No-Uh!
On the rise of an exclamatory syllable in English.
Lexicon Valley has moved! Find new episodes here.
Listen to Lexicon Valley Episode No. 130:
Have you noticed people adding an extra syllable to words—“room-uh,” “man-uh” and “babe-uh”? That’s an exclamatory syllable, and John McWhorter knows where it comes from.
Advertisement
You’ll find every Lexicon Valley episode at slate.com/lexiconvalley, or in the player below:
Send your thoughts about the show to lexiconvalley@slate.com.
Podcast production by Mike Vuolo.