Dive into the world of phonology and linguistics with Dr. Nicole Holliday as she discusses intonational phonology, African American Language, cultural appropriation, and the debate on the best rapper. Explore the nuances of language, identity, and societal perceptions, while also touching on vocal fry, valley girl accents, and linguistic discrimination. Follow along for an engaging and educational conversation on the power of language and communication.

Alie is delirious with the flu, so it’s an encore presentation of a favorite episode. If you slept on this when it first aired, get into Phonology now. Vocal fry. Code switching. Black Twitter. Valley girls. Culture vultures. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TALKING. Alie battles traffic to sit down with linguistics professor Dr. Nicole Holliday about intonational phonology: how tones and pitch help us bond with others and construct identities. Inspired in part by former President Barack Obama's masterful linguistic variability, Dr. Holliday's work focuses on how language is used in the crossing and construction of racial/ethnic boundaries. She graciously fielded tons of questions for a fascinating dive into the nuances and strict grammatical rules of African American Language, cultural appropriation, our educational system, honoring your identity, what not to wear in Paris and the roiling debate over who is the best rapper. Also: Alie is maybe a lizard person.Follow Dr. Nicole Holliday @MixedLinguist on Twitter and InstagramA donation went to Initiate JusticeMore episode sources & links Sponsors of OlogiesTranscripts & bleeped episodesSupport Ologies on Patreon for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow @Ologies on Twitter and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on Twitter and InstagramSound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisMusic by Nick Thorburn

Nicole Holliday, a linguist renowned for her viral speech analyses, joins Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to explore the nuances of language and identity. They discuss how Kamala's Californian speech patterns shape public perception and challenge stereotypes. Holliday defies misconceptions about filler words, emphasizing their role in societal power dynamics. The trio also examines how race and geography influence linguistic diversity, advocating for a broader appreciation of different speech forms.

Ruanni Tupas, an editor focused on language inequalities, teams up with guest host Nicole Holliday to dive into the complexities surrounding varieties of English. They discuss how language ideologies can hinder learners, emphasizing systemic inequalities tied to English proficiency. Anecdotes from their experiences shed light on identity and accent biases, while they advocate for valuing diverse linguistic backgrounds. The conversation weaves in humor about contemporary language use, making it an engaging exploration of the politics of communication.

Gretchen McCulloch interviews Dr. Nicole Holliday, an Associate Professor of linguistics. They discuss how language reflects identity and what it means to 'sound black'. They explore the impact of implicit bias on language interpretation, the evolution of language, and challenges faced by African American English speakers in education.