The World in Words

March 13, 2019

In the West, we are used to sci-fi written by English-speakers who dream up English-speaking utopias and dystopias. Often in the final reel, humanity is saved by English-speaking heroes. So what should we expect from China's newly-thriving sci-fi scene?

Lifestyle & Belief

A Danish word the world needs to combat stress: Pyt

The Conversation

February 27, 2019

Pyt doesn’t have an exact English translation. It’s more a cultural concept about cultivating healthy thoughts to deal with stress.

The World in Words

When an American says 'sure' to a Brit, does it mean yes or no?

The World in Words

October 10, 2018

When American Lynne Murphy says "sure" to her British husband, he thinks she means "not really."

Arts, Culture & Media

This poetry detective tracks down word thieves. But are they all plagiarists?

The World in Words

September 05, 2018

Ira Lightman is a hero to some in the literary world, a villain to others.

The World in Words

Will blind people use Braille in the future?

The World in Words

August 08, 2018

Some people believe technology will render Braille obsolete and that blind people will choose talking apps and audiobooks over embossed dots. But Braille has been written off many times before and each time, it has come back stronger.

The World in Words

How soccer became multilingual

The World in Words

June 19, 2018

Professional soccer used to export its English-language terminology, giving other languages words like "penalty" and "goal." But now, the roles are reversed. English-speakers use expressions loaned from other languages to describe skill moves: "rabona," "panenka," "gegenpress."

The World in Words

How the Basque language has survived

The World in Words

May 31, 2018

This week on the podcast we talk about Basque. How did this language survive the military dictatorship of Francisco Franco when speaking and writing and reading were illegal? With more than six dialects, how did Basque develop a language standard? And how has this minority language thrived and even grown in the years since Francisco Franco’s dictatorship ended?

Science and Creativity

This is your brain on improv

The World in Words

May 24, 2018

Ever wondered about people who can improvise on stage? Neuroscientist Charles Limb and comedian Anthony Veneziale did. First came the bromance, then Veneziale found himself improvising inside an fMRI machine.

The World in Words

The hardest question for a third culture kid: Where is home?

The World in Words

May 17, 2018

Karolina lives in Boston but grew up in several countries and speaks a bunch of languages. Her English is perfect but she doesn’t feel completely at home in it, or in American culture. Welcome to the world of third culture kids, a fast-growing group of people who fit in everywhere and nowhere.