Gretchen McCulloch

Emotions are a universal part of the human experience, but the specific ways we express them are mediated through language. For example, English uses the one word “love” for several distinct feelings: familial love, romantic love, platonic love, and loving things (I love this ice cream!), whereas Spanish distinguishes lexically between the less intense querer and the stronger amar. Conversely, many Austronesian languages use the same word for the concepts that English would split as “fear” and “surprise”, while many Nakh-Daghestani (Northeast Caucasian) languages use the same word for the cluster that English splits into “fear”, “anxiety”, and “grief”.  In this episode, your hosts Gretchen McCulloch and Lauren Gawne get enthusiastic about the layers of language that are involved in emotions, from how emotion words form different clusters of related meaning in different language families to how the way your face shape changes when you smile affects the pitch of your voice. We also talk about how our understanding of how to talk about emotion changes throughout history and our lifespan, and how bilingual people feel differently about emotional words in their different languages. Read the transcript here: https://lingthusiasm.com/post/703741238379151360/transcript-episode-75-emotions Announcements:  Thank you so much for celebrating our 6th anniversary with us! We appreciated all the love and support on social media, and it was great to see you recommending us to other language fans. Thank you to anyone who made an irl recommendation of the podcast, we appreciate you too!  In this month’s bonus episode we get enthusiastic about stylized Oldey Timey English! We talk about contexts in which pseudo-archaic forms get used, from Gretchen's recent experience with names and titles in a 1492 papal election roleplaying game, to how the language handbook of the Society of Creative Anachronism balances modern-day desires for gender-neutral language with creating historic-feeling titles, and a 1949 academic article cataloguing business names in the New York City phonebook that began with "ye".  Join us on Patreon now to get access to this and 60+ other bonus episodes, as well as access to the Lingthusiasm Discord server where you can chat with other language nerds. www.patreon.com/lingthusiasm Here are the links mentioned in the episode: https://lingthusiasm.com/post/703740969788522496/episode-75-love-and-fury-at-the-linguistics-of

Gretchen McCulloch, a prominent linguist and author of "Because Internet," explores how the digital age has revolutionized communication. She discusses the impact of emojis, memes, and acronyms on our language and how platforms like MSN and Bebo fostered new informal styles of interaction. McCulloch highlights the generational shifts in expression, drawing parallels to historical communication methods. She also speculates on future trends shaped by short-form video platforms, emphasizing the complex evolution of language in our interconnected world.

In this engaging discussion, Gretchen McCulloch, a linguist and co-host of the Lingthusiasm podcast, unravels the scientific mystery behind autumn leaves changing color. She shares surprising insights on the role of climate change and animal behavior related to these vibrant transformations. The conversation takes an entertaining turn as they explore the fascinating world of swearing, examining its historical significance and the unique power of expressive language. Expect lots of laughter while debating just how versatile and therapeutic swearing can be!

Gretchen McCulloch, an internet linguist and author of the bestseller "Because Internet," joins the discussion on how 2020 reshaped language. The podcast dives into the evolution of words emerging during the pandemic, from 'social distancing' to 'infodemic.' They explore the cultural significance of terms like 'BIPOC' and 'cancel culture,' as well as the shifting meanings of slang like 'simp.' McCulloch highlights how language constructed during crises reflects societal dynamics, affecting both digital and physical social spaces.

Gretchen McCulloch, an internet linguist and author of Because Internet, delves into the evolving landscape of online communication. She shares how internet language—think emojis and exclamation points—creates vibrant human connections rather than ruining English. They discuss the significance of sarcasm in digital dialogues and how it functions like a trust fall. McCulloch explains the historical evolution of writing, highlighting the informal styles we now embrace and the unique challenges posed by digital interactions, especially around punctuation.