
Lexicon Valley
Booksmart Studios
Linguists John McWhorter and guests dissecting language curiosities, from slang to dictionary entries.
Why we picked this
We picked Lexicon Valley because it treats the history of English as a living, messy archive rather than a set of rigid rules. The show maps how common words and odd grammatical quirks shift across centuries, using literary texts, historical letters, and old recordings to explain why we speak the way we do. It rewards a curious listener with patient explanations and a sharp ear for the eccentricities of human speech.
Recent episodes

Grand Am
Sep 8, 202618 min

Haut Corn!
Sep 1, 202622 min

A Quick Buck
Aug 25, 202616 min

Nice of You to Join Us
Aug 11, 202620 min

The Dating Game, Great White Edition
Aug 4, 202627 min

The Original Maverick
Jul 28, 202623 min

Get One's Goat
Jul 21, 202629 min

The G.O.A.T.
Jul 14, 202626 min

The Amazing Great
Jul 7, 202618 min

The Ethereal Omelet
Jun 30, 202619 min

The Most Beautiful Word
Jun 23, 202624 min

The Dating Game, Paranormal Edition
Jun 9, 202624 min
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