Lessons - The Power of Language | Valerie Fridland - “Like, Literally, Dude” Author
Lessons - The Power of Language | Valerie Fridland - “Like, Literally, Dude” Author
Valerie Fridland, author of 'Like, Literally, Dude,' discusses how our everyday language reflects identity and shapes social connections. She explains how speech patterns build trust and belonging, and explores the historical and social reasons behind language stigmatization based on gender and class. The episode highlights language's role not just in communication, but in culture and social evolution.
Listen to the Full Interview
Valerie Fridland - Professor, Sociolinguist, and Author | Language and the Good in Bad English
Show Notes
In this "Lessons" episode, Valerie Fridland, author of Like, Literally, Dude, explores how the language we use every day reveals who we are and shapes how we connect with others. She explains how speech patterns function as tools for building trust, signaling belonging, and forming social bonds, often without us realizing it. The conversation also unpacks why certain language features become stigmatized along lines of gender and class, and how historical power dynamics—especially around women’s voices—have influenced what we consider “good” or “bad” language. Ultimately, Valerie shows how language is not just about communication, but about identity, culture, and social change over time.