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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Give 'em an inch... imperial and metric
Tue 18 Sep 2018
Michael Rosen and Laura Wright talk to Rob Eastaway about imperial and metric measurements
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Stephen Fry and Michael Rosen talk language
Tue 11 Sep 2018
Stephen Fry talks to presenter Michael Rosen about their mutual obsession with language.
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Shop Names
Tue 22 May 2018
Michael Rosen and Laura Wright look at the history behind and wordplay used in shop names.
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How to talk like a Samaritan
Tue 15 May 2018
Michael Rosen talks to the Samaritans about how language can help people in crisis.
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The Words That Saved Me
Tue 8 May 2018
Sally Bayley talks to Michael Rosen about how words came to her rescue during childhood.
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Me, Myself & AI
Tue 1 May 2018
Michael is joined by Tom Hewitson, conversation designer for the likes of Siri and Alexa.
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Naming Emotions
Tue 24 Apr 2018
Michael Rosen talks to Tiffany Watt Smith about the words we use to describe our emotions.
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Not My Type
Tue 17 Apr 2018
How do fonts change the meaning of a message? Michael Rosen is joined by Sarah Hyndman.
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Words Apart
Tue 10 Apr 2018
Michael Rosen asks if we are living through a crisis of language in public debate.
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Haggard Hawks
Tue 20 Feb 2018
Michael Rosen is joined by Paul Anthony Jones of popular etymology blog Haggard Hawks.
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Language and Gender Identity
Tue 13 Feb 2018
Michael Rosen talks language and gender identity with CN Lester, author of Trans Like Me.
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Best wishes, kind regards or none of the above?
Tue 30 Jan 2018
Best wishes or kind regards? What is the new etiquette for written communication?
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Michael Gets Voice Training
Tue 23 Jan 2018
Vocal coaches Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher give Michael Rosen a thorough workout.
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Hello! Is it me you're looking for? - The art of greetings
Tue 16 Jan 2018
Michael Rosen and Laura Wright start a new series with hellos and greetings.
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Language and Our Genes with Dr Steve Jones
Tue 17 Oct 2017
Michael Rosen talks to Steve Jones about language and our genes.
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Wild Words
Tue 10 Oct 2017
Robert Macfarlane tells Michael Rosen about his 'word-hoard' of endangered nature words.
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Autism and Communication
Tue 3 Oct 2017
Michael Rosen finds out what can be learnt about communication from people with autism.
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Are we all speaking football?
Tue 26 Sep 2017
Lifelong Arsenal supporter Michael Rosen talks football cliches with Adam Hurrey.
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Malorie Blackman on Language
Tue 19 Sep 2017
Malorie Blackman, author of Noughts and Crosses, talks in depth to Michael Rosen.
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Eat My Words: How to Describe Food Flavours
Tue 12 Sep 2017
Michael Rosen asks Andi Oliver and Niki Segnit how they describe the flavours of food.
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David Walliams on writing for children
Tue 23 May 2017
David Walliams talks to Michael Rosen about writing children's books.
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Game On: The Language of Video Games
Tue 16 May 2017
Michael Rosen and Laura Wright find out how video games influence language.
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The Postbag Edition
Tue 9 May 2017
Michael Rosen answers listeners' language queries from the Word of Mouth inbox and postbag
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Cucks, snowflakes and virtue signalling: the new US political lexicon
Tue 2 May 2017
Michael Rosen asks George Lakoff about the new political words coming out of the US now.
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Jacqueline Wilson talks to Michael Rosen about language
Tue 25 Apr 2017
Tracy Beaker author Jacqueline Wilson talks to Michael Rosen about her love of language.
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How Countries Got Their Names
Tue 18 Apr 2017
Michael Rosen and Dr Laura Wright find out how countries got their names.
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Frenchified: The Influence of French on English
Tue 11 Apr 2017
Michael Rosen and Laura Wright find out how much of English comes from French roots.
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Like, Totally Awesome: The Americanisation of English
Tue 28 Feb 2017
Michael Rosen on the Americanisation of English, with Lynne Murphy and Matthew Engel.
Listen to Michael Rosen in conversation with The Open University
Hear Michael reveal his own language journey.
Explore the OU’s Cultural Idioms Guide
Explore how some cultural idioms entered the English Language.
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.
