Ever had a joke or sarcastic comment go awry when sending a text message? According to author and linguist Gretchen McCulloch, the challenge of conveying subtle differences in tone over short, written messages is driving rapid change in the English language. Her new book, "Because Internet," answers questions like why young people might read periods as passive aggressive, or why "lol" rarely means "laugh out loud" in the literal sense. We talk to McCulloch about the internet's dramatic effect on language, and take your questions about emojis, memes and the ways we communicate digitally.

How the English Language Is Changing ‘Because Internet’

Forum tells remarkable and true stories about who we are and where we live. In the first hour, Alexis Madrigal convenes the diverse voices of the Bay Area, before turning to Mina Kim for the second hour to chronicle and center Californians’ experience. In an increasingly divided world, Mina and Alexis host conversations that inform, challenge and unify listeners with big ideas and different viewpoints.

Want to call/submit your comments during our live Forum program Mon-Fri, 9am-11am? We'd love to hear from you! Please dial 866.SF.FORUM or (866) 733-6786 or email forum@kqed.org, tweet, or post on Facebook.

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We often think of film as a visual medium. But a carefully placed sound effect or a well crafted sonic atmosphere can evoke emotion just as profoundly. Can you imagine a movie like “Godzilla” without the monster’s signature roar? Or the terrifying silence of “A Quiet Place?” For Erik Aadahl, the Oscar nominated sound designer behind both of those films, sound is the human sense tied closest to our emotions. We talk with Aadahl about what his work entails, how he sources sound for his films and how he creates soundscapes both otherworldly and joyous. What movies stand out to you for their sound?

Guest:
Erik Aadahl, sound designer; co-founder of the studio, E Squared - credits include "Transformers," "Godzilla," "A Quiet Place," "Argo," "Kung Fu Panda," and "The Creator"

Erik Aadahl on the Power of Sound in Film

In 2020 and 2021, against a backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement and Covid-19 pandemic, school districts across the country made the decision to remove police officers from their campuses. In the San Jose area, pressure from teachers and parents pushed several school districts to increase mental health support on campuses – hiring social workers and creating wellness centers – as an alternative to policing. As part of KQED’s Youth Takeover week, high school juniors Khadeejah Khan and Nico Fischer, and a panel of educators, will examine that decision, learn how different schools in San Jose have adapted, and discuss new issues around safety. And we’ll hear from you: how can we create safe, positive environments for students?

Guests:
Khadeejah Khan, senior, Santa Clara High School
Nico Fischer, sophomore, Santa Clara High School
Rachel Stanek, English teacher of thirty years
Tomara Hall, special education teacher, equity leader and community organizer
Michael Gatenby, teacher, East Side Union High School District

KQED Youth Takeover: How Can San Jose Schools Create Safer Campuses?

The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in its biggest case on homelessness in decades. At issue is whether penalizing unhoused people for camping on public land violates the “cruel and unusual punishment” clause of the 8th Amendment — even if they refuse offers of shelter. The case, Grants Pass v. Johnson, could have massive implications for how California cities address homelessness. Nearly half of all unhoused Americans live in California, according to a report last year by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Affairs. We’ll discuss the arguments and how the Court might rule.

Guests:

Marisa Kendall, homelessness reporter, CalMatters

Meghan Ryan, professor of law, Southern Methodist University (SMU)

Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in Major Homelessness Case

In his new novel “James,” Percival Everett reimagines the story of Huck Finn through the eyes of the enslaved protagonist Jim. Where Twain used Jim as a plot device, Everett offers a fully realized portrait of the man who dreams of traveling “safely through the light of the world.” A prolific author and an English professor at USC, Everett’s earlier work inspired the film “American Fiction.” We talk to Everett about his writing, his faith in readers to understand difficult text, and this latest book, which is being lauded by critics as a new American classic.

Guests:

Percival Everett, author, "James"; English professor, USC - his other books include "I Am Not Sidney Poitier," "The Trees," "God's Country," and "Erasure," which was adapted for the film "American Fiction." "James" is his 34th novel

Percival Everett’s Novel “James” Recenters the Story of Huck Finn

In the decades following the collapse of the Soviet Union, U.S. foreign policy coalesced around the idea that Russia – and later China – would integrate into a western world order, leaving American power “fundamentally unchallenged.” But in fact, the military, economic and technological threats posed by those countries have drawn the U.S. toward a new cold war era – one that New York Times reporter David Sanger calls “more complex and dangerous” than we have confronted in nearly 100 years. We talk to Sanger, who’s covered U.S. national security for decades, about why the U.S. misjudged threats to its power and how it might reshape its global influence. His new book is “New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West.”

Guests:

David Sanger, White House and National Security Correspondent, New York Times

How the English Language Is Changing ‘Because Internet’

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