The Superhumanize Podcast The Secret Language You Didn’t Know You’re Speaking: Dr. Valerie Fridland on Why ‘Bad’ English is Smarter Than You Think
What if the words we mock the most—'like,' 'literally,' 'um,' and 'dude'—are actually the secret weapons of human connection, subtly shaping our relationships and identities? What if what we call 'bad English' is, in fact, linguistic evolution in action—evidence of how adaptable, intelligent, and deeply social we really are?
Today, I’m sitting down with Dr. Valerie Fridland, a brilliant sociolinguist and professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, whose groundbreaking research challenges everything we think we know about language. In her fascinating book, Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English, Dr. Fridland reveals how these so-called flaws in our speech actually serve powerful purposes—enhancing communication, building trust, and reflecting the ever-changing dynamics of our culture.
Prepare to rethink the way you speak, listen, and connect as we dive into the hidden genius behind the language we love to judge.
Episode highlights:
01:53 The Role of Filler Words
04:47 Historical Perspective on Language
09:10 Public Speaking and Filler Words
18:17 The Evolution of 'Dude'
25:34 Language as a Social Identity Marker
32:58 Southern Speech Patterns and Social Judgments
34:30 Historical Pronunciation Changes
37:37 Regional Speech Variations in the South
40:47 The Science and History of Accents
42:31 The Impact of Vowel Sounds on Perception
44:50 Language Biases and Click Languages
49:18 The Threat to Languages and Dialects
53:14 Gender and Language Change
58:55 Conclusion and Future Work
Resources mentioned:
Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English
Guest's social handles:
P.S. If you enjoy this episode and feel it helps to elevate your life, please give us a rating or review.
And if you feel others may benefit from this podcast as well, spread the word, share and help grow our tribe of Superhumans.
When we help heal One, we help heal All.
Much gratitude and love.
Yours,
Ariane