Lingthusiasm - A podcast that's enthusiastic about linguistics

37: Smell words, both real and invented


Listen Later

What’s your favourite smell? You might say something like the smell of fresh ripe strawberries, or the smell of freshly-cut grass. But if we asked what your favourite colour is, you might say red or green, but you wouldn’t say the colour of strawberries or grass. Why is it that we have so much more vocabulary for colours than for scents?
In this episode of Lingthusiasm, your hosts Lauren Gawne and Gretchen McCulloch get enthusiastic about language and smell! We discuss research into how languages describe scents, colour-odour synesthesia, and how researchers go about doing experiments on smell vocabulary (featuring the gloriously-named Sniffin’ Sticks).
Plus, we talk about how Lauren invented a scent-focused language for a YA fantasy novel! The book is called Shadowscent in the US or The Darkest Bloom in the UK, and it’s by PM Freestone. Lauren created the Aramteskan language that appears in the book. We discuss what it is like to work on a constructed language for a novel, and how Lauren brought her knowledge of linguistics into the creation of this language.
--
November is our official anniversary month! To celebrate three years of Lingthusiasm, we’re asking you, our listeners, to share your favourite fact from the show! This helps people who need more linguistics in their lives realize that this is a place where they can get it, and helps show us what people find interesting. If you share on social media, tag us (@lingthusiasm) so we can thank you and reshare it.
We also have new merch! All of the Lingthusiasm merch makes a great gift for the linguist or language fan in your life, and we love seeing your photos of it! See photos of our new socks, greeting cards, glottal bottles, and t-shirts that say LINGUISTIC "CORRECTNESS" IS JUST A LIE FROM BIG GRAMMAR TO SELL MORE GRAMMARS at redbubble.com/lingthusiasm
This month’s bonus episode is about surnames! We share the history of our own surnames, how different cultures approach naming, and when people change names. Support Lingthusiasm on Patreon to gain access to the directions episode and 31 previous bonus episodes. patreon.com/lingthusiasm
For the links mentioned in this episode, go to the shownotes page at https://lingthusiasm.com/post/188414891881/lingthusiasm-episode-37-smell-words-both-real
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Lingthusiasm - A podcast that's enthusiastic about linguisticsBy Gretchen McCulloch and Lauren Gawne

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

626 ratings


More shows like Lingthusiasm - A podcast that's enthusiastic about linguistics

View all
A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over by Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett. Produced by Stefanie Levine.

A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over

2,261 Listeners

The History of English Podcast by Kevin Stroud

The History of English Podcast

6,381 Listeners

The Allusionist by Helen Zaltzman

The Allusionist

3,019 Listeners

Dear Hank & John by Complexly

Dear Hank & John

7,620 Listeners

Wonderful! by Rachel and Griffin McElroy

Wonderful!

5,805 Listeners

Sidedoor by Smithsonian Institution

Sidedoor

2,200 Listeners

Escape This Podcast by Escape This Podcast

Escape This Podcast

301 Listeners

SciShow Tangents by Complexly

SciShow Tangents

1,509 Listeners

A Problem Squared by Matt Parker, Bec Hill

A Problem Squared

229 Listeners

Secretly Incredibly Fascinating by Alex Schmidt

Secretly Incredibly Fascinating

722 Listeners

Lexicon Valley from Booksmart Studios by Lexicon Valley

Lexicon Valley from Booksmart Studios

530 Listeners

Let's Learn Everything! by Maximum Fun

Let's Learn Everything!

417 Listeners

Lateral with Tom Scott by Tom Scott and David Bodycombe

Lateral with Tom Scott

418 Listeners

Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 by Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna

Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000

44 Listeners

Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris by Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris

Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris

95 Listeners