The History of English Podcast

By: Kevin Stroud
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  • Summary

  • The Spoken History of a Global Language
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World
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Episodes
  • Episode 182: World of Confusion

    Episode 182: World of Confusion
    Mar 18 2025
    In the early 1600s, English began to spread around the world as speakers searched for new trading partners and new places to settle. Through that process, English become an international language, but as English speakers encountered people and languages in distant places, they sometimes became confused. That confusion and uncertainty shaped the English language during this period. In this episode, we explore early English loanwords from North America, Shakespeare's The Tempest, and the first English trading post in India. TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 182
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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • Episode 181: Heaven and Earth

    Episode 181: Heaven and Earth
    Jan 30 2025
    The invention of the telescope in the early 1600s laid the foundation for the scientific revolution, but it also disrupted the traditional view of the universe and led to a conflict with the Catholic Church. Meanwhile, the Anglican Church completed a translation of the Bible that became known as the King James or Authorized version. In this episode, we look at how these simultaneous developments changed the modern world and shaped the English language. TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 181
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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • Episode 180: English on the Move

    Episode 180: English on the Move
    Nov 13 2024
    In the first decade of the 1600s, English speakers were on the move as they established the first permanent English settlement in North America. They also began a steady a migration to northern Ireland after an event known to history as the Flight of the Earls. As these English speakers relocated to regions outside of Britian, they took their regional accents and dialects with them. In this episode, we'll examine how those settlement patterns shaped the way English is spoken around the world. TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 180
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    1 hr and 14 mins
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Profile Image for Jeffery T. Stephenson

👌

One of, if not THE greatest linguistic podcasts ever created. Listening to Mr. Stroud explain the history of English is like listening to a historical novel where "English" is the main character.

I could not give this enough stars.

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Profile Image for Kristin Longley

Thank you, Kevin Stroud, for an Excellent Series

I always look forward to the next episode of Mr. Stroud’s history of the English language.

His material organization is strategic and consistent, his writing is detailed and engaging, and his presentation is clear and interesting.

Thank you for providing such a deep resource into the English language through its evolution across populations in time.

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Excellent & Informative

Ever wonder why English spelling is so weird? This is where you can find ALL the answers. It's surprisingly entertaining, and full of history.

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Profile Image for Ben

Love everything about this

Beautifully done. Incredible content from someone whose love of the English language is infectious. Thank you!

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