Mignon Fogarty
@grammargirl.bsky.social
Grammar Girl. Podcaster. Author of seven books about language. Quick and Dirty Tips founder. Bad skier. she/her http://linktr.ee/grammargirl
#AmWriting The 2/17 GG podcast
#AmReading The Invisible Life of Addie Larue (Schwab)
#AmWriting The 2/17 GG podcast
#AmReading The Invisible Life of Addie Larue (Schwab)
Other ways to get the show:
YOUTUBE: youtu.be/eS7bobT1XnM
READ: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/115...
LISTEN: pod.link/173429229
YOUTUBE: youtu.be/eS7bobT1XnM
READ: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/115...
LISTEN: pod.link/173429229
Why writing with 'civic clarity' is so important, with Roy Peter Clark (2020)
YouTube video by Grammar Girl
youtu.be
February 12, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Other ways to get the show:
YOUTUBE: youtu.be/eS7bobT1XnM
READ: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/115...
LISTEN: pod.link/173429229
YOUTUBE: youtu.be/eS7bobT1XnM
READ: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/115...
LISTEN: pod.link/173429229
I've been thinking a lot about an interview I did back in 2020 with Roy Peter Clark about the importance of "civic clarity."
I think it's more important now than ever, so I re-edited the piece this week. I hope you'll listen.
APPLE: apple.co/4tzACTF
SPOTIFY: tinyurl.com/2ahmm5ym
I think it's more important now than ever, so I re-edited the piece this week. I hope you'll listen.
APPLE: apple.co/4tzACTF
SPOTIFY: tinyurl.com/2ahmm5ym
Writing for ‘civic clarity’ (plus, the power of short sentences), with Roy Peter Clark
Podcast Episode · Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing · 02/12/2026 · 23m
apple.co
February 12, 2026 at 4:21 PM
I've been thinking a lot about an interview I did back in 2020 with Roy Peter Clark about the importance of "civic clarity."
I think it's more important now than ever, so I re-edited the piece this week. I hope you'll listen.
APPLE: apple.co/4tzACTF
SPOTIFY: tinyurl.com/2ahmm5ym
I think it's more important now than ever, so I re-edited the piece this week. I hope you'll listen.
APPLE: apple.co/4tzACTF
SPOTIFY: tinyurl.com/2ahmm5ym
More options!
WATCH: youtu.be/tQBdBGi69vs?...
READ: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/115...
LISTEN: pod.link/173429229
WATCH: youtu.be/tQBdBGi69vs?...
READ: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/115...
LISTEN: pod.link/173429229
How Winter Olympic sports got their names
YouTube video by Grammar Girl
youtu.be
February 11, 2026 at 6:58 PM
More options!
WATCH: youtu.be/tQBdBGi69vs?...
READ: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/115...
LISTEN: pod.link/173429229
WATCH: youtu.be/tQBdBGi69vs?...
READ: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/115...
LISTEN: pod.link/173429229
Ever wonder why we say "Celsius" instead of "centigrade"?
Anders Celsius proposed his scale in 1742 — but it was backward! Water *boiled* at 0 and *froze* at 100. Other scientists flipped it after he died.
Listen to learn more:
APPLE: tinyurl.com/25rltzyu
SPOTIFY: tinyurl.com/242btrqw
Anders Celsius proposed his scale in 1742 — but it was backward! Water *boiled* at 0 and *froze* at 100. Other scientists flipped it after he died.
Listen to learn more:
APPLE: tinyurl.com/25rltzyu
SPOTIFY: tinyurl.com/242btrqw
How bored tourists invented an Olympic sport. Centigrade or Celsius? Piqua
Podcast Episode · Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing · 02/10/2026 · 14m
tinyurl.com
February 11, 2026 at 6:58 PM
Ever wonder why we say "Celsius" instead of "centigrade"?
Anders Celsius proposed his scale in 1742 — but it was backward! Water *boiled* at 0 and *froze* at 100. Other scientists flipped it after he died.
Listen to learn more:
APPLE: tinyurl.com/25rltzyu
SPOTIFY: tinyurl.com/242btrqw
Anders Celsius proposed his scale in 1742 — but it was backward! Water *boiled* at 0 and *froze* at 100. Other scientists flipped it after he died.
Listen to learn more:
APPLE: tinyurl.com/25rltzyu
SPOTIFY: tinyurl.com/242btrqw
The Olympics got me thinking about sporty snow words. 🏂
"Bobsled" is called "bobSLEIGH" in the Olympics, and it gets its name from riders "bobbing" back and forth to speed up on straightaways.
Check out the podcast for fun details about "snurfing," "luge," and more!: pod.link/173429229
"Bobsled" is called "bobSLEIGH" in the Olympics, and it gets its name from riders "bobbing" back and forth to speed up on straightaways.
Check out the podcast for fun details about "snurfing," "luge," and more!: pod.link/173429229
February 10, 2026 at 3:16 PM
The Olympics got me thinking about sporty snow words. 🏂
"Bobsled" is called "bobSLEIGH" in the Olympics, and it gets its name from riders "bobbing" back and forth to speed up on straightaways.
Check out the podcast for fun details about "snurfing," "luge," and more!: pod.link/173429229
"Bobsled" is called "bobSLEIGH" in the Olympics, and it gets its name from riders "bobbing" back and forth to speed up on straightaways.
Check out the podcast for fun details about "snurfing," "luge," and more!: pod.link/173429229
Thanks for writing this. I was a biology PhD student at Stanford, and I'm so bad at math I had a friend check my calculations when I was working with expensive or potentially dangerous reagents.
February 9, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Thanks for writing this. I was a biology PhD student at Stanford, and I'm so bad at math I had a friend check my calculations when I was working with expensive or potentially dangerous reagents.
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
Bad Bunny's historical advisor is an assistant professor at UW-Madison.
Hell of a flex for your tenure file.
Hell of a flex for your tenure file.
Not at all surprised to learn that Bad Bunny has a historical adviser. His halftime show was a reminder that our history and culture are deeply intertwined with the rest of the western hemisphere. We should think of his performance as part of #America250. #SuperBowl
news.wisc.edu/pop-star-bad...
news.wisc.edu/pop-star-bad...
Pop star Bad Bunny needed a Puerto Rican history scholar. UW–Madison had just the one.
Bad Bunny collaborated with UW–Madison history professor Jorell Meléndez-Badillo on Puerto Rican narratives that accompany the new album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.”
news.wisc.edu
February 9, 2026 at 1:47 PM
Bad Bunny's historical advisor is an assistant professor at UW-Madison.
Hell of a flex for your tenure file.
Hell of a flex for your tenure file.
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
This is why I moved off Substack to Ghost. The Nazis will migrate to any big platform but when a platform actively promotes them, that is a choice
for the terminally online this is *far* from a revalation and also, i *really* hope that it will push more people to jump to another platform. there are places that will help you migrate your newsletter and don't profit off hate speech.
Revealed: How Substack makes money from hosting Nazi newsletters
Exclusive: Site takes a cut of subscriptions to content that promotes far-right ideology, white supremacy and antisemitism
www.theguardian.com
February 8, 2026 at 4:24 PM
This is why I moved off Substack to Ghost. The Nazis will migrate to any big platform but when a platform actively promotes them, that is a choice
It has to be on repeat for me, and it takes a few minutes to settle in.
February 8, 2026 at 3:07 AM
It has to be on repeat for me, and it takes a few minutes to settle in.
I do this too!
When I'm writing a book, I have three songs I listen to on repeat, depending on my mood:
1. Out of my Head (the main one, Fastball)
2. Blue Skies (Willie Nelson)
3. I Don't Wanna Stop (Ozzy)
Instrumentals don't work for me.
h/t @mashedradish.bsky.social
When I'm writing a book, I have three songs I listen to on repeat, depending on my mood:
1. Out of my Head (the main one, Fastball)
2. Blue Skies (Willie Nelson)
3. I Don't Wanna Stop (Ozzy)
Instrumentals don't work for me.
h/t @mashedradish.bsky.social
In a recent episode of "Hard Fork" my colleague Kevin Roose had the crazy writing tip (via, apparently, Michael Lewis) of listening to a single song on repeat. Damned if it doesn't work! Currently playing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=F49y...
The New Pornographers- "The Electric Version" (Official Audio)
YouTube video by The New Pornographers
www.youtube.com
February 8, 2026 at 2:53 AM
I do this too!
When I'm writing a book, I have three songs I listen to on repeat, depending on my mood:
1. Out of my Head (the main one, Fastball)
2. Blue Skies (Willie Nelson)
3. I Don't Wanna Stop (Ozzy)
Instrumentals don't work for me.
h/t @mashedradish.bsky.social
When I'm writing a book, I have three songs I listen to on repeat, depending on my mood:
1. Out of my Head (the main one, Fastball)
2. Blue Skies (Willie Nelson)
3. I Don't Wanna Stop (Ozzy)
Instrumentals don't work for me.
h/t @mashedradish.bsky.social
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
This is the switchboard for Congress. An automated voice will ask you which senator or representative you want to reach and will transfer you to that person's line.
If you call today, you'll get voicemail but will usually be able to leave a message: (202) 224-3121.
If you call today, you'll get voicemail but will usually be able to leave a message: (202) 224-3121.
January 24, 2026 at 5:27 PM
This is the switchboard for Congress. An automated voice will ask you which senator or representative you want to reach and will transfer you to that person's line.
If you call today, you'll get voicemail but will usually be able to leave a message: (202) 224-3121.
If you call today, you'll get voicemail but will usually be able to leave a message: (202) 224-3121.
Plus, we talked about tokens versus words, semicolons, and more.
Check it out:
WATCH: youtu.be/DXjxrXTEH5w
READ: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/115...
LISTEN: pod.link/173429229
#GrammarGirl #podcast
Check it out:
WATCH: youtu.be/DXjxrXTEH5w
READ: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/115...
LISTEN: pod.link/173429229
#GrammarGirl #podcast
Why does AI use so many em dashes? with Sean Goedecke
1157. This week, we look at AI em dashes with Sean Goedecke, software engineer for GitHub. We talk about why artificial intelligence models frequently use em dashes and words like "delve," and how…
youtu.be
February 5, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Plus, we talked about tokens versus words, semicolons, and more.
Check it out:
WATCH: youtu.be/DXjxrXTEH5w
READ: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/115...
LISTEN: pod.link/173429229
#GrammarGirl #podcast
Check it out:
WATCH: youtu.be/DXjxrXTEH5w
READ: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/115...
LISTEN: pod.link/173429229
#GrammarGirl #podcast
Did you know ChatGPT's earlier versions barely used em dashes at all? This week, I talked with Sean Goedecke, a software engineer who's looked at *why* AI models went em-dash wild.The shift may have happened when companies started digitizing public domain books from years when em dash use peaked.
February 5, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Did you know ChatGPT's earlier versions barely used em dashes at all? This week, I talked with Sean Goedecke, a software engineer who's looked at *why* AI models went em-dash wild.The shift may have happened when companies started digitizing public domain books from years when em dash use peaked.
National Grammar Day is one month from today: March 4!
February 4, 2026 at 9:37 PM
National Grammar Day is one month from today: March 4!
Have you heard of playing "the dozens"?
It's an African American game where two people trade increasingly inventive insults, usually in front of an audience. I look at the competing origin stories in today's podcast.
Listen: pod.link/173429229
It's an African American game where two people trade increasingly inventive insults, usually in front of an audience. I look at the competing origin stories in today's podcast.
Listen: pod.link/173429229
pod.link
February 4, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Have you heard of playing "the dozens"?
It's an African American game where two people trade increasingly inventive insults, usually in front of an audience. I look at the competing origin stories in today's podcast.
Listen: pod.link/173429229
It's an African American game where two people trade increasingly inventive insults, usually in front of an audience. I look at the competing origin stories in today's podcast.
Listen: pod.link/173429229
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
A short field report about youth slang in the K-8 school where I teach:
- CITY BOY is on the rise as a brain-rot expression
- W (short for "win") has currency as a term for "excellent, high quality, cool"
- AI is variously used to call out something as fake or too good to be true
1/3
- CITY BOY is on the rise as a brain-rot expression
- W (short for "win") has currency as a term for "excellent, high quality, cool"
- AI is variously used to call out something as fake or too good to be true
1/3
February 3, 2026 at 7:28 PM
A short field report about youth slang in the K-8 school where I teach:
- CITY BOY is on the rise as a brain-rot expression
- W (short for "win") has currency as a term for "excellent, high quality, cool"
- AI is variously used to call out something as fake or too good to be true
1/3
- CITY BOY is on the rise as a brain-rot expression
- W (short for "win") has currency as a term for "excellent, high quality, cool"
- AI is variously used to call out something as fake or too good to be true
1/3
Love it!
who the hell called them "podcast hosts with whom I've developed an unhealthy parasocial relationship" and not
. . .
earbuds.
. . .
earbuds.
February 3, 2026 at 8:13 PM
Love it!
THE SLOPPER BOWL! What wonderful wordplay.
I wish this would have come out a day sooner because I was on WOSU just yesterday talking about the word "slop" and how one thing that makes it special is the way people play with it to make other words like "slopaganda."
I wish this would have come out a day sooner because I was on WOSU just yesterday talking about the word "slop" and how one thing that makes it special is the way people play with it to make other words like "slopaganda."
February 3, 2026 at 7:23 PM
THE SLOPPER BOWL! What wonderful wordplay.
I wish this would have come out a day sooner because I was on WOSU just yesterday talking about the word "slop" and how one thing that makes it special is the way people play with it to make other words like "slopaganda."
I wish this would have come out a day sooner because I was on WOSU just yesterday talking about the word "slop" and how one thing that makes it special is the way people play with it to make other words like "slopaganda."
Ever confidently use a word your whole life, only to discover you're wrong? F-O-R-T-E is TWO different words. One from French (your strong point), and one from Italian (loud in music). And wow, do people ever struggle with the pronunciation!
Listen: pod.link/grammargirl
Listen: pod.link/grammargirl
February 3, 2026 at 5:12 PM
Ever confidently use a word your whole life, only to discover you're wrong? F-O-R-T-E is TWO different words. One from French (your strong point), and one from Italian (loud in music). And wow, do people ever struggle with the pronunciation!
Listen: pod.link/grammargirl
Listen: pod.link/grammargirl
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
'Icicle' doesn't mean "little ice." It's "ice ickle." And an 'ickle'? That's an old word for 'icicle.'
So, 'icicle' is literally, redundantly, delightfully "ice icicle."
So, 'icicle' is literally, redundantly, delightfully "ice icicle."
I find it both remarkable and, on a deeper, intuitive level, unsurprising that English's core vocabulary for winter weather has been so durable. Largely unchanged from Old English. Instantly recognizable Germanic cousins. Shared, hoary proto-forebears.
mashedradish.com/2026/01/31/w...
mashedradish.com/2026/01/31/w...
A blizzard of wintry word origins
English’s core vocabulary for winter weather has largely been frozen—or as we used to say, “froren”—in place.
mashedradish.com
February 2, 2026 at 11:10 AM
'Icicle' doesn't mean "little ice." It's "ice ickle." And an 'ickle'? That's an old word for 'icicle.'
So, 'icicle' is literally, redundantly, delightfully "ice icicle."
So, 'icicle' is literally, redundantly, delightfully "ice icicle."
I'm going to be on All Sides with AmyJuravich on WOSU in Ohio tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern talking about familects, misheard song lyrics, and eggcorns like "windshield factor" for "windchill factor."
Get your story ready and call in!
www.wosu.org/show/all-sides
614-292-8513
Get your story ready and call in!
www.wosu.org/show/all-sides
614-292-8513
All Sides with Amy Juravich
All Sides with Amy Juravich is WOSU Public Media’s daily news program that dives deep into issues important to Central Ohio. Hosted by Amy Juravich, All Sides explains how the most complicated issues ...
www.wosu.org
February 2, 2026 at 3:45 AM
I'm going to be on All Sides with AmyJuravich on WOSU in Ohio tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern talking about familects, misheard song lyrics, and eggcorns like "windshield factor" for "windchill factor."
Get your story ready and call in!
www.wosu.org/show/all-sides
614-292-8513
Get your story ready and call in!
www.wosu.org/show/all-sides
614-292-8513