Podcast appearances and mentions of lane greene

On Tuesday night in Philadelphia Donald Trump and Kamala Harris took part in what might be the only debate between them in this campaign. The race is extremely close: will the debate make any difference? John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Adam O'Neal. They're joined by The Economist's James Bennet, Lane Greene and Owen Winter. This episode draws on audio from CBS and C-Span.  Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Tuesday night in Philadelphia Donald Trump and Kamala Harris took part in what might be the only debate between them in this campaign. The race is extremely close: will the debate make any difference? John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Adam O'Neal. They're joined by The Economist's James Bennet, Lane Greene and Owen Winter. This episode draws on audio from CBS and C-Span.  Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

Follow our Business English Podcast Lane Greene is the language columnist and Spain correspondent at The Economist. He won the journalism award from the Linguistic Society of America in 2017 and is a former adjunct professor of Global Affairs at New York Univ. He is based in Madrid currently and has lived in London, New York City, and Berlin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No início deste pequeno episódio começo a delirar sobre festas de novo semestre (lamento, mas às vezes o cansaço dá-me para estas coisas). Delírios à parte, acabei a descrever os seis livros da semana, tentando explicar como o livro de Lane Greene, na verdade, também tem o seu quê de policial (enfim, mais um delírio). Os livros são então:- Writing With Style, Lane Greene- Ollos de Auga, de Domingos Villar- The Sentence Is Death, de Anthony Horowitz- Melancholia, de Francisco José Viegas- Balada da Praia dos Cães, de José Cardoso Pires- Death at La Fenice, de Donna Leon This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pilhadelivros.pt

Joe Biden took to the stage in Chicago this week to trumpet his economic plan. He heralded America's post-pandemic growth and the buoyancy of the job market. “Folks, that's no accident,” he told the crowd: “That's Bidenomics in action.” But what actually is “Bidenomics”?Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors Jared Bernstein sets out the administration's economic agenda. The Economist's Lane Greene traces the origins of “name-enomics”. And The Economist's Simon Rabinovitch assesses if “Bidenomics” is working or not.John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. For full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Biden took to the stage in Chicago this week to trumpet his economic plan.  He heralded America's post-pandemic growth and the buoyancy of the job market.  “Folks, that's no accident,” he told the crowd: “That's Bidenomics in action.” But what actually is “Bidenomics”?Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors Jared Bernstein sets out the administration's economic agenda.  The Economist's Lane Greene traces the origins of “name-enomics”.  And The Economist's Simon Rabinovitch assesses if “Bidenomics” is working or not.John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. For full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Con Hans-Günter Kellner, Sarah Morris, Mathieu de Taillac, Íñigo Domínguez y Enric González hacemos un repaso a la actualidad política ante la constitución de los ayuntamientos y nuestros corresponsales recuerdan algunos cordones sanitarios que han cubierto.  También se une a la mesa Lane Greene, corresponsal de "The Economist" en España, además de columnista sobre lingüística y autor de su libro de estilo: "Writting with style: The economist guide 

We analyse the new buzzwords and jargon that could be making their way into the collective consciousness over the next 12 months. Host Tom Standage, Lane Greene, The Economist's language columnist, and Aryn Braun, West Coast correspondent, quiz each other on the meaning of deadpool, cool pavement, aridification, TWaT city, Yimby, battery belt, passkeys, horizontal escalation and the doughnut effect.Please subscribe to The Economist for full access to print, digital and audio editions:www.economist.com/podcastoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We analyse the new buzzwords and jargon that could be making their way into the collective consciousness over the next 12 months. Host Tom Standage, Lane Greene, The Economist's language columnist, and Aryn Braun, West Coast correspondent, quiz each other on the meaning of deadpool, cool pavement, aridification, TWaT city, Yimby, battery belt, passkeys, horizontal escalation and the doughnut effect.Please subscribe to The Economist for full access to print, digital and audio editions:www.economist.com/podcastoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will machine translation ever be as good as human translation? How do services like Google Translate actually work? How does Alexa or Siri know what I'm saying? And will I ever be able to have a true conversation with my virtual assistant? Michael Rosen explores new developments in speech recognition, machine translation and speech synthesis with journalist and author Lane Greene. Lane Greene is the language columnist and Spain correspondent at The Economist. He's the author of two books about language: 'Talk on the Wild Side' and 'You Are What you Speak'. Produced by Mair Bosworth for BBC Audio in Bristol

Paul's guest for February 2022 is Lane Greene, language columnist and Spain correspondent for "The Economist." This month's episode takes its title from one of Lane's books, "You Are What You Speak," and Paul and Lane tackle a variety of topics related to linguistics, accents, and the myths, fears, and hopes surrounding language. For more information on Lane, visit LaneGreene.com.

What makes language offensive? The linguist and author of “Nine Nasty Words” talks to Anne McElvoy and Lane Greene, our language columnist, about the art of swearing. Is language the new cultural battlefield and does the current rhetoric around race help black Americans? And, grammatical bugbears — literally. Please subscribe to The Economist for full access to print, digital and audio editions:www.economist.com/podcastoffer See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What makes language offensive? The linguist and author of “Nine Nasty Words” talks to Anne McElvoy and Lane Greene, our language columnist, about the art of swearing. Is language the new cultural battlefield and does the current rhetoric around race help black Americans? And, grammatical bugbears — literally. Please subscribe to The Economist for full access to print, digital and audio editions:www.economist.com/podcastoffer See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

*Explicit warning* Show notes for Episode 18 Here are the show notes for Episode 18 - our first birthday episode! - where Jacky, Dan, Lisa and Matthew talk about: ‘So' and why it annoys language pedants and prescriptivists. Language discourses around two texts discussing ‘so'. And we talk to Dr Emma Byrne, author of ‘Swearing Is Good For You: the amazing science of bad language' about...swearing. Obvs. Emma Byrne's Swearing is Good for You page: Swearing is Good for You – Emma Byrne, Science Writer and Broadcaster Emma Byrne in The Guardian: Swear by it: why bad language is good for you | Emma Byrne Emma Byrne in Time Magazine: The Benefits of Swearing Emma Byrne in Elle: There's a Swearing Double Standard—and Women Can Change It - Emma Byrne on Gendered Perception of Swearing Broca's area in the brain: The Broca Area and Language Production Wernicke's area in the brain: WikiPedia: Wernicke's area Sophie Scott on Why we Laugh Sophie Scott: Why we laugh | TED Talk Sophie Scott on Why do Humans Laugh Why do humans laugh? So Alec Marsh in The Spectator on ‘so' The remorseless rise of 'so' Lane Greene has responded on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lanegreene/status/1392805484768468993 He links to this https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/so-and-so-that-coordinating-or-subordinating-conjunctions?page=1 And there's already been several peeve fests about ‘so' over the years: So Here's Why Everyone Is Starting Sentences With The Word 'So' How A Popular Two-Letter Word Is Undermining Your Credibility So Shoot Me – Frank McNally on the sentence-opener of the century (so far) Today presenter John Humphrys declare war on the use of the word 'so' So, here's a carefully packaged sentence that shows me in my best light | Oliver James And this is a good piece on it: https://www.npr.org/2015/09/03/432732859/so-whats-the-big-deal-with-starting-a-sentence-with-so?t=1620925294688 In defence of the word 'so' - a much better take on ‘so' from Elizabeth East. Contact us @LexisPodcast. Subscribe: Lexis Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Contributors Matthew Butler Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matthewbutlerwy Lisa Casey blog: https://livingthroughlanguage.wordpress.com/ & Twitter: Language Debates (@LanguageDebates) Dan Clayton blog: EngLangBlog & Twitter: EngLangBlog (@EngLangBlog) Jacky Glancey Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackyGlancey Music: Freenotes

Podcast: Economist Radio (LS 70 · TOP 0.05% what is this?)Episode: Checks and Balance: Sedate expectationsPub date: 2020-11-27Policymaker, father figure and stand-in king - the Olympian job description sets an impossible standard for any new president. But expectations of Joe Biden are more modest than for most. Solid picks for the top spots in his administration only confirm his ordinariness. What makes an ideal president and how might Biden match up?James Astill, The Economist's Washington bureau chief, assesses how Barack Obama dealt with high expectations, columnist Lane Greene argues Biden's plain speech is his secret weapon, and writer and producer Michael Oates Palmer tells us what makes a great president on screen.John Prideaux, The Economist's US editor, hosts with New York bureau chief Charlotte Howard, and Jon Fasman, Washington correspondent.1843 Magazine profiles ex-presidentsFor access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe: economist.com/2020electionpod See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Economist, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.

Policymaker, father figure and stand-in king - the Olympian job description sets an impossible standard for any new president. But expectations of Joe Biden are more modest than for most. Solid picks for the top spots in his administration only confirm his ordinariness. What makes an ideal president and how might Biden match up?James Astill, The Economist’s Washington bureau chief, assesses how Barack Obama dealt with high expectations, columnist Lane Greene argues Biden’s plain speech is his secret weapon, and writer and producer Michael Oates Palmer tells us what makes a great president on screen.John Prideaux, The Economist's US editor, hosts with New York bureau chief Charlotte Howard, and Jon Fasman, Washington correspondent.1843 Magazine profiles ex-presidentsFor access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe: economist.com/2020electionpod  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Policymaker, father figure and stand-in king - the Olympian job description sets an impossible standard for any new president. But expectations of Joe Biden are more modest than for most. Solid picks for the top spots in his administration only confirm his ordinariness. What makes an ideal president and how might Biden match up?James Astill, The Economist’s Washington bureau chief, assesses how Barack Obama dealt with high expectations, columnist Lane Greene argues Biden’s plain speech is his secret weapon, and writer and producer Michael Oates Palmer tells us what makes a great president on screen.John Prideaux, The Economist's US editor, hosts with New York bureau chief Charlotte Howard, and Jon Fasman, Washington correspondent.1843 Magazine profiles ex-presidentsFor access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe: economist.com/2020electionpod See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lane is the language columnist and an editor at The Economist. Today we discussed a few of his latest contributions, which are both topical and relevant: 1) why papers should print racist language when it occurs in the news, 2) The "racialization" of words like "thug" and "urban" and on the lighter side, 3) how to come up with a good portmanteau word (apropos of all the new corona slang) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Theresa May’s deal was decisively rejected for a second time, Brexit will almost certainly be delayed. It is time for Parliament to seize the initiative. Plus, how sharing a plate of food could help international diplomacy. And, the world wide web has turned 30—what does its future hold? Lane Greene hosts See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Chinese economic model of steroidal state capitalism is facing a global backlash and offering diminishing returns. Can President Xi be persuaded to reform? Plus, how gumbo tells the story of the American South and why a good astronaut needs a sense of humour. Lane Greene hosts See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lane Greene, language columnist and editor of the Economist's daily briefing, Espresso, on creating the ultra-concise news app and email

Our Johnson columnist, Lane Greene, decodes the language of 2018 with Lynne Murphy, author of “The Prodigal Tongue” and Anton La Guardia, keeper of The Economist’s style guide. Which words best sum up the closing year? They debate “woke bros” versus “iron snowflakes”, the pros and cons of Americanisms and the key to great writing. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our Johnson columnist, Lane Greene, decodes the language of 2018 with Lynne Murphy, author of “The Prodigal Tongue” and Anton La Guardia, keeper of The Economist’s style guide. Which words best sum up the closing year? They debate “woke bros” versus “iron snowflakes”, the pros and cons of Americanisms and the key to great writing. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A conversation with Lane Greene, author of Talk on the Wild Side, about the "vague and anarchic" nature of language. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at www.slate.com/podcastsplus. Twitter: @lexiconvalley Facebook: facebook.com/LexiconValley Email: lexiconvalley@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is brought to you by Slack, the collaboration hub for work. Learn more at Slack.com. LinkedIn Talent Solutions, for $50 off your first job post, go to linkedin.com/LEXICON. A conversation with Lane Greene, author of Talk on the Wild Side, about the "vague and anarchic" nature of language. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at www.slate.com/podcastsplus. Twitter: @lexiconvalley Facebook: facebook.com/LexiconValley Email: lexiconvalley@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lane Greene talks to Michael Rosen and Dr Laura Wright about the joys of editing and how it can improve writing. Lane Greene is The Economist's Johnson language columnist and deputy editor of books & arts. He's also a lover of a literal literally and of a well-placed colon. Producer Beth O'Dea

Why Europe should embrace ties with Africa, the wildlife photographer who built an assault course for badgers, and an impressive display of bonhomie on the Korean peninsula. Lane Greene hosts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As the northern hemisphere continues to smoulder through this long hot summer, is mankind losing the war against climate change? The American humourist Davis Sedaris talks about the beauty of eavesdropping. Plus, just how valuable is your accent? Lane Greene hosts See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The battle for digital supremacy between America and China. Plus, the legacy of Stephen Hawking. And can Jesus save El Salvador's gangs? Lane Greene hosts See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How to prevent the next great war, Donald Trump tries to trump Davos, a chilly forecast for winter sports - and a tribute to France’s greatest chef. Lane Greene hosts See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On the menu this week: all work and no play for modern teens; a weed census in Canada; and why Indian tea is in a slump. Lane Greene hosts See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A special festive edition of Tasting menu. Our language columnist Lane Greene speaks to Dr Ruth Sanders, Professor Emerita at Miami University of Ohio, about how isolation and determination have kept the Icelandic language so stable for centuries. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Anne McElvoy and Lane Greene continue their look at the role of creativity in today’s society. They visit a London railway station to hear how commuters get their creative juices going by playing pianos in public spaces. Lane looks at how the concept of creativity is being widened to enhance the skills involved in coding or crisis management, and considers the 10,000 hour rule that sustains the belief of the universal creativity lobby. Neuroscientist Miriam Mosing tells Lane that studies of creative twins have shown that a genetic pre-disposition to creativity can’t be wholly eliminated, and Anne talks to AI researcher David Cope who has provided a frightening vision for the future of creativity. His computer generated composer “Emily Howell” can absorb existing styles, and use them to generate her own See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Anne McElvoy and Lane Greene continue their look at the role of creativity in today’s society. They visit a London railway station to hear how commuters get their creative juices going by playing pianos in public spaces. Lane looks at how the concept of creativity is being widened to enhance the skills involved in coding or crisis management, and considers the 10,000 hour rule that sustains the belief of the universal creativity lobby. Neuroscientist Miriam Mosing tells Lane that studies of creative twins have shown that a genetic pre-disposition to creativity can’t be wholly eliminated, and Anne talks to AI researcher David Cope who has provided a frightening vision for the future of creativity. His computer generated composer “Emily Howell” can absorb existing styles, and use them to generate her own See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Anne McElvoy and Lane Greene look at the current debate around creativity, and its value to our society. In this first episode, Anne tackles a Bach prelude with the help of pianist James Rhodes who believes that keyboard mastery is “just a physics problem”. Lane assesses how the brain behaves during periods of extreme creativity, and with the help of neuroscientist Aaron Berkowitz, considers how great creatives can de-activate parts of the brain to enhance performance. Concert pianist Di Wu considers the differing experiences of music teaching in China and the United States, and describes how she moved from conquering concertos to tackling business problems whilst studying for an MBA at Columbia University​ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Anne McElvoy and Lane Greene look at the current debate around creativity, and its value to our society. In this first episode, Anne tackles a Bach prelude with the help of pianist James Rhodes who believes that keyboard mastery is “just a physics problem”. Lane assesses how the brain behaves during periods of extreme creativity, and with the help of neuroscientist Aaron Berkowitz, considers how great creatives can de-activate parts of the brain to enhance performance. Concert pianist Di Wu considers the differing experiences of music teaching in China and the United States, and describes how she moved from conquering concertos to tackling business problems whilst studying for an MBA at Columbia University​ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rebellion in the 21st century from Russia's Pussy Riot; the world champions of Scrabble in Nigeria; and the man who taught Britain to make—and eat—pasta. Lane Greene hosts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hilary Clinton ran a close race when it came to being America’s first woman president. But what does she think the Democrats need to do to win back the White House? Also, why artificial intelligence no longer needs its human helpers. And the man who zipped up Neil Armstrong. Lane Greene hosts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Will Mr Trump heed the advice of his newest chief of staff, John Kelly? Maybe in the short-term, says Jon Fasman, but even the best generals cannot discipline their commander-in-chief. Also, why China is radically overhauling its military policy. And you can now learn High Valyrian, a language from the series "Game of Thrones", through an app. Can it help our Johnson columnist, Lane Greene, achieve fluency? We put him to the test. Josie Delap hosts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Throughout the 20th Century the developed world saw mortality rates fall but one group who may no longer be benefitting are middle-aged white Americans. This is according to research from the eminent economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton. But the work has been criticised for statistical problems and for not focusing enough on black Americans. Tim Harford attempts to explain what is really going on. We examine the disturbing rise of fake celebrity social media accounts targeting children. This comes in the wake of a case currently going through the courts in Australia, where a man who allegedly impersonated Justin Bieber online has more than 900 charges of child sex offences against him. We talk to parents of children who have been targeted, and to law enforcement professionals concerned by this growing trend. The average English-speaker knows about 25,000 words which can be combined into an infinite number of sentences. Many people believe that, whatever language you speak, the words you know have a profound influence on the way you think, though this is a controversial theory among linguists, as Lane Greene explains. (Photo: Harmonica playing steel workers perched on a girder on the 22nd storey of the Murray Hill building, New York. Credit: General Photographic Agency/Getty Images)

The average English-speaker knows about 25,000 words. And yet those 25,000 words can be combined into an infinite number of sentences -not a simple process. Many people believe that, whatever language you speak, the words you know have a profound influence on the way you think. This is a controversial theory among linguists. In this edition of the Why Factor, Lane Greene explains how paying attention to the language we use can give us a greater understanding of our politics, our debates, our cultures and even our own minds. (Image: Top of woman's head with the word "hello" written in different languages floating above. Credit: Aysezgicmeli/Shutterstock)

We explore what drives Hillary Clinton's quest to become America's first female leader. Anne McElvoy speaks to biographer Sally Bedell Smith who explains why Hillary struggles to project the dynamism of her husband's presidency. Pollster Celinda Lake reads the runes of the election. Our Johnson columnist Lane Greene looks to Hillary's speeches to find out what kind of president she might be. And historian Ellen Fitzpatrick assesses the long line of women who vied for the Oval Office. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We explore what drives Hillary Clinton's quest to become America's first female leader. Anne McElvoy speaks to biographer Sally Bedell Smith who explains why Hillary struggles to project the dynamism of her husband's presidency. Pollster Celinda Lake reads the runes of the election. Our Johnson columnist Lane Greene looks to Hillary's speeches to find out what kind of president she might be. And historian Ellen Fitzpatrick assesses the long line of women who vied for the Oval Office. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

New York Times CEO and former director general of the BBC Mark Thompson joins host Anne McElvoy and language columnist Lane Greene to discuss Mark's new book, Enough Said: What's Gone Wrong with the Language of Politics. They explore whether political language is in a new decline, and investigate if Donald Trump could be connected to Schrödinger's douchebag See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

New York Times CEO and former director general of the BBC Mark Thompson joins host Anne McElvoy and language columnist Lane Greene to discuss Mark's new book, Enough Said: What's Gone Wrong with the Language of Politics. They explore whether political language is in a new decline, and investigate if Donald Trump could be connected to Schrödinger's douchebag See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lane Greene, the primary language reporter for The Economist and writer of the magazine's Johnson language column, discusses translation from a journalism perspective. Why isn't translation more frequently used to verify news sources, and what do journalists need from the language industry?

Lane Greene, the primary language reporter for The Economist and writer of the magazine's Johnson language column, discusses translation from a journalism perspective. Why isn't translation more frequently used to verify news sources, and what do journalists need from the language industry?

With Mario Monti, Zanny Minton Beddoes and Lane Greene.

Anne McElvoy hosts a special version of The Economist asks. Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief of The Economist, reveals why the magazine has taken a strong line on Brexit, while Italian ex-Prime Minister and EU Commissioner Mario Monti criticises David Cameron's handling of the issue. Plus, MPs from Leave and Remain go toe to toe, and Lane Greene gives his take on the language that has defined the campaigns. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Anne McElvoy hosts a special version of The Economist asks. Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief of The Economist, reveals why the magazine has taken a strong line on Brexit, while Italian ex-Prime Minister and EU Commissioner Mario Monti criticises David Cameron's handling of the issue. Plus, MPs from Leave and Remain go toe to toe, and Lane Greene gives his take on the language that has defined the campaigns. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our Johnson columnist, Lane Greene, explores why issues of punctuation make us jump at each other's throats See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Economist’s language column will appear every fortnight in the print edition. Lane Greene talks about the science, history and controversies he has covered so far See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From the start, the White House has been adamant that the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon is "not our war," but as the conflict enters its third week, questions arise as to whether this is a proxy war between the United States and Iran. There are reports that the US recently supplied the Israeli military with laser-guided "smart bombs," and the State Department has echoed Israeli calls for disarmament of Hezbollah before there is a cease-fire. Hezbollah itself is considered by many to be the third division of the Iranian army, America's chief enemy in the region, and one now seeking a nuclear bomb. Guest host Conan Nolan looks at the conflict in the Middle East and the ramifications for the US and Iran. Making News: Bush and Blair Meet to Discuss Middle East CrisisBritish Prime Minister Tony Blair is in Washington meeting with President George W. Bush to discuss the deteriorating situation in the Middle East. The two are being pressured by moderate Arab states to call for an immediate cease-fire, despite US-UK resolve to effect the truce through a UN resolution, which would include disarmament of Hezbollah guerrillas. Lane Greene is the global-agenda columnist for The Economist magazine.Reporter's Notebook: Floyd Landis, Sports Doping and TestosteroneThree days later after becoming the only third American to win the Tour de France, Floyd Landis of California finds himself on the brink of having that title stripped from him. Urine samples show that during a key stage of the race he tested positive for illegally high levels of testosterone. Landis has staunchly defended himself against the allegations. We hear more about the controversy from journalists Brian Alexander and Andrew Sullivan and from the Director of the only US lab accredited by the International Olympic Committee.

Isn’t it odd how the golden age of correct language always seems to be around the time that its speaker was in high school, and that language has been going to the dogs ever since? Such is the anguish of declinists the world over, pushing the commercial success of language-bashing stocking fillers. But what’s the real reason that we get hung up on greengrocers’ apostrophes and the superiority of certain language forms over others? Robert Lane Greene‘s premise is that for those who hold up the standardised variety as the one true voice, the authority of the prestige language is not about words and rules, but about the perceived superiority of the people who use it. Hand-wringing over glottal stops and ‘ain’t’ contractions obscures attempts to define ‘us’ and distance ‘them’, and is a tool to support class, ethnic, or national prejudices. Lane’s new book You Are What You Speak: Grammar Grouches, Language Laws and the Politics of Identity (Delacorte Press, 2011) gives an overview of these traits and then focuses on situations in which linguistic policy has had huge political consequences or where civil unrest is manifested in language laws. We learn about the imposition of Afrikaans and the riots that marked the beginning of the end of apartheid, how Ataturk imposed a whole new way of using Turkish on his people, and why Catalan nationalism is back on the boil. I talk with Lane about small things like prepositions as well as weightier issues such as the oppression of minority groups and why George W. Bush’s southern accent may have done him a few favours. We touch on people’s deepest insecurities about the language they use and how bemoaning the loss of the glory days is a popular sport in language as in many other domains. We talk about Arabic, Catalan, French and Hindi. Lane busts a few language myths for us – not least that there is no such thing as a truly primitive language – and expands on his book which gives a comprehensive tour through history and politics across time and space. All this is done from the standpoint of languages and the societies that speak them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Isn’t it odd how the golden age of correct language always seems to be around the time that its speaker was in high school, and that language has been going to the dogs ever since? Such is the anguish of declinists the world over, pushing the commercial success of language-bashing stocking fillers.  But what’s the real reason that we get hung up on greengrocers’ apostrophes and the superiority of certain language forms over others? Robert Lane Greene‘s premise is that for those who hold up the standardised variety as the one true voice, the authority of the prestige language is not about words and rules, but about the perceived superiority of the people who use it. Hand-wringing over glottal stops and ‘ain’t’ contractions obscures attempts to define ‘us’ and distance ‘them’, and is a tool to support class, ethnic, or national prejudices. Lane’s new book You Are What You Speak: Grammar Grouches, Language Laws and the Politics of Identity (Delacorte Press, 2011) gives an overview of these traits and then focuses on situations in which linguistic policy has had huge political consequences or where civil unrest is manifested in language laws. We learn about the imposition of Afrikaans and the riots that marked the beginning of the end of apartheid, how Ataturk imposed a whole new way of using Turkish on his people, and why Catalan nationalism is back on the boil. I talk with Lane about small things like prepositions as well as weightier issues such as the oppression of minority groups and why George W. Bush’s southern accent may have done him a few favours. We touch on people’s deepest insecurities about the language they use and how bemoaning the loss of the glory days is a popular sport in language as in many other domains. We talk about Arabic, Catalan, French and Hindi. Lane busts a few language myths for us – not least that there is no such thing as a truly primitive language – and expands on his book which gives a comprehensive tour through history and politics across time and space. All this is done from the standpoint of languages and the societies that speak them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Isn’t it odd how the golden age of correct language always seems to be around the time that its speaker was in high school, and that language has been going to the dogs ever since? Such is the anguish of declinists the world over, pushing the commercial success of language-bashing stocking fillers. But what’s the real reason that we get hung up on greengrocers’ apostrophes and the superiority of certain language forms over others? Robert Lane Greene‘s premise is that for those who hold up the standardised variety as the one true voice, the authority of the prestige language is not about words and rules, but about the perceived superiority of the people who use it. Hand-wringing over glottal stops and ‘ain’t’ contractions obscures attempts to define ‘us’ and distance ‘them’, and is a tool to support class, ethnic, or national prejudices. Lane’s new book You Are What You Speak: Grammar Grouches, Language Laws and the Politics of Identity (Delacorte Press, 2011) gives an overview of these traits and then focuses on situations in which linguistic policy has had huge political consequences or where civil unrest is manifested in language laws. We learn about the imposition of Afrikaans and the riots that marked the beginning of the end of apartheid, how Ataturk imposed a whole new way of using Turkish on his people, and why Catalan nationalism is back on the boil. I talk with Lane about small things like prepositions as well as weightier issues such as the oppression of minority groups and why George W. Bush’s southern accent may have done him a few favours. We touch on people’s deepest insecurities about the language they use and how bemoaning the loss of the glory days is a popular sport in language as in many other domains. We talk about Arabic, Catalan, French and Hindi. Lane busts a few language myths for us – not least that there is no such thing as a truly primitive language – and expands on his book which gives a comprehensive tour through history and politics across time and space. All this is done from the standpoint of languages and the societies that speak them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Lane Greene, the International Correspondent of The Economist has released his first book titled, You Are What You Speak. In this podcast, Lane clearly distinguishes the sticklers from the linguists. While he supports those who strive to write and talk by making use of correct grammar, he is against the mindless infatuation with the subject. He also tells us a bit about the process of writing his book while juggling between a day job and learning new languages while at it.