Best Tom McPherson Podcasts (2025)

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

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5d 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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526 - The Controversial Milgram Experiment 2:14:37

6d ago2:14:37

2:14:37

You may have heard of Stanley Milgram's controversial 1960s social psychology experiments that measured the willingness of participants to obey an authority figure. This week Alasdair Tremblay-Birchall joins us to challenge the traditional narrative of these experiments and blows the whole thing wide open! Are people inherently evil? Or is this eve…

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

7d 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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The secret rules of crossword puzzles, with Natan Last 29:16

12d 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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525 - The Great Fire of London 1:58:47

5d ago1:58:47

1:58:47

It's our 3rd most voted for topic for Block 2025! We go back to 1666, for the Great Fire of London. And in this case, 'great' means massive, not awesome. This is a comedy/history podcast, the report begins at approximately 08: 25 (though as always, we go off on tangents throughout the report). For all our important links: https://linktr.ee/dogoonpo…

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

14d 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…

1
What a ‘Science' magazine experiment says about the future of AI in journalism, with Abigail Eisenstadt 23:53

19d 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…

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524 - The British Post Office Scandal 2:06:22

1d ago2:06:22

2:06:22

Between 1999 and 2015, over 900 British subpostmasters were convicted of theft, fraud and false accounting. The thing is, they were all innocent and were the victims of faulty accounting software. This is an astonishing story of a year's long cover up and extreme miscarriage of justice, and the fourth most voted topic of Block 2025! This is a comed…

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What Roman togas have to do with today's elections. 'Home in' versus 'hone in.' 16:05

21d ago16:05

16:05

1130. This week, we look at words related to elections, and then I help you remember the difference between "home in" and "hone in" with a tip that includes a shocking historical tidbit about spiders. 🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat. 🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses. 🔗 Subscribe to the newsletter. 🔗 Take our advertisi…

1
Finding the true history of words, with Ben Zimmer 26:52

26d ago26:52

26:52

1129. This week, we talk with Ben Zimmer about the linguistic detective work of antedating words — finding earlier usages than those published in dictionaries. We look at the surprising origins of "Ms.," "scallywag," and the baseball history of "jazz." Find Ben on his website: Benzimmer.com Vietnam Graffiti Project at Texas Tech's Vietnam Center: h…

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523 - Hidden Figures: NASA's Human Computers 3:24:25

9d ago3:24:25

3:24:25

This week's episode is about the human computers of NASA, focussing on the main three featured in the book Hidden Figures, heading deep into NASA's history along the way! This is the fifth most voted for topic for Block 2025! This is a comedy/history podcast, the report begins at approximately 7:55 (though as always, we go off on tangents throughou…

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‘Ghost words’ and their history. Rules for ‘between’ and ‘among.’ Wilsoning. 14:02

28d ago14:02

14:02

1128. This week, in honor of Halloween, we look at “ghost words” and phrases, from “ghost runners” in baseball to “ghost forests” made by earthquakes. We also look at the difference between “between” and “among” for collective groups. Episodes mentioned in this episode: 734 - Ghost Words 1056 - How to be a ghostwriter, with Dan Gerstein 🔗 Share you…

1
Why Draw? 10:47

26d ago10:47

10:47

In this first episode of The Habit of Drawing, the focus is on why drawing matters. Drawing is more than a technique; it’s a way to slow down, observe more closely, and find calm through the act of creating.By Tom McPherson

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How to be a ‘feisty freelancer,’ with Suzanne Bowness 28:09

1M ago28:09

28:09

1127. This week, we talk with Suzanne Bowness about creating a successful life as a writer. We look at high-value industries that are good targets for freelance work and the best job titles to pitch. Suzanne provides practical advice on tracking projects and follow-ups and explains why established freelancers should use their downtime to experiment…

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522 - The Legend of King Arthur 2:00:39

16d ago2:00:39

2:00:39

The sixth most voted for topic for Block 2025 is King Arthur - man or legend? We find out the truth behind the man at the head of the Round Table (except there is no head at a round table ...) This is a comedy/history podcast, the report begins at approximately 5:00 (though as always, we go off on tangents throughout the report). For all our import…

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Shakespeare's ‘wherefore’ and other false friends. The language of fear. A Tom. 17:10

1M ago17:10

17:10

1126. This week, we look at words for fear and why "wherefore" doesn't mean what many people think it means. The false friends segment was written by Karen Lunde, a career writer and editor. These days, she designs websites for solo business owners who care about both words and visuals. Find her at chanterellemarketingstudio.com. 🔗 Share your famil…

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Why Q needs U and how hieroglyphics created our alphabet, with Danny Bate 37:49

1M ago37:49

37:49

1125. This week, we talk with linguist and author Danny Bate about his book, "Why Q Needs U." We look at the ancient origins of our alphabet, tracing its conceptual leap from Egyptian hieroglyphs to symbols that represent sounds. Danny explains the "acrophonic principle" (one sound from a picture) and why the letter A was originally a consonant, no…

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521 - The Tiananmen Square Massacre 2:01:17

23d ago2:01:17

2:01:17

Over nearly two months in 1989, student led protests erupted across China as people called for reforms. The centre of the movement was Tiananmen Square in Beijing where more than a million people gathered. On June 3rd the army was sent in to clear the protestors, ending with devastating consequences. This is the seventh most voted for topic for Blo…

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The political, royal and obscene meanings of blue. The differences in ‘plumb’ and plum.’ 15:10

1M ago15:10

15:10

1124. This week, we look at blue idioms, including the political history of "blue states," the medical reason for being "blue in the face," and the astronomical reason for a "blue moon." Then, we look at the difference between 'plumb' (with a B), and 'plum' (without a B). 🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat. 🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learn…

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The fight for the modern dictionary, with Stefan Fatsis 32:52

2M ago32:52

32:52

1123. This week, we talk with author and self-described “word freak” Stefan Fatsis about his book "Unabridged." He shares his experience embedding at Merriam-Webster to become a lexicographer, sharing the contrast between the company's 1940s headquarters and the modern digital business. We look at the tension between updating old words (like the su…

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520 - The Surprisingly Interesting History of Ketchup 2:18:14

1M ago2:18:14

2:18:14

Ketchup - it's America's favourite condiment and close cousin of Australia's fave: tomato sauce, but its history goes back a long long way before either of these countries existed in their current forms! Join us as we discuss the eighth most voted for topic this BLOCK, the surprisingly interesting history of ketchup! This is a comedy/history podcas…

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‘Math’ versus ‘maths’ and other British differences. ‘Spendthrift’ means what? 13:22

1M ago13:22

13:22

By Mignon Fogarty, Samantha Enslen, Karen Lunde

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Why ‘Useless Etymology’ gives you super powers, with Jess Zafarris 33:23

2M ago33:23

33:23

1121. This week, we talk with Jess Zafarris about her book “Useless Etymology.” We look at three ways she says etymology gives you superpowers. We also look at the origins of simple words and learn why “girl” didn't always mean a female child, the unexpected historical figures behind “fedora” and “sideburns,” and why the word “outrage” has nothing …

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519 - The 1996 Mount Everest Disaster 2:50:35

1M ago2:50:35

2:50:35

We're kicking of Block 2025 with a disaster episode. Specifcally, one of the worst Mount Everest seasons ever. This is a comedy/history podcast, the report begins at approximately 08:56 (though as always, we go off on tangents throughout the report). For all our important links: https://linktr.ee/dogoonpod Check out our other podcasts: Book Cheat: …

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Can you use ‘epicenter’ for positive things? The etymology of ‘bro.’ Mukwonago, Oconomowoc. 16:34

2M ago16:34

16:34

1120. This week, we look at tricky uses of the word "epicenter" and how people feel about using it metaphorically. We also look at where the word “brother” came from and how it branched into “bro,” “boy,” and even “buddy.” The "brother" segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the a…

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Adapting a classic: from words to watercolors, with K. Woodman-Maynard 24:40

2M ago24:40

24:40

1119. This week, we talk with illustrator and cartoonist K. Woodman-Maynard about her new graphic novel adaptation of "Tuck Everlasting." We look at the creative process of adapting a beloved book, including how she uses visual storytelling to convey emotion and meaning with watercolor and panel design. We also look at her approach to condensing th…

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518 - The Dewey Decimal System 1:23:15

1M ago1:23:15

1:23:15

This week, Josh Earl tells us the wild and troubling story of Melvil Dewey, the inventor of the Dewey Decimal System. This is a comedy/history podcast, the report begins at approximately 2:39 (though as always, we go off on tangents throughout the report). For all our important links: https://linktr.ee/dogoonpod Check out our other podcasts: Book C…

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Dime idioms. ‘HoCo’ and syllable acronyms. Pulling a Trevor 14:48

2M ago14:48

14:48

1118. This week, we look at the origins of idioms related to the word "dime," like "turn on a dime" and "get off the dime." We also look at a special kind of acronym that uses syllables, and how words like "Nabisco," "SoHo," and "HoCo" were formed. The "dime" segment was written by Karen Lunde, a career writer and editor. These days, she designs we…

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How algorithms are changing the meaning of words, with Adam Aleksic 14:04

2M ago14:04

14:04

1117. This week, we talk with Adam Aleksic, also known as the Etymology Nerd, about the ways algorithms are changing the meaning of words. We look at how words like "preppy" have evolved and how social media is accelerating language change. We also look at how different cultures "shout" online without using capital letters, the linguistic connectio…

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517 - The History of Frankenstein 2:46:51

2M ago2:46:51

2:46:51

This week we look at the tragic and fascinating life of Frankenstein author Mary Shelley and explore how the novel she started writing as an 18 year old, changed popular culture forever. Content warning: This episode contains references to suicide, birth trauma and miscarriage. This is a comedy/history podcast, the report begins at approximately 07…

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The pirate history of ‘scallywag.’ ‘Used to’ versus ‘use to.’ Cheese grits. 14:50

2M ago14:50

14:50

1116. This week, we clarify the origins of the word "Schnauzer" and why it may mean "snout," "growler," or "mustache." Then, in honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day, we look at the true origins of the word "scallywag," which, believe it or not, isn't from pirates but may be related to Shetland ponies. Then, we look at why we use both "used to" and "use …

Tom McPherson Podcasts

1
The Habit of Drawing

Tom McPherson

6201
The Impossible Network

Fabrica Collective

1
Do Go On

Do Go On Media

1
Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

QuickAndDirtyTips.com

1
Why print dictionaries still matter, with Peter Sokolowski 35:31

1
526 - The Controversial Milgram Experiment 2:14:37

1
Personification in language and AI. Dictums, maxims, and proverbs. Expensitive. 17:26

1
The secret rules of crossword puzzles, with Natan Last 29:16

1
525 - The Great Fire of London 1:58:47

1
How '23 skidoo' & 'at sixes and sevens' are related to '6-7.' 18:09

1
What a ‘Science' magazine experiment says about the future of AI in journalism, with Abigail Eisenstadt 23:53

1
524 - The British Post Office Scandal 2:06:22

1
What Roman togas have to do with today's elections. 'Home in' versus 'hone in.' 16:05

1
Finding the true history of words, with Ben Zimmer 26:52

1
523 - Hidden Figures: NASA's Human Computers 3:24:25

1
‘Ghost words’ and their history. Rules for ‘between’ and ‘among.’ Wilsoning. 14:02

1
Why Draw? 10:47

1
How to be a ‘feisty freelancer,’ with Suzanne Bowness 28:09

1
522 - The Legend of King Arthur 2:00:39

1
Shakespeare's ‘wherefore’ and other false friends. The language of fear. A Tom. 17:10

1
Why Q needs U and how hieroglyphics created our alphabet, with Danny Bate 37:49

1
521 - The Tiananmen Square Massacre 2:01:17

1
The political, royal and obscene meanings of blue. The differences in ‘plumb’ and plum.’ 15:10

1
The fight for the modern dictionary, with Stefan Fatsis 32:52

1
520 - The Surprisingly Interesting History of Ketchup 2:18:14

1
‘Math’ versus ‘maths’ and other British differences. ‘Spendthrift’ means what? 13:22

1
Why ‘Useless Etymology’ gives you super powers, with Jess Zafarris 33:23

1
519 - The 1996 Mount Everest Disaster 2:50:35

1
Can you use ‘epicenter’ for positive things? The etymology of ‘bro.’ Mukwonago, Oconomowoc. 16:34

1
Adapting a classic: from words to watercolors, with K. Woodman-Maynard 24:40

1
518 - The Dewey Decimal System 1:23:15

1
Dime idioms. ‘HoCo’ and syllable acronyms. Pulling a Trevor 14:48

1
How algorithms are changing the meaning of words, with Adam Aleksic 14:04

1
517 - The History of Frankenstein 2:46:51

1
The pirate history of ‘scallywag.’ ‘Used to’ versus ‘use to.’ Cheese grits. 14:50