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Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris

Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris
Etymology
English Language
Language
Punctuation
Idioms
Grammar
Language Evolution
Egg Corns
Old English
Nautical Terms
Fossil Words
Malapropisms
Anatomy
Palindromes
Mondegreens
Body Parts
William Shakespeare
Dinosaurs
Dogs
Collective Nouns

Jess Zafarris and Rob Watts unravel the stories behind everyday words. Want to watch our episodes too? Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UC8R3ZnESMdsuTevq4ib9CvA

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes99Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureEducationSelf-Improvement

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Artwork for Words Unravelled

Latest Episodes

Willkommen! Jess and Rob are exploring the German words in English. In this Zeitgeisty episode, discover:

👻 What doppelgänger literally means,

📏 The longest German word,

🤧 And why Americans say "Gesundheit!" when they sneeze.

Satisfy your lingu... more

You speak more Latin than you think. Not only are the many French words in English derived from Latin, but almost 30% of our vocabulary comes directly from the language of the Romans. In this episode, Rob and Jess explore how those words got there, w... more

Rob and Jess are taking the deepest of dives into the origins of words from the ocean.

🐟 Are many fish 'fish' or 'fishes'?

🦈 Why is there a mystery around sharks?

🐠 What is a sarcastic fringehead?

These questions answered, and many more, in this s... more

Take a pinch of witchcraft, add a touch of sorcery, and "Hey presto!" you have a wordy nerdy episode about magical terms.

🧙 Can only women be witches?

🔒 What did a warlock originally do?

🪄 What is the literal meaning of 'Alakazam'?

These questio... more

Key Facts

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

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Recent Guests

Valerie Fridland
Author and sociolinguist
University of Nevada, Reno
Episode: Are you pronouncing 'caramel' wrong? | ACCENTS (ft. Valerie Fridland)
Danny Bate
Author of Why Q Needs U, A History of Our Letters and How We Use Them
Author
Episode: The origins of the alphabet
John McWhorter
Linguistics professor and author, expert on language and profanity
Columbia University (assumed)
Episode: Slurs and taboos with Professor John McWhorter
Joshua Blackburn
Creator of the game League of the Lexicon and the book, The Language-Lover's Lexipedia
Episode: Getting quizzed on the quirks of English (with Joshua Blackburn)
Mignon Fogarty
Author, podcaster, educator, and known as Grammar Girl
Grammar Girl
Episode: Exposing grammar myths and mistakes with Grammar Girl

Hosts

Rob Watts
Host of Words Unravelled on YouTube channel RobWords; frequent collaborator on etymology-focused discussions.
Jess Zafarris
Co-host; author of etymology books, including Useless Etymology; provides linguistic and etymology-focused insights.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 489 ratings
  • A comforting joy. It's like hearing very kind and smart friends chat over coffee (or tea).

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Gobi Italic
    5 months ago
  • Scratches my Balderdash and Piffle itch.

    Jess and Rob work well together. Love hearing the roots of words we use today.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Pommster
    Australia5 months ago
  • You’ve Changed

    Maybe it’s just the recent topics, but you seem to be injecting much more “politically correct” commentary than you used to = makes the show less entertaining

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    M444ss
    United States6 months ago
  • I know a few words

    Like lake chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg (45 letters long) or hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia (38 letters long) or pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism (29 or 30 something letters) but this overall is the one of the best podcasts I have heard

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    𓆏𝕋𝕖𝕙 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕘𓆏
    United States6 months ago
  • Love this podcast!

    This podcast is soo fun, I love learning about words! I was wondering about the word Zenzizenzizenzic it describes a number to the 8th power. Where did it come from and why don’t we use it anymore?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Vi Vi Vi Vi Vi Vi Vi Vi
    United States8 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Many fans love the chemistry and depth, with episodes often being a go-to for etymology lovers.
Some feedback notes a perceived shift toward more political commentary.
Listeners praise the duo's engaging, informative banter and the accessible delivery of word histories.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Are you pronouncing 'caramel' wrong? | ACCENTS (ft. Valerie Fridland)
Q: If someone moves to a new city or country, how quickly might they pick up aspects of the local accent?
She outlines factors like age when relocating, duration of exposure, social integration, and motivation; people may adopt salient features quickly but never sound fully native.
Are you pronouncing 'caramel' wrong? | ACCENTS (ft. Valerie Fridland)
Q: Could you explain to us the difference between accent and dialect, as you describe in your book?
Valerie explains that accent is about pronunciation differences, while dialect includes vocabulary and syntax differences; they overlap but are distinct concepts.
Did Shakespeare write all his plays? | THE BARD
Q: So do you think Shakespeare wrote all of his plays?
The hosts discuss their belief that while he likely collaborated with others, he should still receive credit as the main author of the works.

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 Words Unravelled

What is Words Unravelled about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Two linguistics-minded hosts explore word origins, language history, and the quirks of etymology in accessible, conversational episodes. Across recent topics, they cover Latin and its imprint on English, everyday word origins, idioms, word debunking, and cross-cultural influences, all with playful banter and clear explanations. The show stands out for its sunny, approachable tone, research-backed trivia, and a balance between deep-dive roots and broad cultural context that appeals to word enthusiasts, educators, and curious lifelong learners alike.

What makes this series notable is the duo's dynamic chemistry, a steady focus on practical etymology, and a bias toward entertaining, family-friendly language exploration that still dives into sc... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Words Unravelled?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Words Unravelled:

1. The Rest Is Science
2. Lingthusiasm - A podcast that's enthusiastic about linguistics
3. A Problem Squared
4. No Such Thing As A Fish
5. The History of English Podcast

How many episodes of Words Unravelled are there?

Words Unravelled launched 2 years ago and published 99 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Words Unravelled?

Recent guests on Words Unravelled include:

1. Valerie Fridland
2. Danny Bate
3. John McWhorter
4. Joshua Blackburn
5. Mignon Fogarty

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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