Arguing for the Good in Bad English with Valerie Fridland

Do you cringe at your own "ums," "uhs," or when you drop a slang word drop at work? Valerie Fridland, a linguist with two decades of research and author of Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English, joins Caroline to make the case that the speech habits we love to criticize are actually powerful social tools. Valerie explains why filled pauses help both speakers and listeners, how a word like "dude" can build connection across social divides, and why language change is natural rather than a sign of decline. More from Valerie Fridland: See more of Valeries work and order her books at her website. You can also follow her on LinkedIn. More from Caroline Dowd-Higgins: Head to carolinedowdhiggins.com to book Caroline as your next keynote speaker, check out her books or get in touch.