On today’s episode of Spectacular Vernacular, Nicole and Ben discuss the pronunciation of the name of the latest COVID variant. They also interview Alex Bellos, puzzle columnist for The Guardian and author of The Language Lover’s Puzzle Book. And finally, Amanda Ripley, host of Slate’s podcast How To! joins us for some wordplay. We hope you’re ready to take your investigation skills to the next level. You could win a year’s membership to Slate Plus.
Do you have any language questions or fun facts to share? Email us at spectacular@slate.com.  
Produced by Jasmine Ellis. 
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
Ben’s Wall Street Journal column on “Omicron” as the name of the new Covid variant
Ben’s 2020 Atlantic piece on how geographic labels for diseases can encourage xenophobia 
Ben’s Slate piece on the puzzling legacy of Stephen Sondheim
New US edition of The Language Lover’s Puzzle Book by Alex Bellos 
Amanda Ripley’s podcast, “How To!” 
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Cracking the Omicron Code

A feed from the Slate podcast network featuring episodes with enlightening conversations, opposing views, and plenty of healthy disputes. You'll get a curated selection of episodes from programs like What Next, The Waves, and the Political Gabfest, with deep discussions that go beyond point-counterpoint and shed light on the issues that matter most.

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Protests at Columbia University have become a talking point across national media, but does the situation on campus actually resemble the one in the press? 

Guest: Aymann Ismail, Slate staff writer.


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What Next: Columbia Calls the Cops

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: nobody wins with two parties.

A competitive presidential election draws closer every day – and as ever, every vote will count. So is it fair to accuse third-party voters of wasting a vote, as often happens? Or are third-party candidates actually preserving what little we have left of a competitive democracy? 

Bernard Tamas of Valdosta State University joins us to make the case for the power of the third party.

If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com

Podcast production by Maura Currie.

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Hear Me Out: Third Parties Are Saving Democracy

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: blaze it.

Ahead of the honorary stoner holiday that is 4/20, we’re taking a look at the marijuana landscape. Public opinion has warmed considerably to legal weed in the past few decades – both medicinal and recreational – even though it remains a Schedule 1 drug on the federal level.

But some public health experts are still sounding the alarm, because this has all happened very quickly… and though hard-line illegality was harmful, what we’re doing now might be causing harm, too.

Dr. Keith Humphreys, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, joins us.

If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com

Podcast production by Maura Currie.

Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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Hear Me Out: Legalize Weed, But Not Like This

Commentator Candace Owens’ messy fall from grace in conservative media coincided with her appearances on popular Black chat shows. That includes The Breakfast Club, led by radio host and personality Charlamagne tha God.
Once a minor social media personality who condemned Donald Trump as racist, Owens became one of the former president’s chief defenders, and a leading Black voice of anti-Black rhetoric. So is Owens saying anything new in Black media, and were those outlets doing the right thing by inviting her?
On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Michael Harriot. He’s a columnist for The Grio, and the author of Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America. Harriot recently wrote for The Guardian, criticizing the choice to platform Owens in African American media.
In this interview and an earlier version of this episode description, we incorrectly stated and implied that Candace Owens’ interviews on Joe Budden’s podcast and The Breakfast Club happened after The Daily Wire announced her separation from the outlet on March 22. They both occurred before, with the Budden interview recording the week of February 27, and being published in mid-March. The Breakfast Club discussion was recorded on March 18 and aired on March 21. We regret the error.

Guest: Writer Michael Harriot

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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A Word: Candace Owens: Back to Black?

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: amore, but make it anti-racist.

Honoring interracial marriage has only been the law of the land for a few decades in this country; there are couples alive today whose relationships were illegal within their lifetimes. 

There are now more mixed-race couples – and children – in the U.S. than ever before, and interracial love is overwhelmingly supported by all Americans. But is that an indication that we’ve actually made progress toward racial equality? 

Jamilah Lemieux, writer and contributor to Slate’s Care & Feeding, argues no: and that unless a couple has done the work to be truly anti-racist, their children will pay the price.

If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com

Podcast production by Maura Currie.

Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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Cracking the Omicron Code

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