A Word in Your Ear

Professor Roly Sussex is chatting about which Americanisms are in everyday use, which he thinks are likely to catch on, and which American words or expressions never will.

Why do we have a left and right in politics, and what do pebbles and scalps have to do with elections? Professor Roly Sussex is talking about the language of politics.

Some dogs go woof, others might go bow wow, but what if you or your dog don't speak English as your first language: what sound does your dog make then?

It's sometimes said that we should reform English spelling so that there should be one letter for one sound and one sound for one letter. Professor Roly Sussex explains why he thinks this wouldn't work.

How do you guard against being impolite and what do you do if someone is impolite to you? Professor Roly Sussex is talking with the utmost respect about words and language.

How do we know who talks when and when can other people join in a conversation or interject and interrupt? Allow Professor Roly Sussex to explain.

An Oxford comma walks into a bar where it spends the evening watching the television, getting drunk, and smoking cigars! Professor Roly Sussex is having some fun with various figures of speech and grammatical issues.

Bud, mate, guys, ladies and gentlemen, colleagues: Professor Roly Sussex is talking about terms of address and who can use which words to say hello to whom and under what circumstances.

There are many ways to express affection for loved ones, some are more traditional and others originate in languages other than English. Professor Roly Sussex is having some fun with terms of endearment.

Cilantro or coriander, candy or lolly? Which foods have different names in North America - and why? Allow Professor Roly Sussex to explain.

Professor Roly Sussex is noshing his way through a menu of English food words.

Acidic or earthy? Bitter or bittersweet? Sweet or spicy or even sour? The words used to describe food can entice or repulse. Professor Roly Sussex is chatting about edible linguistics.

Who is the best example of a speaker of English in Australia today?

Is pronunciation and where to put the stress the same thing? Allow Professor Roly Sussex to explain.

While spoonerisms are commonly heard as slips of the tongue, and getting one's words in a tangle, they can also be used intentionally as a play on words. Allow Professor Roly Sussex to explain.

You can't run through a camp ground, you can only ran because it's past tents. Shocking 'Dad jokes' or paronomasia and homophones with Professor Roly Sussex.

Going to the rubbidy with the trouble and strife? Take a Captain Cook at Professor Roly Sussex's contribution to rhyming slang.

Professor Roly Sussex is chatting about words with odd definitions, origins and generally a strange garden of verbal weeds.

Schoolboy humour or just a nice way to talk about sensitive or embarrassing topics, Professor Roly Sussex is chatting about the use and definition of euphemisms.

Collocations are essential to speaking and understanding English, but are there rules when it comes to using them? Professor Roly Sussex is on the case.

Professor Roly Sussex on the worst buzzwords and jargon of the year so far.

Professor Roly Sussex is chatting about the power of slogans and how effective they can be in creating a more lasting message or memory.

Politeness through avoidance means using conditional questions to stay away from language that may be thought confrontational or challenging. Professor Roly Sussex explains.

Politeness is associated with empathy: being polite it is an attempt to help the other person be comfortable and avoid confronting behaviour. The ever respectful Professor Roly Sussex explains.

Is the Aussie accent unique or does it share certain characteristics with our Kiwi cousins? Professor Roly Sussex is talking ocker!

Schadenfreude, flak, pretzel, and so much more. Professor Roly Sussex on words we have borrowed from the German language.

Salutations and valedictions: Professor Roly Sussex on the rules for a proper greeting

Using Italian in everyday English means there's something specific we admire about it

Professor Roly Sussex on a new word that's entered the Australian vernacular: quozza from quarantine

Self as a reference by a subject to the same subject. Professor Roly Sussex explains.

Nouns have always been verbified, but is it right or wrong and should we or should we not? Professor Roly Sussex explains.

Nicknames are a wonderful part of language play and are very well developed in Australia. Professor Roly Sussex explains.

Everyone has a headful of English; not everyone can explain how it all works

Professor Roly Sussex is chatting about the role of accents in the differences and development of the English language.

Why and which Americanisms have crept into every day use in Australian English?

When it comes to pronunciation, what is standard, who decides, and how much variation is acceptable? Allow Professor Roly Sussex to explain.

Vow and Declare - A Melbourne Cup winner and the subject matter with Roly Sussex this week as we talk doublets

Can language exist without culture? No jokes about it - Professor Roly Sussex talks ‘Globish'

Giddy Up! Professor Roly Sussex isn't horsing around in another escapade of equine expressions

Is it blowing a gale? Or raining cats and dogs? It's quite the heated subject - we're talking weather with Professor Roly Sussex

As we move from football to the racing season, Professor Roly Sussex is going hell for leather with equine expressions.

Professor Roly Sussex is joined by a special guest, Professor Tor Hundloe, to talk about the language of economics.

Professor Roly Sussex is trawling for examples of where one word has lots of different meanings.

Professor Roly Sussex is chatting about why jargon's necessary and appropriate in its in-house context, but why it can be vile elsewhere.

Professor Roly Sussex is chatting about words which should be struck from the English language.

Where should we put the stress on words with more than one syllable? Professor Roly Sussex settles a few arguments.

Professor Roly Sussex is chatting about why some places are spelt and pronounced differently in different langauges.

Professor Roly Sussex has been in the Czech Republic and is chatting about English words of Slavic origin.

Why is Latin perfect for romantic scholars? Allow Professor Roly Sussex to explain.

Sushi, wasabi, and tofu. Professor Roly Sussex is chatting about the Japanese words we use in everyday English.