Logophilic Podcasts--for Word Geeks
If you're a logophile (word lover) you
might like these podcasts.
If you're interested in words and etymology, you're
a logophile--or a word geek, word nerd, word freak, word wonk, or word lover.
Take your pick--though they're not exactly synonymous. For now, I like word
geek.
It's only in recent months that I've been exploring podcasts, so I haven't really tried a huge number, but one of my current favorites is On Words with John Ciardi from National Public Radio (also available through the iTunes Store). Each episode is about a 5 to 10 minute discussion of one or more words or phrases. Ciardi (pronounced CHAR-dee, more or less) provides interesting background and comments on usage, history and origins--all infused with great wit. It looks like NPR makes a few dozen of these fine episodes available, but unfortunately Ciardi stopped recording podcasts after he died in 1986.
The good news is that Ciardi has a worthy successor who has produced over 400 podcasts, and is still turning them out nearly every weekday. Charles Hodgson's Podictionary podcasts average about three minutes duration, but he also offers weekly compilations if you'd rather grab longer pieces. All of his past episodes are available both through his web site and through the iTunes Store.
Another podcast about words and language is The Word Nerds, which is put together by a small team led by the brothers Dave and Howard Shepherd. I've only listened to one episode so far, but it sounded promising. The format is quite different from the podcasts described above. The episodes run about half an hour or more, with somewhat broader themes, typically hosted by two people engaged in a chattier presentation, with musical interludes as a bonus.
It's only in recent months that I've been exploring podcasts, so I haven't really tried a huge number, but one of my current favorites is On Words with John Ciardi from National Public Radio (also available through the iTunes Store). Each episode is about a 5 to 10 minute discussion of one or more words or phrases. Ciardi (pronounced CHAR-dee, more or less) provides interesting background and comments on usage, history and origins--all infused with great wit. It looks like NPR makes a few dozen of these fine episodes available, but unfortunately Ciardi stopped recording podcasts after he died in 1986.
The good news is that Ciardi has a worthy successor who has produced over 400 podcasts, and is still turning them out nearly every weekday. Charles Hodgson's Podictionary podcasts average about three minutes duration, but he also offers weekly compilations if you'd rather grab longer pieces. All of his past episodes are available both through his web site and through the iTunes Store.
Another podcast about words and language is The Word Nerds, which is put together by a small team led by the brothers Dave and Howard Shepherd. I've only listened to one episode so far, but it sounded promising. The format is quite different from the podcasts described above. The episodes run about half an hour or more, with somewhat broader themes, typically hosted by two people engaged in a chattier presentation, with musical interludes as a bonus.
Posted: Tue - January 9, 2007 at 06:03 PM by email
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Published On: Feb 25, 2007 07:18 PM
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Published On: Feb 25, 2007 07:18 PM