Grammar Girl
Where it charts
Today’s combined position on our country charts.
Ranking history
View as table
| Date | Combined Rank | Apple Podcasts |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 9 | — | #180 |
About the show
Latest episodes
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Famous quotes we've been getting wrong, from Robert Frost to 'Don't mess with Texas,' with Eli Burnstein
October 8, 2026 · 45 min1227. This week, we talk to Eli Burnstein, author of "Phrased & Confused." We look at why Robert Frost's "road less traveled" wasn't really less traveled, and why the other half of Stewart Brand's "information wants to be free" will make…
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Is it 'try and' or 'try to'? What does an epilogue do?
October 6, 2026 · 10 min1226. This week, we look at why so many people say "try and" instead of "try to," including why it may be the older form, why it turns up more in speech than in writing, and why it bothers Americans more than Brits. Then we look at what an…
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'Rizz,' 'lost in the sauce,' and Dictionary.com's newest words, with Steve Johnson
October 1, 2026 · 21 min1225. This week, we talk to lexicographer Steve Johnson from Dictionary.com. We look at how slang like "no cap" and "throw hands" works its way up from a separate slang dictionary, why one lexicographer fought against adding "rizz," and…
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Why are ships called 'she'?
September 29, 2026 · 13 min1224. This week, we look at why English speakers call ships "she," even when the ship is named Henry. Then we have a follow-up on "maxxing" from two listeners, including its roots in 1990s gaming and a cameo in the "Fresh Prince of Bel…
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What's in a word? Mapping America's regional vocabulary and the Linguistic Atlas Project, with Allison Burkette
September 24, 2026 · 35 min1223. This week, Valerie Fridland steps in for Mignon and sits down with linguist Allison Burkette of the Linguistic Atlas Project at the University of Kentucky. They look at what "lightwood" and "chifforobe" reveal about landscape and…
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How often do you use 'the'? Meet Zipf's law
September 22, 2026 · 10 min1222. This week, we look at Zipf's law, a pattern that shapes how often you use your most common words, and why SETI researchers think it could help identify alien communication. Save the date for Grammarpalooza — The Game Show: Thursday…
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Min-maxxing, looksmaxxing, and Nixon-maxxing, with Roger Kreuz
September 17, 2026 · 17 min1221. This week, we talk to Roger Kreuz, associate dean at the University of Memphis, about the "maxxing" craze. We look at how it started with min-maxxing in 1990s gaming culture, how looksmaxxing spread from the manosphere, and why it…
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Why do pirates say 'Arr'? Is it 'none is' or 'none are'?
September 15, 2026 · 13 min1220. This week, in honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day, we look at the history of eight pirate words, and then we look at whether the right pairing is "none is" or "none are." Save the date for Grammarpalooza — The Game Show: Thursday…