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Why Do We Use Cringey Words for Loved Ones?

Why do we use such unusual words for the people we love? From baby to bunny, two thirds of American adults refer to their romantic partners by a pet name. And we’ve been doing this for a long time—the Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary traces terms of endearment over a thousand years. But where do all these pet names come from?
Season 4 Episode 4 Length 09:11 Premiere: 04/25/24

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Season 4 Episodes

Is Bluey Giving Your Kid Australian Accent
S4 E11 Length 06:21 Premiere Date 11/21/24

Is English a Creole?
S4 E10 Length 06:51 Premiere Date 10/31/24

A Brief History of the Reading Wars?
S4 E9 Length 08:35 Premiere Date 09/19/24

Why Is English Awash in Sailors Jargon?
S4 E8 Length 08:11 Premiere Date 08/22/24

Is Body Language Really A Language?
S4 E7 Length 08:58 Premiere Date 07/25/24

How Cult Leaders Use Language
S4 E6 Length 10:58 Premiere Date 06/20/24

Why Do Some Names Fall Out of Fashion
S4 E5 Length 07:14 Premiere Date 05/30/24

Why Do We Use Cringey Words for Loved Ones?
S4 E4 Length 09:11 Premiere Date 04/25/24

Is the Southern Accent Disappearing?
S4 E3 Length 07:33 Premiere Date 03/21/24

Why Do These Words Get Mispronounced So Much?
S4 E2 Length 08:32 Premiere Date 02/22/24

How Language Nerds Solve Crimes
S4 E1 Length 08:59 Premiere Date 01/25/24

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