This podcast is for everyone who enjoys or even loves language.
Have you ever wondered why we speak or write like that? And how we can find out what is usual, "right" or "wrong" in language use?
Then join linguistics professor Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer and linguistics enthusiast Dominic Piazza on a backstage tour of linguistic research as they engage in entertaining chats about all the many fun and interesting aspects of language.
Visit our website:
https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/phil/english/sections/edling/sciencecommunication/podcast.php
What does punctuation reveal about writing? | The hidden fingerprints of texts
In this punctuation-packed episode of Linguistics Behind the Scenes, Christina and Dominic explore how language varies depending on communicative context – and why tiny marks on a page can make all the difference between various types of texts.
- Why can using the wrong “you” in German ruin a party?
- What makes Chinese characters different from alphabetic writing?
- What happens when you delete all the letters in a text and study only its punctuation?
- How do comics and research papers use punctuation marks in highly specific ways?
From Superman to semicolons, from Batman to Biber’s register theory, our hosts uncover how grammar, punctuation, and social context weave together – showing that meaning isn’t just in what we say, but also in how, where, and to whom we say it.
Full episode transcript available here:
https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/phil/english/sections/edling/sciencecommunication/podcast-transcripts.php#Episode24
Read the full article for more details:
Sanchez-Stockhammer, Christina. 2019. Present-day English hyphenation: Historical origin, functions and pragmatics. In Claudia Claridge & Merja Kytö (eds.), Punctuation in context – Past and present perspectives, 47-65. Berlin: Peter Lang.
Mentioned in this episode:
Douglas Biber & Susan Conrad. 2012. Register, Genre, and Style. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
25 Jun 2026
How much can you say with 100 words? | Phrasebooks as keys to new languages
In this travel-ready episode of Linguistics Behind the Scenes, Christina and Dominic ask a deceptively simple question: if you could learn only 100 words of a language, which ones would you choose?
- Which words are essential when you're travelling – and which can you live without?
- Can a phrasebook really help you communicate with just 100 words?
- How do you express complex ideas when your vocabulary is tiny?
- Are phrasebooks just practical tools, or the first step toward language learning?
Explore the art of saying more with less, and discover how even a handful of carefully chosen words in Christina’s phrasebook can open the door to meaningful communication in Spanish.
Full episode transcript available here:
https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/phil/english/sections/edling/sciencecommunication/podcast-transcripts.php#Episode23
Find out more about Christina’s phrasebook “Langenscheidt – Schnell mitreden – Spanisch” here: https://www.langenscheidt.com/shop/detail/019db329f6b070c69ffa4fa0d0462e12
8 May 2026
What can laughter teach us about language? | Cartoons and fun stories in linguistics
In this animated episode of Linguistics Behind the Scenes, Christina and Dominic explore how creative cartoons, comic strips and children’s shows can teach us about language, communication, cognition and learning itself.
- How does a curious mouse turn science into storytelling?
- Why do comic strips, from Peanuts to XKCD, make such powerful teaching tools?
- How can greeny green aliens help us understand how humans categorize the world?
- In what way do rubber ducks reveal that we often use language without thinking too much about it?
From “Die Sendung mit der Maus” to Dr. Seuss, from Calvin and Hobbes’ unexpected wisdom to XKCD’s scientific wit, the hosts show how humor helps us understand language and makes learning fun.
Full episode transcript available here:
https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/phil/english/sections/edling/sciencecommunication/podcast-transcripts.php#Episode22
This podcast episode is based on the following article:
Sanchez-Stockhammer, Christina. 2010. Comic linguistics: Comics and cartoons in academic teaching. In Mark Berninger, Jochen Ecke & Gideon Haberkorn (eds.), Comics as a nexus of cultures, 274-281. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Käptn Blaubär
- Die Sendung mit der Maus
- Sesame Street
- Mr Rogers‘ Neighbourhood
- The secret of Zoe’s dice (Viererkniffel): „Sendung mit der Maus“ episode with voiceover by Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer and her students. https://www.wdrmaus.de/extras/maus_international/englisch.php5. [8:20 min]
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