42 episodes

As long as there’s been language, there have been forbidden words. What gives these words their power? Why are they considered “bad”? Producer and Host, Matt Fidler, reaches out to experts, linguists, and historians to explore these words and their cultural significance. From diving into specific bad words to exploring what language has the “worst curses”, Matt weaves personal stories and interviews to help shed light on the power of very bad words.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Very Bad Words Matt Fidler

    • Arts
    • 4.8 • 311 Ratings

As long as there’s been language, there have been forbidden words. What gives these words their power? Why are they considered “bad”? Producer and Host, Matt Fidler, reaches out to experts, linguists, and historians to explore these words and their cultural significance. From diving into specific bad words to exploring what language has the “worst curses”, Matt weaves personal stories and interviews to help shed light on the power of very bad words.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    42: The N-Word

    42: The N-Word

    Guest Producer Stephanie Billman helps guide us through the feelings, emotions, and history of the most violent, loaded word in the English lexicon, The N-Word. With guests Dr. Neil Lester, Dr. David Pilgrim, Marcie Brown, Malik Crumpler, Dardalie Brooks and Ernie Mendoza
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 41 min
    41: Constructed Curses in Sci-Fi & Fantasy

    41: Constructed Curses in Sci-Fi & Fantasy

    Nerf-herder? Frack? Farking Zarquon? Guest producers Forrest Phillips and Emily Block guide us through cursing in fictional Worlds. Special guests include Marc Okrand - creator of Star Trek’s Klingon language, David J. Peterson - creator of Game of Thrones Dothraki language, and host of the Imaginary Worlds podcast, Eric Molinsky.
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 29 min
    40: Minicast - Conversational Klingon

    40: Minicast - Conversational Klingon

    Matt talks to Marc Okrand about cursing in Klingon. The fictional Star Trek language that has become nearly as popular as the franchise itself.
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 4 min
    39: Euphemisms

    39: Euphemisms

    Certain topics in our society aren’t considered proper to talk about. To make it easier to talk about such sensitive subjects, we have invented terms that dance around the issues, instead of facing them directly.
    Join me and guests, Steven Pinker, Phyllis Sommer and Kate Burridge as we dig into euphemisms.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 32 min
    38: Minicast - The "D" Word

    38: Minicast - The "D" Word

    In this week's minicast, Matt reflects on a death that is close to him and how we use or don't use words about "dead". We talk a little with Rabbi Physllis Sommer to help explain.
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 6 min
    37: The Poo List

    37: The Poo List

    Are you allowed to play swear words in scrabble? And if you really can, why aren’t they listed in the official scrabble player’s dictionary? Competitive scrabble players Stephan Fatsis and Brian Richgrubber tell us how it happened and why this is important in the competitive scrabble world.
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 30 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
311 Ratings

311 Ratings

Sean in TX ,

Outstanding show!

This is a great show. Very civilized for a podcast on profanity. I really hope to see Matt continue the series.

Rozargo ,

Everyone

What happened to this show?

Urpso ,

Really most excellent

I hope this podcast returns for the episodes are marvelous. They are well done and entertaining

Top Podcasts In Arts

Fresh Air
NPR
The Moth
The Moth
99% Invisible
Roman Mars
McCartney: A Life in Lyrics
iHeartPodcasts and Pushkin Industries
Fantasy Fangirls
Fantasy Fangirls
The Sporkful
Dan Pashman and Stitcher

You Might Also Like