Best Keith Bates Podcasts (2026)

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The Goth letters: why the alphabet goes off the rails after T, with Danny Bate 26:13

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12h ago26:13

26:13

1147. In this bonus segment that originally ran in October, we look at the fascinating history of the "new letters" of the alphabet — V, W, X, Y, and Z. Danny Bate explains why T was the original end of the alphabet and how letters were added by the Greeks and Romans. We also look at the origin of the letter Y, which was originally a vowel, and the…

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War of the dots. Why we say 'pitch black.' Pitch hot. 15:38

2d ago15:38

15:38

1146. This week, we look at the history of Braille, from the tragic accident that inspired Louis Braille's six-dot system to the "War of the Dots"—a decades-long conflict over competing reading standards in the U.S. Then, we look at the origin of the phrase "pitch black," revealing how the intensifier "pitch" refers to an ancient, dark wood tar and…

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Ana Walshe // 568 54:00

3d ago54:00

54:00

In January of 2023, a wife, mother, and real estate executive vanished from suburban Boston while heading to the airport to tend to a work emergency. What unfolded in the aftermath of her disappearance revealed a tangled web of depraved Google searches, her killer’s lengthy criminal history, and at the center: an affair and a life insurance payout.…

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Jocelyn Earnest // 567 42:31

7d ago42:31

42:31

In December of 2007, a 38-year-old woman was found dead in her Virginia home next to a gun and a typed letter that, at first glance, appeared to be a suicide note. But investigators began to raise questions about the scene she left behind, including whether her body had been moved after her death. If it wasn’t a suicide, then what really happened t…

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How a long-lost yearbook revealed the origin of 'hella,' with Ben Zimmer 30:31

8d ago30:31

30:31

1145. In this bonus segment from October, I talk with Ben Zimmer about "hella" and how even yearbook messages can be digitized to help preserve the language record. Ben shares the full story of this slang term, and we also talk about the detective work that led to the OED using Run DMC's use of "drop" in “Spin Magazine” as a citation. Ben Zimmer's …

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The origin of X in algebra. Why we say ‘how come’ for ‘why.’ Water handles. 17:37

10d ago17:37

17:37

1144. This week, we look at the origin of the letter X as the variable for the unknown in algebra. Then, we look at the phrase "how come," explaining why it's more informal than "why" and how its grammar subtly differs from other question words. That X segment was written by Peter Schumer, Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at Middlebu…

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Carol Rofstad // 566 45:30

10d ago45:30

45:30

In December of 1975, a 21-year-old college student headed out for a pub drink with a friend before the Christmas holiday. That night, a year and a half after she was attacked inside her sorority by a man wearing a nylon stocking over his face, she was attacked again. But this time she didn’t survive. Before and after her murder, this monster would …

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Gone on Christmas: Parris Hopson & Za'zell Preston // 565 47:42

14d ago47:42

47:42

In December of 2019, a young woman stepped out for a walk on Christmas Day after feeling anxious at a family gathering, and she never returned. Eerily, after she vanished, her recent email to an attorney about being blackmailed surfaced, alongside the suspicion that she had gotten too close to finding the person responsible for her brother’s recent…

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2025 Words of the Year, with Jess Zafarris and Danny Hieber 24:00

15d ago24:00

24:00

1143. This week, we look at the 2025 words of the year with Jess Zafarris and Danny Hieber. We look at viral slang like "six seven" and cultural terms like "rage bait" and "fatigued." We also look at the dramatic rise of "slop" to describe low-quality AI content and how words like "parasocial" are changing function. Find Jess Zafarris at UselessEty…

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'Pride and prejudice' before Jane Austen. Was Parson Brown a real person? Happy Panda. 15:24

17d ago15:24

15:24

1142. This week, we look at the history of the phrase "pride and prejudice," which was used frequently before Jane Austen’s 1813 novel. Then, we look at whether Parson Brown from “Winter Wonderland” was a real person, and why his name is sometimes replaced with a “circus clown.” Links to Get One Month Free of the Grammar Girl Patreon (different lin…

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Christina Parcell: The Rose Petal Murder // 564 43:20

17d ago43:20

43:20

In October of 2021, deputies in Greer, South Carolina, responded to a chilling scene in a suburban home: a 41-year-old woman found lifeless in her living room, surrounded by rose petals, and enveloped in a chemical odor, had been stabbed dozens of times. And what made the case especially unsettling was how unsuspecting her attacker ended up being. …

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Catherine Woods // 563 43:43

21d ago43:43

43:43

In November of 2005, a 21-year-old dancer was found brutally slain in her New York City apartment. She was ambitious, talented, and chasing her dream of dancing on Broadway, but few knew the obsession, jealousy, and betrayal she faced offstage. And soon, police would find, there was more than one person with a motive to kill her. This is the murder…

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Rebecca Park: The Whole Story (Happening Now) // 562 59:13

21d ago59:13

59:13

In November of 2025, a 22-year-old pregnant Michigan woman went missing under suspicious circumstances mere days before she was set to give birth. This week, two affidavits including a slew of disturbing updates have been released, painting a truly disturbing story of what happened to her. This is the continued story of Rebecca Park. Hosted by Simp…

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The 'sheeple' incident, with Stefan Fatsis 25:27

22d ago25:27

25:27

1141. We look at the controversy that caught Stefan Fatsis by surprise when he defined the word "sheeple" for Merriam-Webster, leading to public complaints. We also look at the origin and purpose of the obscure "Backward Index" invented by Webster's Third editor Philip Gove and how quickly Merriam added COVID-related words to the dictionary. Find S…

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The rise of the 'hamster wheel.' The many names of Santa Claus. Unattractive turtles. 14:04

24d ago14:04

14:04

1140. This week, we look at the difference between the modern phrase "hamster wheel" and the older "rat race," and why the former gained popularity. We also look at the similar concept of the hedonic treadmill. Then, we look at the many names for Santa Claus, including the Dutch "Sinter Klaas" and the German "Christkindlein." The Santa Claus segmen…

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The Devil Made Me Do It // 561 48:53

24d ago48:53

48:53

In February of 1981, the small town of Brookfield, Connecticut became the stage for one of the strangest murder cases in American history. It began with a haunting, a possession, and a family desperate for help. When violence erupted, it wasn’t just a man who was on trial, it was a man who claimed that he was possessed by the devil himself. This is…

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Rebecca Park (Happening Now) // 560 54:53

28d ago54:53

54:53

In November of 2025, a 22-year-old pregnant Michigan woman went missing under suspicious circumstances while approaching labor. Within weeks of her disappearance, her body was found in the woods, leaving horrific questions behind regarding how she died and where her baby was. Within days, four people close to her would be arrested, two of them with…

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An inspiring tutor, 'New York System' hot dogs, and 'queen spotting.' 25:11

29d ago25:11

25:11

1139. In this bonus discussion with Martha Barnette back in March, we look at Martha's pivotal twelve-year journey with a polyglot tutor who transformed her understanding of ancient Greek, starting with the etymology of "Oedipus." We also look at her beekeeping adventures, including the unknown-to-me history of the term 'queen bee' and a unique boo…

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Why Brits eat biscuits and Americans eat cookies. Why brands keep nouning everything. Hamster alert. 17:46

1M ago17:46

17:46

This week, in honor of National Cookie Day, we look at the vocabulary split between British and American English, including the differences between a cookie and a biscuit, and the two meanings of "pudding." Then, we look at anthimeria, the advertising trend of turning one part of speech into another, as in the slogan "Together makes progress." The …

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Theresa Fusco // 559 50:30

1M ago50:30

50:30

In November of 1984, the normally safe Long Island village of Lynbrook was gripped in fear when a 16-year-old girl vanished after leaving her job at a local roller rink. What began as a missing persons case would soon reveal a web of lies and false confessions that would haunt the community for decades - with three convictions becoming overturned, …

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Melissa Lamesch // 558 47:43

1M ago47:43

47:43

In November of 2020, police in Mount Morris, Illinois responded to a report of a house fire, where firefighters would make a grim discovery: the body of a 27-year-old pregnant woman. But as investigators learned that the fire had been an arson, and that neighbors saw a man enter the home shortly before the blaze, a disturbing a shocking suspect cam…

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Rob Drummond on languaging and our fluid speaking identities 18:36

1M ago18:36

18:36

In this bonus conversation with Rob Drummond from back in June, he and I get into the fascinating concept of "languaging" — the idea that speaking is an active process we use to constantly shape and project our identities. Rob explains how our "speaking identities" are incredibly fluid, changing based on context, audience, and even the language we'…

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The sinful fork (and other dinner-table surprises) 14:49

1M ago14:49

14:49

1136. This week, we go full Thanksgiving, talking about the origin of butter knives, forks, and more. You'll love all the tidbits you can share with your family or friends during dinner. 🔗 Share your familect recording via Speakpipe, by calling 833-214-4475 (or via WhatsApp chat.) 🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses. 🔗 Subscribe to the new…

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Anna Kepner (Happening Now) // 557 47:27

1M ago47:27

47:27

In November of 2025, an 18-year-old girl died suspiciously while on a cruise with her family; her body found wrapped in a sheet under her stateroom's bed the morning after she fell ill at dinner. Unfolding now is an intense investigation by the FBI into her murder, her own stepbrother potentially at the top of the suspect list. This is the murder o…

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Emma Walker // 556 55:11

1M ago55:11

55:11

In November of 2016, a 16-year-old was found dead in her bed in a quiet neighborhood of Knoxville, Tennessee, after her parents thought she had simply overslept. Her community reeled from the news as speculation circulated around the case of her sudden and suspicious death. But soon, the investigation would reveal eerie details about her final few …

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Why print dictionaries still matter, with Peter Sokolowski 35:31

1M ago35:31

35:31

1135. This week, we talk with Peter Sokolowski, editor at large at Merriam-Webster, about the new print 12th Collegiate Dictionary. We look at why print still matters, how the dictionary used lookup data to decide which words to drop (least looked-up compounds), and the importance of serendipity when researching words in a physical book. Find Peter…

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Personification in language and AI. Dictums, maxims, and proverbs. Expensitive. 17:26

1M ago17:26

17:26

1134. This week, we look at the poetic power of personification (the language quirk that gives human traits to nonhuman things) and why style guides advise against using it for AI. Then, we look at the different names for common sayings, defining a proverb and breaking down the four main types: maxim, adage, dictum, and truism. The personification …

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Jackie Levitz // 555 54:15

1M ago54:15

54:15

In November of 1995, a furniture heiress vanished without a trace from her elegant Mississippi home just weeks after moving in. Through an unlocked door, there were signs of a violent struggle, but no indication as to where she had gone. What began as a missing person’s case became a Southern gothic mystery that’s as puzzling today as it was 30 yea…

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Murder on Elm Street // 554 54:20

2M ago54:20

54:20

On Thanksgiving Day, 2012, the small town of Little Falls, Minnesota was quiet and calm, with most people home enjoying the holiday and staying out of the snowstorm that was descending upon them. But inside one modest home on Elm Street, something unimaginable was about to unfold when a break-in turned into one of the most puzzling double murders i…

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The secret rules of crossword puzzles, with Natan Last 29:16

2M ago29:16

29:16

1133. This week, crossword pro Natan Last talks about his book "Across the Universe." We look at the technical and cultural differences between American and British puzzle styles and the secrets that will surprise you about how clues are written and edited. We also look at "crosswordese," the long submission process for the “New York Times,” and th…

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How '23 skidoo' & 'at sixes and sevens' are related to '6-7.' 18:09

2M ago18:09

18:09

1132. This week, in honor of Dictionary.com choosing "6-7" as its Word of the Year, we look at the origin of other number phrases: "23 skidoo" and "at sixes and sevens." 🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat. 🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses. 🔗 Subscribe to the newsletter. 🔗 Take our advertising survey. 🔗 Get the edited tra…

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Melissa Wolfenbarger // 553 55:29

2M ago55:29

55:29

In late 1998, a 21-year-old mother vanished from Atlanta after a phone call home on Thanksgiving Day. Months later, her remains were found scattered between multiple garbage bags near her home, but it wasn’t until years later that the remains were linked to a local missing woman. When her cold case was reopened as a homicide investigation, police w…

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The Jamison Family // 552 1:05:29

2M ago1:05:29

1:05:29

In October of 2009, a family of three set out for the Oklahoma mountains in search of a fresh start. Days later, their pickup truck was found abandoned on a remote dirt road, containing their wallets, IDs, cell phones, and even their dog...but the family was nowhere to be found. Theories swirled of cult ties, paranormal activity, and marital troubl…

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What a ‘Science' magazine experiment says about the future of AI in journalism, with Abigail Eisenstadt 23:53

2M ago23:53

23:53

1131. This week, we talk with ‘Science' magazine senior writer Abigail Eisenstadt about her team's year-long experiment testing ChatGPT's ability to summarize research papers. We look at their methodology, the limitations they realized, and their main finding: that AI could “transcribe” scientific studies but failed to “translate” them with context…