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Lexis

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Sep 22, 2021 • 47min

Episode 21 - Robbie Love

Show notes for Episode 21 Here are the show notes for Episode 21, in which Jacky, Dan, Lisa and Matthew talk to Dr Robbie Love about his work on corpora, spoken English and how he has been looking at changes in swearing patterns in spoken English. 🔺Warning: this episode contains explicit language!🔻 Robbie Love’s website: https://robbielove.org/ Robbie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lovermob A link to the paper in Text and Talk: Love, R. (2021). Swearing in informal spoken English: 1990s – 2010s. Text and Talk, 41, Special Issue: ‘Corpus Linguistics across the Generations: In Memory of Geoffrey Leech’. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/text-2020-0051/html Some of the media coverage for Robbie’s recent research is covered in the ‘Media’ page of Robbie’s site: https://robbielove.org/media/ Some great resources here for A level teachers and students! Contact us @LexisPodcast. Subscribe: Lexis Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Contributors Matthew Butler Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matthewbutlerwy Lisa Casey blog: https://livingthroughlanguage.wordpress.com/ & Twitter: Language Debates (@LanguageDebates) Dan Clayton blog: EngLangBlog & Twitter: EngLangBlog (@EngLangBlog) Jacky Glancey Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackyGlancey Music: Freenotes
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Aug 29, 2021 • 35min

Episode 20 - Sandra Jansen

Show notes for Episode 20 Here are the show notes for Episode 20, a Language in the News special, in which Jacky, Dan, Lisa and Matthew talk to Dr Sandra Jansen of Paderborn University about linguistics stories in the media and discuss stories around accent bias, dialect change and suggestions for reading and evaluating stories about language in the media. Sandra Jansen’s Paderborn University page: https://www.uni-paderborn.de/en/person/66815/ Sandra on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sj2915 Sandra says she can send the English Today article, Predicting the Future of English, that’s mentioned in the article if you want to contact her. Alex Scott & Digby Jones Original tweets here: https://twitter.com/Digbylj/status/1421164856527437825 Alex Scott’s response here: https://twitter.com/AlexScott/status/1421257347419213831 Digby Chicken Caesar doubles down here: https://twitter.com/Digbylj/status/1421448009238388737 Excellent thread from a linguist, Bethan Tovey-Walsh here: https://twitter.com/LinguaCelta/status/1421460631304146951 And another thread (from Claire Hardaker) here: https://twitter.com/DrClaireH/status/1421398857255116801 Longer read from Claire Hardaker: https://wp.lancs.ac.uk/drclaireh/2021/08/02/digby-lord-jones-the-man-who-took-on-linguistics-and-lost/ Katie Edwards piece here:: https://katiebedwards.medium.com/putting-the-accent-on-prejudice-a2894d5d0670 Deborah Cameron on the Alex Scott/Digby Jones story and attacks on women’s speech: https://debuk.wordpress.com/2021/08/07/speakin-while-female/ Accentism thread of reader comments: https://twitter.com/AccentismProj/status/1421899858391228419 Predicting Dialect change Full paper here: Inferring the drivers of language change using spatial models Summary here: Northern English verbal mannerisms being lost News stories here: Ee bah gone? How northern accents could be dead in 45 years Northern accents could sound southern by 2066, study finds Northern accents are dying out and could DISAPPEAR BY 2066 Northern accents could be wiped out in less than 50 years, scientist says Opinion piece based on the story here Thread from Tamsin Blaxter (Cambridge linguist behind the language side of the project) here: https://twitter.com/tweetolectology/status/1421126516012986370 ‘The Sound of 2066’ project (paper on ResearchGate): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308793528_Watt_D_Gunn_B_2016_%27The_sound_of_2066_A_report_commissioned_by_HSBC%27_26th_September_2016 Some of the stories around it: It's the end of the frog and toad for regional slang, says report 'Th' sound vanishing from English language with Cockney and other dialects set to 'die out by 2066' How will Brits speak in 50 years? The Sound of 2066 Regional accents to end within 50 years according to new report Contact us @LexisPodcast. Subscribe: Lexis Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Contributors Matthew Butler Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matthewbutlerwy Lisa Casey blog: https://livingthroughlanguage.wordpress.com/ & Twitter: Language Debates (@LanguageDebates) Dan Clayton blog: EngLangBlog & Twitter: EngLangBlog (@EngLangBlog) Jacky Glancey Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackyGlancey Music: Freenotes Show notes for Episode 20 of @LexisPodcast are here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1k4x7bnh8jgsz1EuDxrgLPy-6By8IGvLX_HMEgFt5IcY/edit?usp=sharing It's a Language in the News special with @sj2915 to help kick off your new academic year.
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Aug 18, 2021 • 41min

Episode 19 - Elena Semino

Show notes for Episode 19 Here are the show notes for Episode 19 in which Jacky, Dan, Lisa and Matthew talk to Professor Elena Semino of Lancaster University about: The power of metaphor The universality of metaphor Metaphors for Covid, health campaigns and vaccinations Elena Semino’s Lancaster University webpage: Professor Elena Semino Elena on Twitter: Elena Semino (@elenasemino) Reframe Covid pages: #ReframeCovid Questioning Vaccine Discourse project: Quo VaDis: Questioning Vaccine Discourse Project (@vaccine_project) We’ll be back with a Language in the News special for episode 20 later this summer. Contact us @LexisPodcast. Subscribe: Lexis Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Contributors Matthew Butler Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matthewbutlerwy Lisa Casey blog: https://livingthroughlanguage.wordpress.com/ & Twitter: Language Debates (@LanguageDebates) Dan Clayton blog: EngLangBlog & Twitter: EngLangBlog (@EngLangBlog) Jacky Glancey Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackyGlancey Music: Freenotes
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Jun 9, 2021 • 50min

Episode 18 - Emma Byrne

*Explicit warning*  Show notes for Episode 18 Here are the show notes for Episode 18 - our first birthday episode! - where Jacky, Dan, Lisa and Matthew talk about: ‘So’ and why it annoys language pedants and prescriptivists. Language discourses around two texts discussing ‘so’. And we talk to Dr Emma Byrne, author of ‘Swearing Is Good For You: the amazing science of bad language’ about...swearing. Obvs. Emma Byrne’s Swearing is Good for You page: Swearing is Good for You – Emma Byrne, Science Writer and Broadcaster Emma Byrne in The Guardian: Swear by it: why bad language is good for you | Emma Byrne Emma Byrne in Time Magazine: The Benefits of Swearing Emma Byrne in Elle: There's a Swearing Double Standard—and Women Can Change It - Emma Byrne on Gendered Perception of Swearing Broca’s area in the brain: The Broca Area and Language Production Wernicke’s area in the brain: WikiPedia: Wernicke's area Sophie Scott on Why we Laugh Sophie Scott: Why we laugh | TED Talk Sophie Scott on Why do Humans Laugh Why do humans laugh? So Alec Marsh in The Spectator on ‘so’ The remorseless rise of 'so' Lane Greene has responded on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lanegreene/status/1392805484768468993 He links to this https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/so-and-so-that-coordinating-or-subordinating-conjunctions?page=1 And there’s already been several peeve fests about ‘so’ over the years: So Here's Why Everyone Is Starting Sentences With The Word 'So' How A Popular Two-Letter Word Is Undermining Your Credibility So Shoot Me – Frank McNally on the sentence-opener of the century (so far) Today presenter John Humphrys declare war on the use of the word 'so' So, here's a carefully packaged sentence that shows me in my best light | Oliver James And this is a good piece on it: https://www.npr.org/2015/09/03/432732859/so-whats-the-big-deal-with-starting-a-sentence-with-so?t=1620925294688 In defence of the word 'so' - a much better take on ‘so’ from Elizabeth East. Contact us @LexisPodcast. Subscribe: Lexis Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Contributors Matthew Butler Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matthewbutlerwy Lisa Casey blog: https://livingthroughlanguage.wordpress.com/ & Twitter: Language Debates (@LanguageDebates) Dan Clayton blog: EngLangBlog & Twitter: EngLangBlog (@EngLangBlog) Jacky Glancey Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackyGlancey Music: Freenotes
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May 28, 2021 • 47min

Episode 17 - Dr Amanda Cole

Show notes for Episode 17 Here are the show notes for Episode 17 where Jacky, Dan, Lisa and Matthew talk about: ‘Woke’... are we woke? Are we fighting a war on woke? What does it even mean and why is it being used to attack people for just being nice humans? Meghan Markle’s representation in the tabloid press And we talk to Dr Amanda Cole from the University of Essex about accents, identity and how accents in the South East of England have been changing. Barbara Windsor: you're more likely to hear a cockney accent in Essex than east London now Accentism is alive and well – and it doesn't only affect the north of England There's still a hierarchy of accents in Britain and why talking with the 'wrong' one might hold you back Ethnic minorities ‘deemed less intelligent because of their accents’ (paywalled) Amanda Cole on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmanditaCole Amanda Cole University of Essex page: https://www.essex.ac.uk/people/colea17303/amanda-cole Amanda Cole is speaking at the next emagazine English Language conference for students! More details here: EMC Online: English Language A Level Student Conference (30th June 2021 2-4pm) | Conferences Woke The Woke Handbook for Boomers | Magazine (paywalled) What does 'woke' really mean and why is Tesla CEO Elon Musk mocking it? 'WOKE' NOT WOKE What does 'woke' mean? The origins of the term, and how its meaning has changed How the word ‘woke’ was weaponised by the right (Trigger warning: contains images of both Laurence Fox and Toby Young) Meghan Markle Here Are 20 Headlines Comparing Meghan Markle To Kate Middleton That Might Show Why She And Prince Harry Are Cutting Off Royal Reporters Comparing How Meghan Markle is Discussed in the Press vs. Kate Middleton | GreenBook *Quick note: at 45:10 we mention ‘abstract verbs’. We obviously meant ‘abstract nouns’: please forgive us.* Contact us @LexisPodcast. Subscribe: Lexis Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Contributors Matthew Butler Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matthewbutlerwy Lisa Casey blog: https://livingthroughlanguage.wordpress.com/ & Twitter: Language Debates (@LanguageDebates) Dan Clayton blog: EngLangBlog & Twitter: EngLangBlog (@EngLangBlog) Jacky Glancey Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackyGlancey Music: Freenotes
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Apr 25, 2021 • 31min

Episode 16 Ffion Brown

Show notes for Episode 16 Welcome to Episode 16 of the Lexis podcast and our first new episode of 2021, in which Jacky, Dan, Lisa and Matthew talk about: The language of news reports on violence against women The power of language to represent and frame events And we talk to Ffion Brown about her work on the representation of mental health. Some of Ffion’s reading suggestions: Methods of Critical Discourse Studies - Ruth Wodak (Editor) Michael Meyer (Editor) https://uk.bookshop.org/books/methods-of-critical-discourse-studies/9781446282410 The Little Prince https://uk.bookshop.org/books/the-little-prince-colour-illustrations/9781909621558 Language in the News https://twitter.com/_chris_hart/status/1370868282216026113?s=20 ‘Elite police officer appears in court charged with woman’s murder’ - Times headline https://twitter.com/JNRaeside/status/1370774580948824065?s=20 Reporting on the Atlanta Spa Shootings https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/03/17/jay-baker-bad-day/ “He was pretty much fed up and kind of at the end of his rope. Yesterday was a really bad day for him and this is what he did,” Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jay Baker said Wednesday. He was describing the 21-year-old man accused of killing eight people, mostly Asian and almost all women, in a rampage across three Atlanta-area spas. UK headlines about an attack on a teenage girl in Derby https://twitter.com/BBCNews/status/1370799588160983042?s=20 Jackson Katz: Violence Against Women - it’s a men’s issue https://www.ted.com/talks/jackson_katz_violence_against_women_it_s_a_men_s_issue/transcript Contact us @LexisPodcast. Subscribe: Lexis Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Contributors Matthew Butler Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matthewbutlerwy Lisa Casey blog: https://livingthroughlanguage.wordpress.com/ & Twitter: Language Debates (@LanguageDebates) Dan Clayton blog: EngLangBlog & Twitter: EngLangBlog (@EngLangBlog) Jacky Glancey Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackyGlancey Music: Freenotes
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Dec 31, 2020 • 39min

Episode 15 - Dana Gablasova

Show notes for Episode 15 Welcome to Episode 15 of the Lexis podcast, our last for the hellscape that has been 2020, in which Jacky, Dan, Lisa and Matthew talk about: Words of the Year Words entering the dictionary Words leaving the dictionary And we talk to Dr Dana Gablasova from Lancaster University about Corpus Linguistics: what it involves what it can offer to students investigating language the ways it can open up questions to explore in data some important recent studies the Corpus in Schools project Dana Gablasova’s Lancaster University page: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/linguistics/about/people/dana-gablasova Dana’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/danagablas The Corpus for Schools homepage: Corpus in classrooms | Corpus for Schools Future Learn’s Corpus Linguistics MOOC: Corpus Linguistics Analysis - Online Course The BNC: [bnc] British National Corpus The BNC 2014: British National Corpus 2014 Baker, Gabrielatos, McEnery, Sketching Muslims: (PDF) Sketching Muslims: A Corpus Driven Analysis of Representations Around the Word 'Muslim' in the British Press 1998-2009 Semino, Demjen, Hardie, Payne: Metaphor, Cancer and the End of Life: (PDF) Metaphor, Cancer and the End of Life: A Corpus-Based Study Elena Semino on Covid metaphors: 'A fire raging': Why fire metaphors work well for Covid-19 - Making Science Public Reframe Covid: #ReframeCovid - Contribute Louise Mullany and Loretta Trickett: A comic strip to fight misogyny hate crime Paul Baker on corpus methods to explore the representation of gay men in the UK press: Language, Sexuality and Corpus Linguistics: Concerns and Future Directions Paul Baker Abstract In this paper I discuss the poten Language in the News Summary of selected WOTY choices Oxford: too many to decide... Collins: lockdown Cambridge: quarantine Australian Dictionary: iso Macquarie: rona & doomscrolling Merriam Webster (USA): pandemic Oxford report: Oxford Word of the Year 2020 | Oxford Languages The American Dialect Society has different categories and voted for a range of good ones, even if their main WOTY (covid) was a bit dull: American Dialect Society Collins Dictionary WOTY: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/woty Cambridge Dictionary: https://dictionaryblog.cambridge.org/2020/11/24/cambridge-dictionarys-word-of-the-year-2020/ David Shariatmadari in The Guardian: Pandemic, lockdown and Megxit: the most influential words of 2020 Irish Times: The word of the year is defined as 'watching Normal People in your pyjamas'. What is it? Merriam Webster on US WOTY: Word of the Year 2020 | Pandemic Piece on Australian WOTY: https://theconversation.com/rona-iso-quazza-words-of-the-year-speak-to-our-australian-take-on-covid-150949 Macquarie’s Covid words of 2020: The Macquarie Dictionary COVID Word of the Year shortlist Macquarie’s overall list (Karen, Covidiot and Doomscrolling): https://www.macquariedictionary.com.au/resources/view/word/of/the/year/2020 UK education top ten words of 2020: Word of the year 2020: the teachers' choice Essex Girl removed from dictionary https://news.sky.com/story/essex-girl-removed-from-dictionary-after-campaigners-claim-term-is-offensive-12151727 'Essex girl' removed from dictionary following campaign Contact us @LexisPodcast. Subscribe: Lexis Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Contributors Matthew Butler Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matthewbutlerwy Lisa Casey blog: https://livingthroughlanguage.wordpress.com/ & Twitter: Language Debates (@LanguageDebates) Dan Clayton blog: EngLangBlog & Twitter: EngLangBlog (@EngLangBlog) Jacky Glancey Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackyGlancey Music: Freenotes Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CI3kZ7rZq5C70AyM2D-XVm3vF_DUno3vuSkIWrNNoa4/edit?usp=sharing Here’s to a better 2021...
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Dec 24, 2020 • 44min

Episode 14 - Emma Moore

Show notes for Episode 14 Welcome to Episode 14 of the Lexis podcast in which Jacky, Dan, Lisa and Matthew talk about: How language frames and represents people and events Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp Advice to women about personal safety And we talk to Professor Emma Moore from the University of Sheffield in a wide-ranging interview about: non-standard English and how it’s used for different purposes the importance of understanding the societal origins of attitudes to language why we need to understand the differences between spoken and written systems ...and how sociolinguistics saved our lives! Emma Moore’s Sheffield University page: Professor Emma Moore | English Emma Moore’s Eden Village Girls study: “I were out with Lucy last week. She were in a right good mood.” What Did You Say? https://festivalofthemind.sheffield.ac.uk/2020/futurecade/what-did-you-say/ What Did You Say? Podcast episode: https://festivalofthemind.sheffield.ac.uk/2020/spiegeltent/what-did-you-say-podcast/ Jenny Cheshire’s Reading study: Jenny Cheshire – Linguistic Variation and Social Function – All About Linguistics Penelope Eckert’s High School study: Penelope Eckert – High School Ethnography Peter Trudgill’s Norwich study: Peter Trudgill, Norwich Lesley Milroy’s Belfast studies: Milroy's Belfast Study Language in the News The representation of (convicted murderer of Reeva Steenkamp) Oscar Pistorius: Sonia Sodha on Twitter: "My god BBC. “The extraordinary story of paralympic and Olympic sprinter” who “suddenly found himself at the centre of a murder investigation.” Extraordinary? Found himself? INSPIRATIONAL?! No way to talk about a convicted murderer. Talk about minimising the murder of women.… https://t.co/dW8dZoRpiZ" Anya Palmer on Twitter: "They've changed it to say he killed her. Still not saying he murdered her. He was charged with murder when he MURDERED his girlfriend.… https://t.co/4gAOrU3UML" https://twitter.com/soniasodha/status/1321367689475067904 Debbie Cameron on Twitter: "So, we can add 'found himself at the centre of a murder investigation' to the already long list of convoluted formulas the media use to gloss over men's violence against women and make the perpetrators into tragic heroes. (See also the play on the word 'trials' in the title)… https://t.co/koQUBG2eYV" Police advice to women: https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1316307733147246594?s=20 https://twitter.com/MisterLJones/status/1316810550190407680?s=20 Contact us @LexisPodcast. Subscribe: Lexis Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Contributors Matthew Butler Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matthewbutlerwy Lisa Casey blog: https://livingthroughlanguage.wordpress.com/ & Twitter: Language Debates (@LanguageDebates) Dan Clayton blog: EngLangBlog & Twitter: EngLangBlog (@EngLangBlog) Jacky Glancey Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackyGlancey Music: Freenotes Transcript:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iaQEzsVjifbKajiYJPob54-AHGoAGiAwk-mfLjD5M_o/edit?usp=drivesdk
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Dec 15, 2020 • 25min

Episode 13 - Accent Special

SHOW NOTES (TRANSCRIPT AT BOTTOM) Show notes for Episode 13 Welcome to Episode 13 of the Lexis podcast in which Jacky, Dan, Lisa and Matthew talk about accent in an accent prejudice special, including: Negative attitudes to regional and social accents Social attitudes to ‘regional’ accents Humour, pride and regional/social identity online Doric covid warnings As part of this we also talk to Lauren White whose report into accent and social attitudes at Durham University spurred several of these stories. Lauren’s report is here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344434314_A_REPORT_ON_NORTHERN_STUDENT_EXPERIENCE_AT_DURHAM_UNIVERSITY Language in the News Students from northern England facing 'toxic attitude' at Durham University (this is the one based on Lauren’s report) Guardian main story on accent discrimination and class: UK's top universities urged to act on classism and accent prejudice Guardian on accent discrimination: 'It's had a lasting impact': students on being bullied over their accents UK students: Have you been ridiculed over your accent or background? Accentism against Essex: Accentism is alive and well – and it doesn't only affect the north of England Rob Drummond discussing use of ‘regional’ re accents: https://twitter.com/RobDrummond/status/1319923837824356352 University of York on accent attitudes: https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2019/research/regional-accents-doesn't-hold-back-top-jobs/ Various articles on attitudes to accents based on a marketing survey from OnBuy: Yorkshire most trustworthy accent in the UK, says survey | Bradford Telegraph and Argus Yorkshire Accent Has Been Voted Most Trustworthy Accent In The UK Brummie accent named least trustworthy in the UK, study reveals Sexiest accents from (ahem) Illicit Encounters survey (Trigger Warning: features a picture of Barry Chuckle): Men from Yorkshire have England's sexiest accent, poll finds Accents/dialects discriminated against on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EngLangBlog/status/1319014609781739520 Interesting and effective use of representation of accent/dialect: https://twitter.com/AngelaRayner/status/1319021626311180291?s=20 Doric Covid warnings: https://www.grampianonline.co.uk/news/doric-coronavirus-advice-tells-ye-fit-ye-need-ta-dee-195854/ Accent Bias in Britain project: https://accentbiasbritain.org/ The Accentism Project: http://accentism.org/ Eccentricity podcast: https://www.accentricity-podcast.com/ Contact us @LexisPodcast. Subscribe: Lexis Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Contributors Matthew Butler Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matthewbutlerwy Lisa Casey blog: https://livingthroughlanguage.wordpress.com/ & Twitter: Language Debates (@LanguageDebates) Dan Clayton blog: EngLangBlog & Twitter: EngLangBlog (@EngLangBlog) Jacky Glancey Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackyGlancey Music: Freenotes
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Nov 18, 2020 • 41min

Episode 12 - Vanja Karanovic

Show notes for Episode 12 Welcome to Episode 12 of the Lexis podcast in which Jacky, Dan, Lisa and Matthew talk about: Children’s language development via Twitter videos of babies with huskies, lullabies and big-scale projects that measure children’s lockdown language. We also talk to Dr Vanja Karanovic about bilingual children’s language development. Vanja’s Twitter page: https://twitter.com/DrVanjaK Some of the texts referred to: Grosjean, F, 2012, Bilingual: Life and Reality, Harvard University Press Crystal, D, 1989, Listen to Your Child (2nd edition), Penguin (Chapter 7) De Houwer, A.,2009, BIlingual First Language Acquisition, Multilingual Matter Language in the News Baby and Husky: https://imgur.com/gallery/sakCQNd Constance Bainbridge on lullaby research: https://twitter.com/conBainbridge/status/1318294620778995716 Julien Mayor: https://twitter.com/julien__mayor/status/1321922810634227712 Contact us @LexisPodcast. Subscribe: Lexis Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Contributors Matthew Butler Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matthewbutlerwy Lisa Casey blog: https://livingthroughlanguage.wordpress.com/ & Twitter: Language Debates (@LanguageDebates) Dan Clayton blog: EngLangBlog & Twitter: EngLangBlog (@EngLangBlog) Jacky Glancey Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackyGlancey Music: Freenotes

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