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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
Michael Morpurgo
Sanskrit
Arabic
Scots Language

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes215Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for Word of Mouth

Latest Episodes

Michael Rosen on the words used to describe the qualities of smells in different languages. Asifa Majid is Professor of Cognitive Science at Oxford and her research has found that some do it much better than others. She puts Michael to the test to se... more

Michael Rosen meets popular YouTuber Simon Roper, who tries to recreate how people spoke in the past. Produced for BBC Audio Bristol by Sally Heaven, in partnership with the Open University. Subscribe to the Word of Mouth podcast and never miss an ep... more

The words that we use to label or describe things in nature – words for landscapes, creatures, seasons, the weather – can they help awaken us to the world around us? Drawing on languages from all over the world, Michael Rosen hears about Words to Lov... more

Michael Rosen finds out about fascinating literary errors from editor Rebecca Lee, the author of Rogues, Widows and Orphans: Mischief and Misadventures in the World of Books. They share favourite famous typos and find out where the phrase "out of sor... more

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Recent Guests

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
Rebecca Lee
Author of Rogues, Widows and Orphans, Mischief and Misadventures in the World of Books
Penguin editor and author
Episode: The World of Words: editing, typography and print
Amy Gaunt
Former primary school teacher, now at Voice 21
Voice 21
Episode: Oracy: We Need to Talk
Dara Ó Briain
Marvellous stand-up comedian and television presenter with studies in theoretical physics and mathematics
Comedian/TV Presenter
Episode: Michael Rosen and Dara Ó Briain talk about time
Sophia Smith Galer
Journalist, creator and broadcaster, author of How to Kill a Language
Book author
Episode: Language Extinction
Ione Georgakis
An occupational therapist and advocacy manager for Tourette Action.
Tourette Action
Episode: Tourette Syndrome
James Geary
Author of The World in a Phrase
Episode: Aphorisms: Sayings to Live By
Jennifer Cearns
Digital anthropologist from the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
Episode: Can AI be our friend?

Host

Michael Rosen
Host of Word of Mouth; long-time presenter known for guiding conversations about language with curiosity and warmth.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 717 ratings
  • One of the very best.

    Clear and interesting. Excellent.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    R Dows
    United Kingdom9 months ago
  • This was over two years ago. But so on point when I listened to it in August 2025

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

    Podcast Addict
    5
    WiltshireWizard
    10 months 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)
    Australiaa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Audience highlights the high quality guests and accessible exploration of complex language topics.
Many fans re-listen and share episodes for educational value and thoughtful insights.
Listeners praise the show's thought-provoking discussions and friendly, approachable tone.
Some episodes are critiqued for interruptions or digressions that detract from guest expertise.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Oracy: We Need to Talk
Q: In what ways can teachers ensure that oracy benefits all students, including quieter ones?
By building a culture of participation, using scaffolded supports like sentence stems, and helping teachers balance contributions so that every student has the chance to speak and be heard.
Oracy: We Need to Talk
Q: What does oracy look like in everyday classroom practice beyond a dedicated session?
It involves teaching both how to talk and what to talk about, including practices like turn-and-talk, presenting findings to different audiences, and integrating talk across subjects with explicit expectations for listening and summarizing.
Oracy: We Need to Talk
Q: Let's begin with the word itself. How do you define that word Oracy?
Oracy is about articulating ideas, developing understanding, and engaging with others through speaking, listening, and communication, and it should be taught explicitly in schools through a repertoire of strategies.
Language Extinction
Q: What would you like to happen?
Sophia wishes for more access to better funded mother tongue and heritage language education in the UK and support for languages that are in danger of disappearing.
Language Extinction
Q: How many languages are there in the world right now?
Sophia mentions that there are over 7,000 living languages currently.

Audience Metrics

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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 program explores language, words, and communication through conversations with linguists, authors, educators, and advocates. Episodes frequently tackle language preservation, the social power of speech, and how culture and technology shape what we say and how we listen. A standout trait is the blend of scholarly insight with personal storytelling, making complex topics accessible and resonant for a broad audience. Notable strengths include access to leading language scholars and writers, a thoughtful moderator, and a consistent focus on real-world implications of language in identity, education, and society.

Where can I find podcast stats for Word of Mouth?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Word of Mouth. 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 Word of Mouth and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Word of Mouth get?

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What are the audience demographics for Word of Mouth?

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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. Great Lives
2. More or Less
3. Thinking Allowed
4. The Life Scientific
5. Last Word

How many episodes of Word of Mouth are there?

Word of Mouth launched 12 years ago and published 215 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?

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 Word of Mouth?

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What guests have appeared on Word of Mouth?

Recent guests on Word of Mouth include:

1. Simon Roper
2. Ella Frances Sanders
3. Rebecca Lee
4. Amy Gaunt
5. Dara Ó Briain
6. Sophia Smith Galer
7. Ione Georgakis
8. James Geary

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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