Word of Mouth Podcast
Series exploring the world of words and the ways in which we use them
Episodes to download
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Taking Turns in Conversation
Tue 9 Feb 2016
Michael Rosen and Laura Wright discuss how we take it in turns to talk, in conversation.
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The Top 20 Words in English
Tue 2 Feb 2016
Michael Rosen and Dr Laura Wright guide listeners through the 20 most commonly used words.
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How Shakespeare Spoke
Tue 26 Jan 2016
Michael Rosen and Dr Laura Wright discover how Shakespeare spoke.
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Slang
Tue 19 Jan 2016
What is slang? Michael Rosen and Dr Laura Wright thrash it out with Jonathon Green.
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Language Evolution: A Gene for Language?
Tue 27 Oct 2015
Neuroscientist Dr Frederique Liegeois joins Michael Rosen and Dr Laura Wright.
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Gorilla gorilla gorilla: Latin names for animals and plants
Tue 20 Oct 2015
Michael Rosen explores the wonderful Latin names used to describe animals and plants.
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The Alphabet
Tue 13 Oct 2015
Michael Rosen and Dr Laura Wright take us through the A-Z of the alphabet.
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Inventing Brand Names
Tue 6 Oct 2015
Michael Rosen and Dr Laura Wright look into how new commercial brand names are invented.
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Romance and Romanticism
Tue 29 Sep 2015
Michael Rosen and Professor John Mullan talk romance, Romantic poets and romanticism.
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Reading: Print v eBooks
Tue 22 Sep 2015
Michael Rosen examines the differences between reading print books and reading eBooks.
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Number Words
Tue 15 Sep 2015
Michael Rosen and Laura Wright look at how numbers are understood - and misunderstood.
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Non-Verbal Communication
Tue 26 May 2015
Michael Rosen and Laura Wright discuss non-verbal communication with Prof Steven Connor.
How well can you tell one UK accent from another?
Find out with The Open University’s quiz
Recognise and deal with misogyny in schools with The Open University’s guide
The Open University’s guide on dealing with misogyny in schools.
Listen to Michael Rosen in conversation with The Open University
Hear Michael reveal his own language journey.
Idioms Quiz
Explore why languages have idioms with The Open University’s quiz.
From blunk to brickfielder: our wonderful words for weather
Exploring creative descriptions for wind, rainfall and sunny spells from around the world
Digital body language – how to communicate better online
We need to find new ways of talking to each other “virtually”.
Coinages that changed the world – and some that tried to...
Exploring the hidden histories of obscure words, and common buzz phrases.
Ittibitium, borborygmus, and Ba humbugi – 14 wonderful science words you’ve never heard of
Michael Rosen puts the language of science under the microscope.
Download this programme
Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.
Keywords for Our Time
Series of programmes examining key phrases in public debate.
Smiley face: Seven things you didn't know about emoji
Some facts about emoji - possibly the world's first truly global form of communication.
The funny words that kids invent
Have a look at some of the fantastic words that children invent and reimagine.
