93. Linguistic Evolution with Ph.D. in Linguistics Valerie Fridland

Have you ever wondered why word meanings change over time? Or why do people say words differently based on where they live? This is called Linguistic Evolution and we dive into this on Leap of Fate pod 93 with Valerie Fridland, who has a Ph.D. in Linguistics and teaches at the University of Nevada Reno.

Linguistics is the scientific study of language.  Linguists (experts in linguistics) work on specific languages, but their primary goal is to understand the nature of language in general and how they are related or have changed over time. The main goal of linguistics, like all other intellectual disciplines, is to increase our knowledge and understanding of the world.

Valerie educates Leap of Fate this week through how words change over time. Our engaging conversation ranges from her research studying words to understanding how words such as "woke", "redskin", "cap, and no cap" and more have come to be and changed over time.

Use this podcast to learn how words evolve over time as it's important to be cognizant of the words you choose to say.  There may be hidden or historical meaning you aren't aware of that can create distress for others.

Enjoy :)

Links:
Valarie's Website
Valarie's LinkedIn

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