Filed under radio

Language, Noun Gender, & Worldview

Fascinating research presented by Robert Krulwich on NPR this morning. Boroditsky proposes that because the word for “bridge” in German — die brucke — is a feminine noun, and the word for “bridge” in Spanish — el puente — is a masculine noun, native speakers unconsciously give nouns the characteristics of their grammatical gender. Have … Continue reading »

Out of the ‘Dirge’

Wow! Great interview with Elvis by Steve Inskeep on Morning Edition. From the opening notes of “Doomsday,” I was thrilled to get a pause in my morning routine to hear this. Morning Edition, March 19, 2009 – Based on the catchy arrangements of Elvis Perkins’ sophomore release, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, the album seems like … Continue reading »

This American Life Impresses Once Again

Do yourself a favor, sit down without distractions, and listen to this. Episode 375: Bad Bank The collapse of the banking system explained, in just 59 minutes. Our crack economics team—the guys who explained the mortgage crisis, Alex Blumberg and NPR’s Adam Davidson—are back to help all of us understand the news. For instance, when … Continue reading »

The Wanderings of My Subconscious

or The Kale Birther, A Crowded Train to New York and Chicago, The Hectograph, and The Predator I imagined a woman who doesn’t want a baby, births kale instead. I climbed over the heads of people on an aisle-less train, trying to get my bags. The hectograph churned in the background. The Predator enveloped everything … Continue reading »