iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

I’ve been told that nowadays, podcasts have to be on YouTube, so I’m putting “The Lives They’re Living” up there, one episode at a time. First: @geneseymour.bsky.social on @roncarterjazz.com youtu.be/aNixQ_z22Ks?...

youtu.be

Gene Seymour on Ron Carter

YouTube video by Ben Yagoda

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

I seem to have missed this alert, will listen soon.

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

If you were waiting for the paperback….

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

My final musings on the word “whomever.” I promise. open.substack.com/pub/benyagod...

open.substack.com

"Whoever"? "Whomever"? Whatever.

A surprisingly thorny grammatical question.

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

At least they spelt/spelled our names right.

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

If you’re in or near Baltimore, Monday, November 3, come on by. For tickets and info, check out @profsandpints.bsky.social

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

If you’re so inclined, please check out my Substack, “Mush from the Wimp.” This post is on the pronunciation of my least favorite movie genre open.substack.com/pub/benyagod...

open.substack.com

How Do You Pronounce "Biopic"?

Does the word rhyme with "myopic" or ... "Why, oh, Nick"?

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

"The Lives They're Living" has been on hiatus but we're back with a vengeance. On the new episode, the great Dave Barry talks about the also great Roy Blount Jr. Among our topics: why Roy hasn't won the Mark Twain Prize, while Adam Sandler has. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Delighted to talk with Varda Bar-Kar about the legendary @janisian.bsky.social on “The Lives They’re Living” pod. Varda’s documentary on Janis is playing in NY and LA podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/f...

podcasts.apple.com

Folk Icons I: Varda Bar-Kar on Janis Ian

Podcast Episode · The Lives They're Living · 04/03/2025 · 27m

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Possibly last stop on the “Gobsmacked!” tour—Zoom talk (with fun multimedia!) on Monday, March 10, 7 PM Eastern. @princetonupress.bsky.social @lynneguist.bsky.social Register here bit.ly/AnEveningWithBenYagoda

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Delighted to talk with John Barth about the public broadcasting pioneer Bill Siemering, on The Lives They’re Living. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

New episode of The Lives They’re Living: #BeachBoys chronicler David Leaf on the legendary Van Dyke Parks. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

podcasts.apple.com

David Leaf on Van Dyke Parks

Podcast Episode · The Lives They're Living · 02/12/2025 · 42m

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

When I first had the idea for The Lives They're Living podcast, one name on my shortlist was Jonathan Schwartz, legendary disc jockey, writer and raconteur. Big thanks to his daughter Casey Schwartz for agreeing to come on and so generously sharing her insights. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

podcasts.apple.com

Casey Schwartz on Jonathan Schwartz

Podcast Episode · The Lives They're Living · 01/30/2025 · 42m

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

Jasmine Paolini is like, “Why does my shirt say ‘Where’ on it?”

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

I’m probably late to realize this, but I just noticed that Google seems to have eliminated advanced search capability. That’s a huge step back in my world, especially on Google books. Am I missing something?

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 30/12/2024

“Fortnight” top British linguistic import of the year—thanks to Taylor Swift.

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

Delighted to have a chance to fanboy out with @dwightgarner.bsky.social about the great Calvin Trillin. Among other things, we discuss that great continental restaurant La Maison de la Casa House, with its specialty "Stuff-Stuff a la Heavy." podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

podcasts.apple.com

Dwight Garner on Calvin Trillin

Podcast Episode · The Lives They're Living · 12/18/2024 · 30m

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

All you really need to know about the various words of the year.

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Over the moon, as the British (and some Americans) would say about today's extremely money Wall Street Journal review by the great Anne Curzan. To wit: "In 'Gobsmacked!,' Mr. Yagoda shows readers how to delight in the lexical creativity of this ever-changing language." www.wsj.com/arts-culture...

wsj.com

‘Gobsmacked!’ Review: How British Words Reconquered America

Confused about whether a newly popular word has made its way from the U.K.? Join the queue.

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Lynne is looking for nominations!

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

There’s a fairly convincing looking fake George Saunders account on here.

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

I just heard someone on the radio say “It had became known that…” and I am ready to start my day. @fritinancy.bsky.social

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

This “wasn’t on my bingo card” thing has reached cliché status faster than a speeding bullet. Do people even know what a bingo card is?

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

I believe we are at peak whataboutism.

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

AI gonna AI. Why and how would it invent an intermission?

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

Now that Apple has added ❓and 🙏 to Messages I guess that covers all human reactions, oh wait 👏 would be good

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

I actually grew up with a kid named Herby Stuffing. #Yum #WawaGobbler

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

Jeff Goldblum started out making the most out of a couple of minutes of screen time, now he’s back at it.

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

Wasn’t Stark Fealty a character in All the King’s Men?

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

I’m well chuffed too, plus over the moon.

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

A commash in the NY Times! And from the great Robert D. McFadden www.worldwidewords.org/ww-com1.html

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Intrusive “of” reaches the groves of academe (U of Pennsylvania). Or maybe the interviewer “heard” it @fritinancy.bsky.social

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

That great Joni line “Thinking of the pleasure I’m gonna have watching your hairline recede, my vain darling.” For me it’s “watching prices go up, you poor suckers.” It’s not much but it’s all I got.

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

My new name for the former guy is Mr. 49.9

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

So that’s where that expression comes from.

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

Wonderful obit of Bob “Butterbean” Love

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

"I would be delighted if you began your letters, 'Dear John.' In fact, you may call me anything you like except 'Ostrich,' with which sobriquet a boy called Eddie Pritchard tormented me when I was around five years old. In later life, you will be happy to hear, Eddie came to no good.”

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Just realized Princeton University Press made a bloody brilliant video about my book. Gobsmacked!: The British Invasion of American English www.amazon.com/vdp/0206cde1...

amazon.com

Watch Gobsmacked!&colon; The British Invasion of American English on Amazon Live

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

“Turgid, flabby English of the kind common in inferior leading articles is full of abstract nouns ; the commonest ending of abstract nouns is -tion & to count the -ion words in what one has written….

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Ben Yagoda @byagoda.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Begging the question: “The fallacy of founding a conclusion on a basis that as much needs to be proved as the conclusion itself.” E. g., “That foxhunting is not cruel, since the fox enjoys the fun, & that one must keep servants, since all respectable people do so…” #FowlerModernEnglishUsage1926

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