Episode 16 — Linguistics

[admin 330]

You might call this episode verbose, perhaps even bombastic. You might find yourself wayward in the expanse of grammar and syntax. We're talking about talking this week on Professor Blastoff and our guest is our old friend from the Evolution episode, Dr. Martin Cohen. Learn what distinguishes "meaningful utterances" and how language has evolved through the course of human history. Enjoy, dig in, relish, savor, and luxuriate in it!

[jughead 189]

I just tumped in my pants!

[nothingshortofanattack 8]

As an English teacher I feasably COULD loose a job for using a double negative, you

[jughead 189]

As a fellow Cohen, I enjoy when the professor joins the crew! Are we truly sure that he is not, in fact, professor blastoff?

[tauko 0]

Meaningful utter nonsense.

[wakefresh 689]

It is usually David that has the crazy ideas on the podcast ("i saw aliens on the 4th of July", "you can't prove that the inside of a computer is full of pixies moving stuff around"), but Kyle had a very crazy idea. At no time was the n-word less offensive to say or hear. At that time there was a movement in hip-hop to stop saying that word in lyrics. A movement that still is going on, being led by Al Sharpton. It's not a good word to say, by either black or white people. Because for the former, it shows that you have a lot self-hatred and subconsciously believe the narrative of white superiority. For the latter, it means you're racist asshole.

[thejames 8]

Hey T&K&D,

Wow-this was a great episode, and I hope Tunnel Guy, Cajun Lady, and Boston Dude can make more appearances together. I'm kinda biased towards loving this topic since I grew up in North Carolina and various accents have always been a personal favorite of mine as fas as collecting and imitating them goes. I live in Texas now, and I think my ear has gotten less sophisticated at recognizing accents from different parts of this state ( I used to be pretty good at it back in NC ). Dr. Cohen's great-I think he's one of my favorite PB guests-he's laid back and smart and seems to roll with the chaos pretty well.

Thanks again,
Jamey
PS-Wikipedia is reporting that Tig was born "Carl Notaro".

[Malcolm Gmail Warner 0]

This episode is what Professor Blastoff should be. Dr. Cohen served as a excellent anchor, allowing the regular hosts to be funny, ask questions, and speculate. The show felt rooted in factual content without being pedantic. Please stick with this approach. Matt Besser and others said it best on the Earwolf Challenge, a podcast like this needs to deliver goods and offer something useful as well as funny. Good job.

[waxpop 6]

For an episode about linguistics, seems like there should have been at least one rhyme by Kyle. VERY disappointed. (jk, not disappointed but I do love those rhymes)

[Podricast 14]

@gustavo
yeah, but yould you die???? just like the electrician, i say no