks about communicating Space
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The words we use about getting older and why they matter
Thu 29 Aug 2024
How we talk about getting older can affect how we age. Michael hears from Dr Lucy Pollock.
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Little Green Men: the secret rules of word order
Thu 13 Jun 2024
Michael explores the mysterious rules of word order with linguist Dr Laura Bailey.
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Word of Mouth with Michael Morpurgo at the Hay Festival
Thu 6 Jun 2024
In conversation with Michael Morpurgo at the Hay Festival.
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Language When There Are No Words
Thu 30 May 2024
Joshua Reno talks about how Charlie, his non verbal-autistic son, communicates with him.
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Disaster Dialogue
Thu 16 May 2024
Professor Lucy Easthope explains why language is important in the aftermath of a disaster.
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How to Think Like an Anthropologist, with Gillian Tett
Tue 20 Feb 2024
Michael Rosen is joined by Gillian Tett, columnist at the Financial Times.
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Family Sayings
Tue 13 Feb 2024
Michael shares listeners' stories about words and phrases passed down through families.
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Are you different in another language?
Tue 6 Feb 2024
Can speaking another language change your behaviour, your decisions, even your morals?
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Unequal English
Tue 30 Jan 2024
Michael Rosen is joined by Ruanni Tupas to discuss English from around the world.
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Words for Sale!
Tue 23 Jan 2024
Dr Pip Thornton and Michael Rosen explore how language has become an online commodity.
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Therapy Speak
Tue 15 Aug 2023
Susie Orbach talks to Michael Rosen about the use and misuse of 'therapy speak'.
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Fandom
Tue 8 Aug 2023
Michael Bond talks to Michael Rosen about the ways in which fans talk to each other.
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The stories behind our names
Tue 1 Aug 2023
Michael talks to Sheela Banerjee about the family and cultural histories revealed by names
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Audio description: putting art into words
Tue 25 Jul 2023
Audio describer Lonny Evans and trainer Terry James talk about how to describe art.
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Interpreting Presidents Putin and Zelensky
Tue 18 Jul 2023
An insight into the world of a simultaneous interpreter.
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Women's Words
Tue 2 May 2023
Dr Jenni Nuttall talks to Michael about the words used by and about women.
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Chatbots
Tue 25 Apr 2023
Professor of computational linguistics Emily M Bender chats all things bot with Michael
From blunk to brickfielder: our wonderful words for weather
Exploring creative descriptions for wind, rainfall and sunny spells from around the world
Digital body language β how to communicate better online
We need to find new ways of talking to each other βvirtuallyβ.
Coinages that changed the world β and some that tried to...
Exploring the hidden histories of obscure words, and common buzz phrases.
Ittibitium, borborygmus, and Ba humbugi β 14 wonderful science words youβve never heard of
Michael Rosen puts the language of science under the microscope.
Download this programme
Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.
Keywords for Our Time
Series of programmes examining key phrases in public debate.
Smiley face: Seven things you didn't know about emoji
Some facts about emoji - possibly the world's first truly global form of communication.
The funny words that kids invent
Have a look at some of the fantastic words that children invent and reimagine.
