What do mocktails, mules, and grammar have in common? | Linguistic purism and hybridization episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 18, 2025 · 53 MIN

What do mocktails, mules, and grammar have in common? | Linguistic purism and hybridization

from Linguistics Behind the Scenes · host Linguistics BTS

Grab a cocktail (or mocktail) and join Christina and Dominic for a spirited discussion on hybridity – in language, biology, culture, and beyond. From mules to dronkeys, creoles to hybrid cars, this episode explores what happens when things mix, blend, and blur the boundaries.- Why is English like a linguistic cocktail?- Can you really “borrow” words if you never give them back?- Is “dislike” a Germanic-Romance Frankenstein?- Why is “brunch” so linguistically satisfying?With portmanteaus, pidgins, and even the infamous German “ß”, this episode celebrates the beautiful messiness of language – where nothing is truly “pure,” and things become richer through mixing.Full episode transcript available here:https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/phil/english/sections/edling/sciencecommunication/podcast-transcripts.php#Episode12Full article available to read for free here: Hybridization in language. By Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-21846-0_9

Grab a cocktail (or mocktail) and join Christina and Dominic for a spirited discussion on hybridity – in language, biology, culture, and beyond. From mules to dronkeys, creoles to hybrid cars, this episode explores what happens when things mix, blend, and blur the boundaries.- Why is English like a linguistic cocktail?- Can you really “borrow” words if you never give them back?- Is “dislike” a Germanic-Romance Frankenstein?- Why is “brunch” so linguistically satisfying?With portmanteaus, pidgins, and even the infamous German “ß”, this episode celebrates the beautiful messiness of language – where nothing is truly “pure,” and things become richer through mixing.Full episode transcript available here:https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/phil/english/sections/edling/sciencecommunication/podcast-transcripts.php#Episode12Full article available to read for free here: Hybridization in language. By Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-21846-0_9

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What do mocktails, mules, and grammar have in common? | Linguistic purism and hybridization

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Grab a cocktail (or mocktail) and join Christina and Dominic for a spirited discussion on hybridity – in language, biology, culture, and beyond. From mules to dronkeys, creoles to hybrid cars, this episode explores what happens when things mix,...

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