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:

Dr. Fridland's website

Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English

Guest's social handles:

LinkedIn

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Yours,

Ariane