1001. This week, we explore the often-overlooked rules for ordering adjectives in English and when to use commas between them. Then, spurred by a recent shout-out at a Taylor Swift concert in Australia, we look at the rise of the phrase "yeah-nah" (and its American cousin "yeah-no").

| Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/adjectives/transcript

| Grammarpalooza (Get texts from Mignon!): https://joinsubtext.com/grammar or text "hello" to (917) 540-0876.

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| Please take our advertising survey. It helps! https://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

• Audio Engineer: Nathan Semes
• Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
• Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
• Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
• Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

1000. In this special 1000th episode, I take the hot seat to answer your questions. Hear what made the first year of the podcast so wild, what I wish I had done differently, what mistakes I still make, how I still find fresh topics after all these years, and the title of my secret dream show (hint: it involves penguins!).

It's a celebration of language, learning, and the loyal listeners who made it all possible.

| Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-1000/transcript

| Please take our advertising survey. It helps! https://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR

| Grammarpalooza (Get texts from Mignon!): https://joinsubtext.com/grammar or text "hello" to (917) 540-0876.

| Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates.

| Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

| Peeve Wars card game. 

| Grammar Girl books. 

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

• Audio Engineer: Nathan Semes
• Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
• Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
• Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
• Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. Threads. Bluesky. Mastodon.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

999. This week, we look at what shaped early American English, from Native American words to Noah Webster's spelling reforms. Then, we explore phrasal verbs, looking at their grammatical peculiarities and some tips to distinguish them from other types of verbs.

The "American English" segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." You can find her at valeriefridland.com.

The "phrasal verbs" segment was written by Edwin L. Battistella, who taught linguistics and writing at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, where he served as a dean and as interim provost. His books include Bad Language: Are Some Words Better than Others?, Sorry About That: The Language of Public Apology, and Dangerous Crooked Scoundrels: Insulting the President, from Washington to Trump. It originally appeared on the OUP blog and is included here with permission.

| Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/early-american/transcript

| Please take our advertising survey. It helps! https://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR

| Grammarpalooza (Get texts from Mignon!): https://joinsubtext.com/grammar or text "hello" to (917) 540-0876.

| Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates.

| Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

| Peeve Wars card game. 

| Grammar Girl books. 

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

• Audio Engineer: Nathan Semes
• Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
• Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
• Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
• Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

998. This week, I talked with Samantha and Greg Enslen, who recently purchased their hometown newspaper, the "Tippecanoe Gazette" in Tipp City, Ohio. Sam and Greg shared how they are making it work, from updating antiquated systems to expanding news coverage and readership. We also discussed balancing print and digital content, the challenges of ad sales and subscriptions, their commitment to hyper-local reporting, their thoughts on AI in journalism, and the colorful stories that make small-town news so much fun. Whether you're an aspiring journalist or are simply curious about the future of local news, you'll be inspired by the Enslens' dedication to keeping community journalism alive.

Visit the "Tippecanoe Gazette" online: https://www.tippgazette.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TippecanoeGazette

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tippcitygazette/

| Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/enslen/transcript

| Please take our advertising survey. It helps! https://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR

| Grammarpalooza (Get texts from Mignon!): https://joinsubtext.com/grammar or text "hello" to (917) 540-0876.

| Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates.

| Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

| Peeve Wars card game. 

| Grammar Girl books. 

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

• Audio Engineer: Nathan Semes
• Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
• Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
• Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
• Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. Threads. Bluesky. Mastodon.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

997. This week, I help you learn (and remember!) the difference between "which" and "that" with practical tips and examples about cupcakes. Then, we take a linguistic stroll through walking-related terms, including "perambulate," "sashay," and "traipse."

The "words for walking" segment was written by Michaela Dunn, a Wyoming-based editor and publisher for Everywhen Press. She specializes in magical realism, low fantasy, folklore, and fairy tales.

| Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/which/transcript

| Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

| Please take our advertising survey. It helps! https://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR

| Grammarpalooza (Get texts from Mignon!): https://joinsubtext.com/grammar or text "hello" to (917) 540-0876.

| Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates.

| Peeve Wars card game. 

| Grammar Girl books. 

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

• Audio Engineer: Nathan Semes
• Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
• Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
• Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
• Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. Bluesky. Threads. Mastodon.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

996.  This week, you'll learn about the rich linguistic history of African American English with Dr. Sonja Lanehart, an advisor to the Oxford Dictionary of African American English. We talked about what goes into making an entirely new dictionary and about some of the first entries, including "kitchen," "Aunt Hagar's  Children," and "do rag."

Find Dr. Sonja Lanehart at https://www.sonjallanehart.com/.

Visit the ODAAE website: https://www.oed.com/discover/odaae

| Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/lanehart/transcript

| Please take our advertising survey. It helps! https://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR

| Grammarpalooza (Get texts from Mignon!): https://joinsubtext.com/grammar or text "hello" to (917) 540-0876.

| Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates.

| Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

| Peeve Wars card game. 

| Grammar Girl books. 

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

• Audio Engineer: Nathan Semes
• Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
• Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
• Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
• Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. Threads. Bluesky. Mastodon.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

995. This week, we look at when to use parentheses, dashes, and commas and how the choice can change the tone of your writing. Then, we dive into the history of words for describing a big fuss — "kerfuffle," "hullabaloo," "hoopla," and more.

The "big fuss" segment was written by Samantha Enslen, who runs Dragonfly Editorial. You can find her at DragonflyEditorial.com.

| "Harvard sentences" article mentioned in the podcast: https://tedium.co/2016/07/05/weird-telephone-numbers/

| Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/kerfuffle/transcript

| Please take our advertising survey. It helps! https://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR

| Grammarpalooza (Get texts from Mignon!): https://joinsubtext.com/grammar or text "hello" to (917) 540-0876.

| Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates.

| Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

| Peeve Wars card game. 

| Grammar Girl books. 

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

• Audio Engineer: Nathan Semes
• Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
• Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
• Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
• Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

994. This week, I sat down with the prolific "Dune" author Kevin J. Anderson and the famed "Dune" narrator Scott Brick to explore the language challenges in the "Dune" series. Learn how Kevin and Scott navigated Frank Herbert's original vocabulary, stayed true to the cultural influences of the names and terms, and created an extensive pronunciation guide. Whether you're a longtime fan or are new to the series, you'll love Kevin and Scott's stories about the language of "Dune" and its quirky history. 

Links mentioned in the show:

| Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/anderson-brick/transcript

| Please take our advertising survey. It helps! https://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR

| Grammarpalooza (Get texts from Mignon!): https://joinsubtext.com/grammar or text "hello" to (917) 540-0876.

| Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates.

| Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

| Peeve Wars card game. 

| Grammar Girl books. 

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

• Audio Engineer: Nathan Semes
• Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
• Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
• Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
• Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.

References for the Aging segment

van Boxtel, W, Lawyer, L. Sentence comprehension in ageing and Alzheimer's disease. Lang Linguist Compass. 2021;e12430.

Payne, B. R., Gao, X., Noh, S. R., Anderson, C. J., & Stine-Morrow, E. A. (2012). The effects of print exposure on sentence processing and memory in older adults: Evidence for efficiency and reserve. Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, 19(1–2), 122–149.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

993. This week, we cover the strategic use of sign language by the Bene Gesserit in the 'Dune' movies, including its importance in covert communication. Then, we look at the many words for 'father' and their historical and linguistic significance, from early baby talk to more formal terms for adults.

Dune sign language supercut video: https://youtu.be/P912zjkVSgQ?si=vH8AN3kg_hw7cabq

Stan Freberg "Purfuit of Happineff" video: https://youtu.be/iOOQfGWt8Hc?si=pFF1YwbJWy-tVPwY&t=123

The "Dune" segment was written by Gemma King. Senior Lecturer in French Studies, ARC DECRA Fellow in Screen Studies at the Australian National University. It originally appeared on "The Conversation" and appears here through a Creative Commons license.

The father segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." A version of the piece originally appeared on Psychology Today, and you can find her at valeriefridland.com.

| Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/hotdog/transcript

| Please take our advertising survey. It helps! https://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR

| Grammarpalooza (Get texts from Mignon!): https://joinsubtext.com/grammar or text "hello" to (917) 540-0876.

| Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates.

| Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

| Peeve Wars card game. 

| Grammar Girl books. 

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

• Audio Engineer: Nathan Semes
• Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
• Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
• Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
• Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

992. What began as a simple word game in 1913 sparked a nationwide craze just a decade later, causing a moral panic and changing American publishing forever. This week, Ben Zimmer, a prolific crossword constructor and language commentator, takes us through the crossword puzzle's surprising early history and enduring legacy. He also explores the modern crossword scene, including competitions, digital tools, and how new puzzle constructors are shaping the future of the game.

Links mentioned in the show:

* Wall Street Journal piece on the centennial of the crossword craze: https://on.wsj.com/3U3zMPk

* Crossword Craze: https://crosswordcraze.today/

* Daily Crossword Links: https://dailycrosswordlinks.com/

* Slate crosswords: https://slate.com/crossword

| Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/zimmer/transcript

| Please take our advertising survey. It helps! https://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR

| Grammarpalooza (Get texts from Mignon!): https://joinsubtext.com/grammar or text "hello" to (917) 540-0876.

| Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates.

| Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

| Peeve Wars card game. 

| Grammar Girl books. 

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

• Audio Engineer: Nathan Semes
• Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
• Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
• Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
• Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon.

References for the Aging segment

van Boxtel, W, Lawyer, L. Sentence comprehension in ageing and Alzheimer's disease. Lang Linguist Compass. 2021;e12430.

Payne, B. R., Gao, X., Noh, S. R., Anderson, C. J., & Stine-Morrow, E. A. (2012). The effects of print exposure on sentence processing and memory in older adults: Evidence for efficiency and reserve. Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, 19(1–2), 122–149.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.