Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

The birth of American English. How to recognize a phrasal verb. Cucka-nucka.

Jul 2, 2024

Valerie Fridland, a linguistics professor at the University of Nevada, dives into the fascinating origins of American English, revealing how Native American words and Noah Webster's reforms shaped its identity. She explores the quirks of phrasal verbs alongside insightful tips for distinguishing them from other verb forms. Listeners enjoy a humorous family anecdote about the term 'kaka naka', highlighting how personal language evolves. The discussion is a delightful mix of history and humor, celebrating the quirks that make American English unique.

19:06

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Episode guests

Valerie Fridland

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Quick takeaways

The development of American English was significantly influenced by indigenous languages and cultural encounters during early colonization.

Phrasal verbs exhibit unique grammatical characteristics that differentiate them from other verb forms, providing challenges and insights into language structure.

Deep dives

Origins of American English

The development of American English can be traced back to the initial encounters between British settlers and indigenous populations. Early colonists faced numerous linguistic challenges as they arrived in a land rich with native languages and unfamiliar flora and fauna. Names of many modern states, such as Massachusetts and Texas, are derived from Native American words, illustrating the influence of indigenous culture on American English. This linguistic exchange was not limited to place names; settlers also adopted various terms to describe local wildlife and crops, integrating them into their daily vernacular.

Intro

2min

Colonial Language Interactions

7min

American English: Identity Through Language

8min

Exploring Phrasal Verbs and Language Evolution

2min

The Evolution of Family Language and Unique Terms

3min

999. This week, we look at what shaped early American English, from Native American words to Noah Webster's spelling reforms. Then, we explore phrasal verbs, looking at their grammatical peculiarities and some tips to distinguish them from other types of verbs.

The "American English" segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." You can find her at valeriefridland.com.

The "phrasal verbs" segment was written by Edwin L. Battistella, who taught linguistics and writing at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, where he served as a dean and as interim provost. His books include Bad Language: Are Some Words Better than Others?, Sorry About That: The Language of Public Apology, and Dangerous Crooked Scoundrels: Insulting the President, from Washington to Trump. It originally appeared on the OUP blog and is included here with permission.

| Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/early-american/transcript

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