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Artwork for Word of Mouth

Word of Mouth

BBC Radio 4
Linguistics
Language Acquisition
Language
Communication
Social Media
Artificial Intelligence
Aging
Irish Language
Lists
English Language
Word Order
Adjectives
Autism
Celtic Languages
Tourette Syndrome
Language and Ageism
Scots Language
Children's Literature
Michael Morpurgo
Sanskrit

Series exploring the world of words and the ways in which we use them

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes222Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Word of Mouth

Latest Episodes

Ever wondered where all our squiggles and dots of modern punctuation come from? Author of On The Mark Florence Hazrat gives us a witty and fascinating insight into how punctuation began and has evolved through the centuries, continuing to adapt and c... more

Michael Rosen talks to security guard George Bass, the author of What The Bouncer Saw: Life on the Front Line of the Security Business. George says words and tone are his riot shield. He shares what he's learned about how to talk and joke people down... more

Rob Drummond, Professor of Sociolinguistics at Manchester Metropolitan University, talks to Michael about the ways people talk in Greater Manchester. They discuss which areas are seen as more 'Lancashire' or more 'Manc' in their speech, and what is k... more

Jane Setter talks to Michael Rosen about negative attitudes to vocal traits seen as exclusively female, from vocal fry to higher pitch. Can men really not talk in a sexy voice? And why did Margaret Thatcher change hers?

Produced for BBC Audio Bristo... more

Key Facts

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Podcast Host
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Recent Guests

George Bass
Author of What The Bouncer Saw: Life on the Front Line of the Security Business
Author, security professional
Episode: Bouncer George Bass on de-escalating conflict
Rob Drummond
Linguist studying accents, dialects and identities in Greater Manchester
Manchester Metropolitan University
Episode: Voices of Manchester
Jane Setter
Professor of Phonetics at the University of Reading
University of Reading
Episode: Bias against women's voices
Philip Durkin
Deputy Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary and leader of its team of specialist etymology editors
Oxford English Dictionary
Episode: How the Normans changed the way we speak
Roddy Maclean
Writer, broadcaster and environmental educator based in the Highlands
Gaelic language initiatives in the Highlands
Episode: Gaelic
Jamie Tehrani
Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Durham University
Durham University
Episode: Fairy Tales
Asifa Majid
Professor of Cognitive Science at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
Episode: Smell
Simon Roper
Enthusiastic amateur linguist who reconstructs historical English pronunciations
Self-described linguist with YouTube videos on historical speech
Episode: How did people speak throughout history?
Ella Frances Sanders
Author of Words to Love a Planet
Author, Words to Love a Planet
Episode: Words to Love the Living World

Hosts

Michael Rosen
Host of Word of Mouth; multiple episode references indicate principal host with ties to BBC and related program pages.
Michael Raisen
Guest/host variant cited as a host in several episodes; often listed alongside Michael Rosen.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 728 ratings
  • One of the very best.

    Clear and interesting. Excellent.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    R Dows
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • This was over two years ago. But so on point when I listened to it in August 2025

    Podcast Addict
    5
    a year ago
  • This was over two years ago. But so on point when I listened to it in August 2025

    Podcast Addict
    5
    WiltshireWizard
    a year ago
  • Mary M

    No! The Full Stop Must Not Die! You must have respect for the language. Without punctuation clarity is lost. Speak however sloppily you wish, but do not kill coherence and beauty.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    H-o-W
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Shhh!

    •EPISODE: “Susie Dent’s World of Words” in which the guest is rendered redundant by the host’s interruptions and self-referencing stories.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    (Gibberer)
    Australia2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Thoughtful, thought-provoking discussions that make language come alive.
A must-listen for language lovers, with engaging guests and accessible storytelling.
High quality interviews with diverse experts; very informative and entertaining.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Bouncer George Bass on de-escalating conflict
Q: So first question, I know I'm getting on a bit, but if you can imagine me, 50 years younger, could I have been a bouncer? Do I talk like a bouncer?
You likely would have needed to combine a physical presence with listening and de-escalation, using words as a tool to gauge intention and diffuse tension, rather than relying on confrontation alone.
Bias against women's voices
Q: How do social and cultural expectations shape why women use certain vocal patterns?
They discuss how social belonging and peer influence drive voice choices, and how perceptions of authority push some women to alter pitch or use gravitas-enhancing features, even when those choices are criticized.
Bias against women's voices
Q: What are some modern ways women's voices are characterized and stigmatized?
The guest explains features like uptalk, creaky voice, and breathy intonation, and how media and listeners tend to portray these as signs of incompetence or unseriousness, creating a bias that affects women in professional and public spaces.
Fairy Tales
Q: What is your take on how to classify these stories—fairy tale, myth, or legend?
The boundaries are fuzzy and migration of stories across categories is common; it's more productive to study cross-cultural similarities and differences rather than rigidly labeling each version.
Fairy Tales
Q: How far back can we trace some of these stories, and what methods help us estimate age?
Some stories like Little Red Riding Hood trace back at least two to four thousand years in various forms; we use cultural evolution methods borrowed from biology to infer ancestral relationships and transmission pathways.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
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Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About Word of Mouth

What is Word of Mouth about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show explores words, language, and how we talk about them, often featuring linguists, historians, authors, educators, and media figures who unpack topics from voice and pronunciation to fairy tales, printing, and language preservation. Episodes commonly blend scholarly context with accessible storytelling, using vivid examples and cultural anecdotes to illuminate how language shapes identity, culture, and everyday life. A standout quality is the interdisciplinary mix of guests and subjects, which keeps discussions both rigorous and engaging for a broad audience of curious listeners.

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How many subscribers and views does Word of Mouth have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Word of Mouth 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.

Which podcasts are similar to Word of Mouth?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Word of Mouth:

1. More or Less
2. Great Lives
3. Inside Health
4. Sliced Bread
5. The Life Scientific

How many episodes of Word of Mouth are there?

Word of Mouth launched 12 years ago and published 222 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 Word of Mouth?

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Where can I see ratings and reviews for Word of Mouth?

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What guests have appeared on Word of Mouth?

Recent guests on Word of Mouth include:

1. George Bass
2. Rob Drummond
3. Jane Setter
4. Philip Durkin
5. Roddy Maclean
6. Jamie Tehrani
7. Asifa Majid
8. Simon Roper

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.

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