A Word in Your Ear

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is underway - what words have come to us from the "Beautiful Game" and how many have crossed into other sports??

If you've ever "gawn to the bottlo, grabbed some goon and picked up some Maccas", that's a creative use of Australian English. Why is it so much fun? 

Professor Roly Sussex explores which language changes are allowed, which ones are a grey area, and which ones are still just plain wrong. 

Professor Roly Sussex answers all of your language questions.

Professor Roly Sussex raises a glass to the language of alcohol and being drunk - why have we always needed different ways to describe the same thing?

Language expert, Professor Roly Sussex discusses the language of clothing, material and fashion with special guest Nathalie Ryner, Costume Supervisor at Queensland Theatre . 

Language expert, Professor Roly Sussex discusses King Charles III's address to the American Congress, and why the King's accent was so effective in making criticism seem charming.

Professor Roly Sussex discusses the ways Acronyms and Initialisations are becoming an increasingly important part of written language.  

Special guest and former prisoner Craig Worland takes you through the language of prison and why it's important amongst the inmates. 

There have been many attempts to simplify or reform English spelling, none of which succeeded, but is it time to get rid of some punctuation? Is the letter "Z" really necessary in a modern world?

Professor Roly Sussex explains the phrases of the festive season.

What does it mean to be polite, and has that changed in recent years?

Professor Roly Sussex clarifies some common pronunciation problems and why different places have differing ways of saying the same thing.

Everyone loves a fresh turn of phrase, a new saying or an untested expression. These newly coined phrases are called neologisms.

It might shock you, but Professor Roly Sussex says some language rules are made to be broken.

From "10-4" to "hammer down", Professor Roly Sussex unlocks the secret language of the roads.

Professor Roly Sussex takes us on a journey through history and language to explore France's lasting influence on the English vocabulary. 

Have you ever thought about why we call the objects in our kitchen whatever we call them?

Professor Roly Sussex unpacks the different ways women communicate, and how these contrasts emerged.

Professor Roly Sussex discusses the origins and uses of our 26 letters, and explains why we don't use a phonetic alphabet. 

Professor Roly Sussex is joined by ABC Radio Australia presenter Michael Chow, who speaks two and a half Papua New Guinean languages.

Professor Roly Sussex unpacks the language of some of the most successful adverts and why they have stood the test of time. 

Do you call a spade a spade, or do you prefer to be a bit more gentle with the things you say? Professor Roly Sussex explores the use of hedging and why it's so common in the English language. 

Professor Roly Sussex explores how new insults have emerged and why some have disappeared from our vocabulary. 

Food isn't just something we eat, it's something we speak. Professor Roly Sussex takes a bite out of the language of food, exploring the different flavour of phrases across cultures. 

Arvo, brekkie, sunnies, mozzie, servo...the list goes on. Professor Roly Sussex explains why us Aussies shorten our words more than anyone else. 

Young people have always reshaped the way we speak, reinventing new lingo to distinguish themselves.Professor Roly Sussex unpacks how slang has evolved through the last few decades.  

The English language has developed various regional and social norms that continue to cause confusion. Professor Roly Sussex addresses some of your most pressing English language questions. 

The rise of computer technology forced the English language to adapt, and fast!But where did these words come from and how did they take root in our everyday language?

What makes a language successful? Professor Roly Sussex discusses why some languages rise while others fade. 

As the English language has evolved, various pronunciations, norms, and mistakes have formed. Professor Roly Sussex takes us through some of the most common examples. 

Grab a cuppa and gear up for a chinwag. Professor Roly Sussex has a yarn to explain great Aussie phrases. 

When you "dust" something, are you removing the dust or adding it?Professor Roly Sussex unravels the double meanings of contronyms. 

Have you got a grammar gripe? Frustrated by a phrase? Professor Roly Sussex tackles your language queries. 

Ever wondered how your favourite footy teams got their names? Professor Roly Sussex tackles the phrases of footy. 

Did you know that 70% of the world's languages use alphabets similar to English? Professor Roly Sussex breaks down the building blocks of the English language: the alphabet. 

If you make your kids cringe with dad jokes, this episode's for you! Professor Roly Sussex discusses the power of puns, and why language lovers keep the tradition alive. 

Whether you're rolling in it or down to your last cent, the words we use for money are rich with meaning. So this week, Professor Roly Sussex takes us through the dialect of the dollar. 

"Hows the weather going?" "What have you been up to?"Small talk takes up a huge chunk of our daily conversation, but what role does it serve? Professor Roly Sussex explains the social purposes and expectations behind small talk. 

The death of Pope Francis has set off a linguistic wave as words once reserved for church halls are now hitting the headlines. Professor Roly Sussex will guide you through the ancient language that's making a comeback. 

Phrasal verbs are verbs with more than one word like 'wake up' and 'look forward to'. There are thousands of them in English and they can be quite tricky but once you notice these phrasal verbs, you'll pick them up all the time. "Turn off the TV" is an example of a phrasal verb, which is a verb that has a base verb and one or two particles.

What is the history of birthdays?These days, people celebrate with cake, candles, balloons and gifts! However, after years of celebrating with these items, they almost become afterthoughts. But how did these forms of celebrations arise?