Season 1
N/A/100 votesThe Unexpected Origins of the Word ‘Monster’
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 3/24/2021
Words don't pop up fully formed... they evolve over thousands of years. What can we learn about our relationship to monsters by tracking the word down into the distant past?
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesWhat's the Longest Word?
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 4/14/2021
Before we decide from a long list of contenders, we'll have to figure out what the word "word" really means...
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesCan Computers Really Talk? Or Are They Faking It?
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 5/5/2021
New advancements in technology are making it harder than ever to tell the difference between a computer and a human speaker... but what's going on under the hood? Is it really "language," or just a digital illusion?
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesWhat People Get Wrong About African-American English
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 6/16/2021
It's one of the most studied — and most controversial — varieties of English. But many people still hold deep misconceptions about African-American English (AAE).
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Popular Words Invented by Authors
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 7/28/2021
Authors often create words just for a one-time usage... but a special few will gain traction and become full-fledged parts of our shared lexicon! Otherwords is a new PBS web series on Storied that digs deep into this quintessential human trait of language and fınds the fascinating, thought-provoking, and funny stories behind the words and sounds we take for granted. Incorporating the fıelds of biology, history, cultural studies, literature, and more, linguistics has something for everyone and offers a unique perspective into what it means to be human.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
60 Euphemisms for Death!
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 9/20/2021
No topic is as universally avoided--yet universally unavoidable--as DEATH. So, it's got a lot of euphemisms in virtually every language.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Is Swearing Good for Your Brain?
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 1/20/2022
Does swearing get a bad rap? There's evidence that the shouting obscenities has an evolutionary purpose... and may be good for your psyche!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
How Do Clichés Evolve into Memes?
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 2/24/2022
Adaptable clichés called "snowclones" are EVERYWHERE on the internet. We use them for memes, inside jokes, to show our membership of the group. But they weren't invented online. In fact, they're way older than you think!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
The Screwed-Up History of English Spelling
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 3/24/2022
The English spelling system is a MESS... arguably more than any other language. How did it get this way?
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Pronouns: Little Words That Say a Lot
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 4/21/2022
Pronouns may be little, but they say a lot, and they're always changing!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Is Gossip... Good?
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 5/26/2022
Gossip is an integral part of human social structure... and maybe the reason language evolved in the first place!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Foreign Words We Need in English
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 6/23/2022
English has more words than most other languages, but there are still so many familiar things and experiences that we don't have a word for... but other languages do! Here are some of our faves!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesIs Bilingualism a Superpower?
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 7/28/2022
There was a time when psychologists thought growing up bilingual was harmful to brain development, but recent studies into bilingual children have turned that idea on its head!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
The Stories Behind Food Names
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 8/25/2022
It shouldn't matter what a food is called as long as it tastes good, right? Well, maybe not.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesLiterally No One Likes a Grammar Cop
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 9/22/2022
Besides being annoying, what if the grammar police are actually... wrong?
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesWhy Sign Language Was Banned in America
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 10/27/2022
Sign Languages are just as linguistically valid and vibrant as spoken languages, and beneficial to learn for Deaf and hearing people. So why for decades was it illegal to teach them in American schools?
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesHow Brands Ruin Slang
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 1/26/2023
Why do brands use slang in their marketing? And why does it sound so... cringey?
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Is "R" a Vowel?
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 2/23/2023
We all know that the vowels are A, E, I, O, U and sometimes Y... But the way linguists define vowels may mean R qualifies as well!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Where Alcoholic Drinks Got Their Names
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 3/23/2023
Alcohol has been with humanity since the dawn of civilization, and we use still use some of the same terms for it! Come with us on an etymological journey through the history of drinking.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
How English Took Over the World
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 4/20/2023
How did English become the most spoken language on the planet, and why are there so many varieties of English?
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
The Weird History of Invented Languages
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 5/25/2023
Can you really invent a language? These people sure tried! But does anyone actually speak them?
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
How Queer Communities Created Secret Languages
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 6/22/2023
Across the globe, queer communities have relied on secret lexicons known as "argots" to communicate safely, which have developed over the years into what some call "verbal jazz."
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
What Brain Damage Reveals About Language
Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 7/27/2023
Some of the first discoveries about the relationship between language and the brain were made by studying patients with brain damage. Of course, before modern technology, the only way you could see the brain was by opening it up.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Why Does Texting Feel Different from Talking?
Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 8/24/2023
Your texts might be cool and clever, but you still get tongue-tied when talking to people face-to-face. Why is that? It's all just words, right? Learn the difference between what linguist call synchronous and asynchronous communication.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
How the Colors Got Their Names
Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 9/21/2023
The earliest humans didn't have words for colors... and the way they evolved follow a remarkably similar path across cultures.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
The Most Extreme Place Names
Season 1 Episode 26 - Aired 10/19/2023
Place names, known as "toponyms" do more than just help us know where we're supposed to meet up.| They often provide clues that can tell you a lot about a location: its geography, history and the people who lived there.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
How Language Nerds Solve Crimes
Season 1 Episode 27 - Aired 1/25/2024
No description available
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Why Do These Words Get Mispronounced So Much?
Season 1 Episode 28 - Aired 2/22/2024
There are actually good reasons why people tend to mispronounce the same words... and why they ofTen end up being the new standard!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Is the Southern Accent Disappearing?
Season 1 Episode 29 - Aired 3/21/2024
Linguists studying the Southern American Dialect reckon that it ain't what it used to be, y'all. I do declayuh!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Why Do We Use Cringey Words for Loved Ones?
Season 1 Episode 30 - Aired 4/26/2024
From "kitty" to "lovebug," people across the world use very similar type of words for the people they love. What's behind this universal linguistic trend?
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Why Do Baby Names Fall Out of Fashion?
Season 1 Episode 31 - Aired 5/30/2024
How many Mildreds did you go to school with? If you're under 60 years old, probably none! Mildred may have been a top ten baby name 100 years ago, but today its almost extinct... Why is that??
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesHow Cults Use Language to Control
Season 1 Episode 32 - Aired 6/20/2024
If there's one thing cult leaders do, it's talk. A LOT. Language is an integral part of how cults keep their members bonded, isolated and obedient.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesWhat Is Your Body Telling People?
Season 1 Episode 33 - Aired 7/25/2024
You can choose your words as carefully as you want, but your body may be sending other messages you're not even aware of!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesWhy Is English Awash in Sailors' Jargon?
Season 1 Episode 34 - Aired 8/22/2024
There are so many common words and phrases in English that came from the world of sailing, it's almost OVERWHELMING!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
You Were Probably Taught to Read Wrong
Season 1 Episode 35 - Aired 9/19/2024
There are so many common words and phrases in English that came from the world of sailing, it's almost OVERWHELMING!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesIs English a Creole?
Season 1 Episode 36 - Aired 10/31/2024
There's been a lot of debate amongst linguists about what actually constitutes a creole language. By some definitions, English might be a creole!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesCan TV Change the Way We Speak?
Season 1 Episode 37 - Aired 11/21/2024
Some parents are concerned (or thrilled?) that their kids might be developing an Australian accent from watching Bluey... but is that really possible? How much of our language acquisition comes from TV anyway?
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesThe Ancient Origins of Body Words
Season 1 Episode 38 - Aired 1/30/2025
The parts of the human body were likely some of the first things people gave names to, so their deep etymologies can teach us a lot about how language has changed over the millennia.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesHow Languages Die
Season 1 Episode 39 - Aired 2/27/2025
Like species, languages can go extinct. But there are different stages of language death, and some can be reversed.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesWhy A.I. Struggles with Negative Words
Season 1 Episode 40 - Aired 4/3/2025
One of the first words a baby learns is NO! But negation is a deceptively complex linguistic process!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesInside the Fiercest Debate in Linguistics
Season 1 Episode 41 - Aired 4/24/2025
It's one of the most contentious debates in linguistics, and at the heart of what it means to be human!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesWhere Did Cringey Corporate Jargon Come From?
Season 1 Episode 42 - Aired 5/22/2025
We're gonna have to ask you to go ahead and watch this video.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesThese Magic Words Are REAL!
Season 1 Episode 43 - Aired 6/26/2025
Since ancient times, humans have believed in the special power of words to change the world around them... and they might be right!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesWill Algorithmic Self-Censorship Unalive Language?
Season 1 Episode 44 - Aired 7/24/2025
TikTok users are altering their speech to evade algorithmic filters--but will this harm language in the long run?
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesPopular Word Origins That Are Totally WRONG
Season 1 Episode 45 - Aired 8/21/2025
Sometimes misunderstandings and made-up origins get popular enough to stick around... we call these "folk etymologies"!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesThe 2,000 Year Evolution of Punctuation
Season 1 Episode 46 - Aired 9/23/2025
There was a time when written words were all scrunched together without any spaces or symbols to help the reader make sense of it. How did we get from that to this?
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesHow Brands Use Linguistics to Control Your Mind
Season 1 Episode 47 - Aired 10/28/2025
Learn the linguistic secrets that companies use to subtly implant thoughts about their products directly into your brain!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesWhy Linguists Love What's Happening with K-Pop
Season 1 Episode 48 - Aired 2/3/2026
As K-Pop slowly takes over the whole world, linguists have noticed it's changing the way people speak in multiple countries.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesLying Is Way More Complicated Than You Think
Season 1 Episode 49 - Aired 3/3/2026
We all know that lying is wrong, right? But trying to figure out what *exactly* counts as a lie is something that religions, courts and linguists have grappled with for years.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesWhy We All Disagree on How to Talk About Time
Season 1 Episode 50 - Aired 3/31/2026
In English-speaking countries, the past is "behind" us and the future is still "ahead." But there's much more linguistic variety in how we talk about time... and it might actually influence how we perceive it.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesWhy Every Generation Uses This One Slang Word
Season 1 Episode 51 - Aired 4/28/2026
Most slang words come and go, but there's one undisputed king that's over 100 years old and still as relevant as ever... and that's cool.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesThe Problem with Judges Acting Like Linguists
Season 1 Episode 52 - Aired 5/26/2026
In a court of law, your fate can be determined by how a judge interprets a word or sentence... but should judges be acting as armchair linguists?
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesWhy Are There So Few Words for Smells?
Season 1 Episode 53 - Aired 6/23/2026
Humans can differentiate as many as a TRILLION different odors, and yet of all the senses, we have the fewest number of words for SMELLS... why is that?
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesThe People Trying to Control Language
Season 1 Episode 54 - Aired 7/21/2026
It's said that you can't control how language is used... but that doesn't stop these organizations from trying!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesDoes "Baby Talk" Have a Purpose?
Season 1 Episode 55 - Aired 8/17/2026
Baby talk (aka Infant Directed Speech) has gotten a lot of hate over the years, but recent studies may have put the controversy to beddy-bye.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesHow Fast Can a Word Change Its Meaning?
Season 1 Episode 56 - Aired 9/15/2026
Sometimes, words can change their meaning in just one or two generations! Here's how it can happen...
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
N/A/100 votesThere Are Way More God-Words Than You Think
Season 1 Episode 57 - Aired 10/13/2026
Gods are all around us... in the words we use everyday!
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown