Rephonic
Artwork for Because Language

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the science of language.

Daniel Midgley, Ben Ainslie, and Hedvig Skirgård
Linguistics
Language
Grammar
Language Origins
Prehistory
Misinformation
Communication
Cultural Evolution
Social Media Polls
Subject-Verb Agreement
Education
Etymology
Trans-Inclusive Language
Lexicography
Social Interaction
Neanderthals
Homo Erectus
Linguistic Diversity
Cognitive Linguistics
Gender Identity

A podcast about linguistics, the science of language.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes100Founded14 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Social SciencesLanguage LearningEducationScience

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Because Language

Latest Episodes

The "Oh" show was an experimental linguistics performance lecture. It happened in June 2025 at Creative Time HQ in New York City. Actors, musicians, and audience came together (with at least one linguist!) to act out dialogues from conversational ana... more

YouTube

Martha Barnette is one half of the linguistics podcast A Way With Words, and author of the new book Friends With Words: Adventures in Languageland.

Her lifelong love of language has led her through some of the toughest questions lexicography has to... more

YouTube

Creators have to be mindful of what to say and what not to say in their content. This affects the language we're exposed to — and what we say IRL. But it's part of an old process. Popular LingToker Adam Aleksic breaks it down. He's the author of the ... more

YouTube

We've all seen style guides that tell us what to say and what not to say. Has a style guide ever asked you what you wanted to say? Or challenged you to examine your thinking? This one does. It's the Conscious Style Guide by Karen Yin, and she joins u... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Lexicon Valley
Lexicon ValleyLexicon Valley
99% Invisible
99% InvisibleRoman Mars
A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over
A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all overMartha Barnette and Grant Barrett. Produced by Stefanie Levine.
Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris
Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess ZafarrisWords Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris

Recent Guests

Martha Barnette
Linguist and co-host of A Way With Words
A Way With Words
Episode: 125: Friends With Words (live with Martha Barnette and friends)
Adam Aleksic
Linguist, science communicator, and author of Algospeak
Episode: 124: Algospeak (with Adam Aleksic)
Karen Yin
Author of The Conscious Style Guide
Episode: 123: Conscious Language (with Karen Yin)
Professor Stephen Levinson
Emeritus Director of the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics and author of 'The Interaction Engine'
Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
Episode: 122: The Interaction Engine (with Stephen Levinson)
Adele Goldberg
Professor of Psychology and a pioneer of construction grammar at Princeton University
Princeton University
Episode: 121: Learning from LLMs (with Adele Goldberg)
Dr. Lauren Gawne
Linguist at La Trobe University and co-host of Lingthusiasm
La Trobe University
Episode: 120: Gesture! ✨👐✨ (with Lauren Gawne)
Paulette van der Voet
Lecturer and Course Convener at Umeå University specializing in linguistics and Eurovision studies
Umeå University
Episode: 119: Eurovision Goes to Uni (with Paulette van der Voet and Solveig Bollig)
Solveig Bollig
Lecturer and Course Convener at Umeå University, focusing on Eurovision in linguistics
Umeå University
Episode: 119: Eurovision Goes to Uni (with Paulette van der Voet and Solveig Bollig)
Dr. Emily Bender
Linguist and co-author of The AI Con, How to Fight Big Tech's Hype
University of Washington
Episode: 118: The A.I. Con (with Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna)

Hosts

Daniel Midgley
Host of the podcast and expert in linguistics, with a focus on communication and language issues.
Hedvig Hurgard
Co-Host and linguist, known for engaging discussions about language and culture.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 313 ratings
  • Juvenile Nonsense

    I could barely make it through half an episode of this drivel. The host is embarrassingly uninformed and seems more worried about virtue signaling than actually understanding how language works.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    noname2771
    United States4 months ago
  • I adore this podcast!

    I teach linguistics and recommend it to my students who also love it! The Patreon community is fantastic! This is my nerd tribe. 🤓

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AAMC544
    United Statesa year ago
  • Quality production with pro level hosts at keeping the conversation engaging, without veering off into unrelated topics. They seamlessly transition between segments, creating a laid-back atmosphere: it feels like you're just hanging out with friends. As a non linguist, I appreciate how the hosts & guests break down complex topics in a way that is easy to grasp. They strike the perfect balance between informative & approachable, never coming across as condescending or preachy.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Kade
    a year ago
  • Best Sci Coms on the Internet

    Now that I am out of college but pre-grad school, I found it hard to keep up with the state of the field. I felt as if y’all were heaven sent when I stumbled upon your podcast. Y’all are amazing science communicators, give real times updates on the latest science, and are overall hilarious. Also y’all have awesome politics. It’s like can we be friends?? Anyway, I feel like I just learn so much from y’all as a budding linguist, educator, and science communicator myself. As I like to tell my stude... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Nati (nɑtɪ)
    United Statesa year ago
  • Off and on my favorite podcast

    Because Language is the first podcast I ever fell in love with, and while others briefly supplant it as my favorite, I keep coming back to this gem. The balance of provocative commentary about linguistic attitudes juxtaposed with academic content is informative and entertaining. Daniel is an extremely skilled host, Hedvig’s take is intelligent and quirky, and Ben lends a comedic accessibility to the content which is marred only by how often he interrupts Hedvig 😒

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jeffthemartin
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many find the show a refreshing mix of education and entertainment, fostering a sense of community among language enthusiasts.
Listeners appreciate the engaging and accessible exploration of language topics, often praising the blend of humor and academic insight.
Overall, the chemistry between hosts and their approachable style attracts both experts and casual listeners alike.
Some critiques mention a shift towards more niche topics that may not reflect all linguistic experiences, especially outside the U.S.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

124: Algospeak (with Adam Aleksic)
Q: What can we learn about the algorithm? What have you learned about these methods that you need to adhere to if you want your material to be shown at all?
You have to do edutainment. There's no other way to spread your message as content seeks entertainment to go viral.
123: Conscious Language (with Karen Yin)
Q: Have you ever had a time when you disagreed with someone on some point?
Yes, it happens all the time, and I may or may not point it out depending on the situation.
121: Learning from LLMs (with Adele Goldberg)
Q: How do large language models mitigate biases?
They are trained to avoid stereotypes and hateful language by employing human feedback on what constitutes helpful responses.
121: Learning from LLMs (with Adele Goldberg)
Q: What can we learn from large language models?
They show that language can be learned without hard-coded rules by using statistics from vast amounts of text, reflecting human-like language use.
114: Bye Bye I Love You (with Michael Erard)
Q: What do you hope that somebody will do not just for the later years, but also for the early years?
It's critical to understand that observation and recording of language is a cultural decision and reflective of care.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Because Language

What is Because Language about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Exploring the multifaceted world of linguistics, this podcast covers a wide range of topics from language evolution and social media language trends to issues of language oppression and education. Episodes delve into the nuances of communication, touching on how gestures interact with language, the impact of large language models on understanding human communication, and the cultural implications of language use in various contexts. With a mix of expert guests from academia and practical discussions, the format is designed to engage both language enthusiasts and casual listeners alike, making complex linguistic concepts accessible and entertaining. Noteworthy is the podcast's commitment to social justice and linguistic rights, providing a p... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Because Language?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Because Language. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Because Language and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Because Language get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Because Language, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Because Language?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Because Language, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Because Language have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Because Language has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of Because Language are there?

Because Language launched 14 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Because Language?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Because Language?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Because Language from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Because Language?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Because Language. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Because Language?

Recent guests on Because Language include:

1. Martha Barnette
2. Adam Aleksic
3. Karen Yin
4. Professor Stephen Levinson
5. Adele Goldberg
6. Dr. Lauren Gawne
7. Paulette van der Voet
8. Solveig Bollig

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days