The Allusionist

I don’t know exactly when or where, but at some point in the past few years, I stopped putting punctuation at the end of sentences. Why? The internet made me do it! Internet linguist Gretchen McCulloch, cohost of Lingthusiasm podcast and the author of the new book Because Internet, explains how the internet changes the rules of language. Find out more at . The Allusionist's online home is . The Allusionist is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX, a collective of the finest podcasts on the interwaves. And it’s our annual survey season! Could you do me a big ole favour and spend a few minutes filling in the Survlusionist at ? I will, of course, be using your opinions and information for nothing but the most nefarious purposes (like, er, trying to make the show better for you). In July 2019, the Allusionist is sponsored by: •  for a free trial, and use the code ALLUSION to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. •  and get 20% off your first purchase. • and see how much you could be saving. Discounts not available in all states and situations. • .

Oysters, fragrances, canoeing, space stations, God, hats, and of course people - the word ‘bisexual’ has described a great deal of different things, with different meanings, in its fairly short existence. And that whole time, it has had a pretty bumpy ride. Mark Wilkinson studied 70 years of Times newspapers to trace how the British mainstream press used the term. Find out more at . The Allusionist's online home is . The Allusionist is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX, a collective of the finest podcasts on the interwaves. Find them all at . In June 2019, the Allusionist is sponsored by: •  for a free trial, and use the code ALLUSION to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. •  and get 20% off your first purchase. •  and on the Babbel app. •   and see how much you could be saving. Discounts not available in all states and situations.

To celebrate Pride Month, I’m playing two of the Allusionist episodes that have stuck with me the most during the show’s existence. The first is Joins. You listeners talk about your particular experiences in your trans bodies, dealing with the available vocabulary for sex and the associated body parts. (Content note: the episode contains language pertaining to sex and the associated body parts.) Second is Pride: the story of how that word was chosen in 1970 for LGBTQ Pride events. Find out more at . The Allusionist's online home is . The Allusionist is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX, a collective of the finest podcasts on the interwaves. Find them all at . In June 2019, the Allusionist is sponsored by: •  for a free trial, and use the code ALLUSION to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. •  and get 20% off your first purchase. •  and on the Babbel app. •   and see how much you could be saving. Discounts not available in all states and situations.

To mark the 100th* episode of the Allusionist, here’s a celebratory parade of language-related facts: some of your favourites from the Allusionist back catalogue, some of my favourites from the Allusionist back catalogue, and a load of fresh facts making their Allusionist debut. *short hundred, not long hundred. Thanks for listening to the Allusionist! If you’ve liked any of the 100 episodes, tell someone else about it. Content note: this episode contains swears. Find out more about this episode at . The Allusionist live tour of the new show, No Title , has landed in Australia! Get your tickets for Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin from . The Allusionist's online home is . The Allusionist is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX, a collective of the finest podcasts on the interwaves. Find them all at . In May 2019, the Allusionist is sponsored by: •  for a free trial, and use the code ALLUSION to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. •  and get 20% off your first purchase. •  and on the Babbel app. • . • and see how much you could be saving. Discounts not available in all states and situations.

When there were no safe spaces to be gay, Polari allowed gay men to identify and communicate with each other, and to keep things secret from outsiders. Professor Paul Baker , author of the Polari dictionary and the new book Fabulosa! The Story of Polari, Britain’s Secret Gay Language , explains how Polari emerged from criminal cant and London’s theatres and docks to be used a code language for gay men in the oppressive 1950s - and then, not long after, it entered the slang lexicons of the general public, via popular sketch comedy and the mouth of an annoyed princess. Find out more about this episode at . The all new Allusionist live show, No Title, is touring in New Zealand and Australia. We’ve added extra shows in Christchurch and Melbourne, and will also be on in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin. Leg it to to get tickets. The Allusionist's online home is . The Allusionist is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX, a collective of the finest podcasts on the interwaves. Find them all at . In May 2019, the Allusionist is sponsored by: •  for a free trial, and use the code ALLUSION to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. •  and get 20% off your first purchase. •  and on the Babbel app. • .