Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the science of language.

94: Mailbag of Sextillion and Three

Mar 18, 2024 · 1 hr 16 min · 73.6 MBExplicit
0:00-1:16:40

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Dr Kelly Wright is helping us understand the link between public health and language maintenance. And she's helping us with our voluminous Mailbag!

  • Why can you have a TRIFECTA, but not any other number -FECTA?
  • Why does a SEXTILLION (with a prefix meaning six) have seven chunks of zeros?
  • What do CHOPSTICKS have to do with chopping?
  • And what's the -ER in words like RUBBER, AFTER, and TEMPER?