Show Notes
1191. This week, we talk to Iva Cheung, a plain language expert and editor who has helped shape Canada's accessibility standards. We look at what plain language actually means (it's more than just short words and simple sentences) and why it matters for healthcare, legal rights, and everyday communication. Then we explore cognitive load theory, the expertise reversal effect, and why user testing is the secret ingredient most writers skip.
Find more from Iva at IvaCheung.com.
🔗 Join the Grammar Girl Patreon. 🔗 Share your familect recording in Speakpipe or by leaving a voicemail at 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) 🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses. 🔗 Subscribe to the newsletter. 🔗 Take our advertising survey. 🔗 Get the edited transcript here. 🔗 Get Grammar Girl books. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty | Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network. Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend Director of Podcast: Holly Hutchings Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes, Rebekah Sebastian Podcast Associate: Maram Elnagheeb | Theme music by Catherine Rannus. | Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook. Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon. Bluesky. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Grammar Girl
1231. This week, Valerie Fridland steps in for Mignon and sits down with linguist Laurel Brinton to talk about little words like “well,” “you know,” and “like.” They look at why “well” signals bad news, how “Beowulf” may open with the Old English version of “you know,” and why “prithee” disappeared. Then they look at why most uses of “like” are older than Valley Girl speech.
1230. This week, the whole show is about familects, the words and phrases you only use with your family. We look at where they come from and what they do, how the same thing happens among friends and fans, and why borrowing someone else's insider words can backfire.
1229. This week, we talk with Ethan Sawyer, the College Essay Guy, about AI and college admissions essays. We look at why admissions officers told him “don’t” when it comes to AI, what he calls the “disembodied voice” of AI writing, and why he rewrote the new editions of his books by hand. Then we look at two pieces of classic essay advice he says to skip, how “finish your ribs” became a standout essay, and how a 10-minute timer can get a stuck writer started.
1228. This week, we look at why "Here comes the bride" sounds right but "Here comes he" sounds wrong. Then we have an update on Zipf's law: after whales and dolphins, researchers may have found it in birdsong too.
1227. This week, we talk to Eli Burnstein, author of "Phrased & Confused." We look at why Robert Frost's "road less traveled" wasn't really less traveled, and why the other half of Stewart Brand's "information wants to be free" will make you think about it differently. Then we look at why "Hell is other people" isn't about crowds and how "Don't mess with Texas" began as an anti-littering campaign.