2 chapters across the catalog
NPR featured a segment on the filler word "um," describing it as a "mighty building block of conversation" used for turn-holding and tone-softening. The report traces the word's history back to 1604 and notes its increasing use in informal social media captions. The hosts mock the academic seriousness applied to a common speech habit.
T-Glottalization, Grammar Girl, and Language Evolution
The linguistic phenomenon of "T-glottalization," or dropping the "T" sound in words like "mountain" or "Vermont," is explored. Citing "Grammar Girl" and the journal "American Speech," the discussion notes that young women are often at the cutting edge of these pronunciation changes. The hosts debate whether these shifts are permanent linguistic evolutions or temporary fads influenced by Hollywood media.
