Spectacular Vernacular

The Millennial Language Cheat Code

Speaking the language of millennials one GIF at a time.

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Episode Notes

On today’s episode of Spectacular Vernacular, hosts Nicole Holliday and Ben Zimmer talk about Anthony Fauci’s old-school Brooklyn accent. They also interview Sylvia Sierra about her new book Millennials Talking Media: Creating Intertextual Identities in Everyday Conversation. And finally, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher, the hosts of ICYMI, Slate’s podcast on internet culture, stop by for some world wide web wordplay. We hope you’re ready! You could win a year’s membership to Slate Plus.

Do you have any language questions or fun facts to share? Email us at spectacular@slate.com.

Produced by Jasmine Ellis.

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
Anthony Fauci on ABC’s This Week

Trailer for the National Geographic documentary Fauci

Nautilus, “Why Working-Class New Yorkers Drop Their ‘Rs’ ”

Sylvia Sierra’s new book Millennials Talking Media: Creating Intertextual Identities in Everyday Conversation

The ICYMI back catalog

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About the Show

Linguist Nicole Holliday and Wall Street Journal language columnist Ben Zimmer discuss the ways language is changing, talk to scholars and writers, and set and solve word puzzles.

All episodes

Hosts

  • Ben Zimmer is a linguist, lexicographer, and all-around word nut. He is the language columnist for the Wall Street Journal and a contributing writer for the Atlantic.

  • Nicole Holliday is an assistant professor of linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on variation, intonation, and language in society.