

Word of Mouth
BBC Radio 4
Series exploring the world of words and the ways in which we use them
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 20, 2021 • 28min
Romance Fraud
Dr Elisabeth Carter talks to Michael about the language used by fraudsters who fake romantic relationships online for monetary gain
Producer Sally HeavenFurther information and help.Action Fraud provide a central point of contact for information about fraud and financially motivated internet crime.
Phone: 0300 123 2040 www.actionfraud.police.ukVictim Support provides emotional and practical help to victims or witnesses of any crime, whether or not it has been reported to the police.
Phone: 0808 16 89 111 (24/7) www.victimsupport.org.ukVictim Support NI offers emotional and practical support to all victims and witnesses of crime across Northern Ireland.
Phone: 028 9024 3133 www.victimsupportni.comVictim Support Scotland offers emotional and practical support to all victims and witnesses of crime across Scotland.
Phone: 0800 160 1985 (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm). www.victimsupportsco.org.uk

Apr 13, 2021 • 28min
Changing Names
Michael Rosen and BBC presenter Ben Boulos talk about how we change namesProduced by Sally Heaven for BBC Audio in Bristol

Apr 6, 2021 • 28min
Alphabetical Order
Michael Rosen and historian Judith Flanders talk about how we categorise things, using alphabetical order and more.Produced by Sally Heaven for BBC Audio in Bristol

Feb 16, 2021 • 28min
LGBTQIA+ slang
Chloe Davis, creator of The Queen's English dictionary of LGBTQIA+ slang, talks to Michael about shade, fierce, and the importance of etymology.
Producer Sally Heaven

Feb 9, 2021 • 28min
Hilary Mantel in conversation with Michael Rosen
Hilary Mantel, author of the Wolf Hall Trilogy, talks in depth to Michael Rosen about her life in writing and language.
Producer Beth O'Dea
Also available to download as part of the Word of Mouth podcast.

Feb 2, 2021 • 28min
Bulls and Bears: animal metaphors in business language
Michael Rosen finds out from journalist Dhruti Shah why there are so many terms relating to animals in the business world. From dragon kings to yak shaving, her aim is to open up these mysterious and sometimes excluding ways of using language to make finance easier for everyone to understand.Producer Beth O'Dea
Bear Markets and Beyond: A Bestiary of Business Terms is by Dhruti Shah and Dominic Bailey.

Feb 1, 2021 • 28min
Being a Polyglot
Alex speaks 15 languages fluently. Does he have a special gift or could we all do this? Plus, what does 'to Donald Duck' mean in Hungarian?
Producer Sally Heaven

Jan 26, 2021 • 28min
Adam Bradley: The Poetry of Pop
Literary critic Adam Bradley talks to Michael about pop lyrics, melody and performance, and how they all work together.
Producer Sally Heaven.

Jan 12, 2021 • 27min
How to Disagree
Michael Rosen and philosopher Darren Chetty explore ways of disagreeing that could help to unite us, and provide a more productive way of communicating in an increasingly divided society.
Producer Beth O'Dea

Jan 5, 2021 • 27min
Talking Disability
Michael Rosen is back. In the first in a new series, he meets actress and campaigner Samantha Renke and asks her how we talk about disability.
Producer Sally Heaven.