The most powerful word
Michael Rosen explores the strange history of 'The', the most influential word in English. How did a word which didn't even exist in Old English come to dominate our language?
Michael Rosen explores the strange history of 'The', the most influential word in English. It's used more than twice as much as any other English word, and has given philosophers centuries of head-scratching. So how did a word which means nothing, and didn't even exist in Old English, come to dominate our language? With linguists Laura Wright and Jonathan Culpeper, and philosopher Barry Smith.
Producer: Melvin Rickarby
Last on
![]()
The most powerful word in the English language
How did a word which means nothing come to dominate our language?
Broadcasts
- Tue 16 Jul 2019 16:00麻豆社 Radio 4
- Mon 22 Jul 2019 23:00麻豆社 Radio 4
From blunk to brickfielder: our wonderful words for weather
Exploring creative descriptions for wind, rainfall and sunny spells from around the world
Digital body language 鈥� how to communicate better online
We need to find new ways of talking to each other 鈥渧irtually鈥�.
Coinages that changed the world 鈥� and some that tried to...
Exploring the hidden histories of obscure words, and common buzz phrases.
Ittibitium, borborygmus, and Ba humbugi 鈥� 14 wonderful science words you鈥檝e never heard of
Michael Rosen puts the language of science under the microscope.
Download this programme
Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.
Keywords for Our Time
Series of programmes examining key phrases in public debate.
Smiley face: Seven things you didn't know about emoji
Some facts about emoji - possibly the world's first truly global form of communication.
The funny words that kids invent
Have a look at some of the fantastic words that children invent and reimagine.
Podcast
-
![]()
Word of Mouth
Series exploring the world of words and the ways in which we use them
