Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Get my book:
Middlechester Chronicles and the Story of Idioms: A witty and satirical look at 347 English idioms and their origins told through stories
To read the first chapter free and purchase the book go to aunty.co.uk
===
- Words evolve - what was once a kind word is now an insult. This is all about the Euphemism Treadmill. A term coined by Steven Pinker.
Sign up for The Rambler newsletter here. letthemtalktv.substack.com It's full of interesting insights and stories about the English language and it's free!
Become a Patreon of LetThemTalkTV. Wisdom guaranteed. More information here. patreon.com/LetThemTalkTV
Find Steven Pinker's New York Times article here
stevenpinker.com/files/pinker/files/1994_04_03_newyorktimes.pdf
Here is Dr Melody Mcleod's article
psychcentral.com/blog/all-things/2020/06/i-am-not-an-african-american-stop-calling-me-that
00:00 The Euphemism treadmill
02:50 Toilet
06:24 Don't say pregnant
08:22 Intellectual challenges
09:34 Bastards
13:01 Ethnicity
14:45 Indigenous
15:44 Who is Asian?
16:37 Persian or Farsi
17:26 Tell us more
Get my book:
Middlechester Chronicles and the Story of Idioms: A witty and satirical look at 347 English idioms and their origins told through stories
To read the first chapter free and purchase the book go to aunty.co.uk
===
- Words evolve - what was once a kind word is now an insult. This is all about the Euphemism Treadmill. A term coined by Steven Pinker.
Sign up for The Rambler newsletter here. letthemtalktv.substack.com It's full of interesting insights and stories about the English language and it's free!
Become a Patreon of LetThemTalkTV. Wisdom guaranteed. More information here. patreon.com/LetThemTalkTV
Find Steven Pinker's New York Times article here
stevenpinker.com/files/pinker/files/1994_04_03_newyorktimes.pdf
Here is Dr Melody Mcleod's article
psychcentral.com/blog/all-things/2020/06/i-am-not-an-african-american-stop-calling-me-that
00:00 The Euphemism treadmill
02:50 Toilet
06:24 Don't say pregnant
08:22 Intellectual challenges
09:34 Bastards
13:01 Ethnicity
14:45 Indigenous
15:44 Who is Asian?
16:37 Persian or Farsi
17:26 Tell us more






