In this episode, Andy welcomes sociolinguist Valerie Fridland to discuss her book Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English. They explore the significance of language use in leadership, including the use of filler words, intensifiers, and vocal fry. She challenges the notion that filler words should be eliminated, highlighting their cognitive and communicative benefits. Overall, the conversation provides insights into the complexities of language and its role in effective communication.

It’s a fun discussion about language that will have you laughing, for sure, but also leaving the conversation with insights to help you lead more effectively at work (and at home).

Sound Bites

  • “Probably the best answer is I know enough about other languages to order a beer in those languages and that’s pretty much probably all you need.”
  • “But it’s also on the other side that when we’re letting ourselves get distracted by those speech features (filler words), and then we’re dismissing what they have to say because of something we don’t like, we’re also doing something wrong.”
  • “I said I study vowel movements. He heard bowel movements and thought I was a gastroenterologist.”
  • “If parents are worried about the way their kids talk, just show really good interest in trying to copy it and they’ll never say it in front of you again.”

Chapters

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 02:21 Start Of Interview
  • 03:34 Language And Social Identity
  • 06:56 The Evolution Of Language And Social Identity
  • 13:41 The Role Of Filler Words
  • 22:53 The History And Use Of ‘Like’
  • 34:11 Pressures On Women In The Workplace
  • 34:58 Vocal Fry In Media And Public Perception
  • 35:23 Gender And Vocal Fry Criticism
  • 38:38 Understanding And Adapting Speech Features
  • 39:52 Effective Communication Strategies
  • 41:32 Judging Speech In Professional Contexts
  • 47:48 Advice For Parents On Communication
  • 50:18 Wrap-Up
  • 50:39 Andy Comments After The Interview
  • 52:51 Outtakes

Learn More

You can learn more about Valerie and her book at ValerieFridland.com.

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Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast!

Talent Triangle: Power Skills

Topics: project management, leadership, language, social identity, filler words, communication, vocal fry, gendered speech, linguistic diversity, parenting

The following music was used for this episode:

Music: Fantastical Ferret by Tim Kulig
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Tuesday by Sascha Ende
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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