I hate portmanteau words but “slopaganda” is magnificent

Powered by vegan chocolate truffles & queer feminism, this was SO MUCH (fun). Intense & exhilarating!

I *just* listened to this excellent episode of @allusionistshow.bsky.social about Dr. Alex Ketchum’s Feminist Restaurant Project and went to check out Bloodroot…only to learn they announced *today* that they’re closing after nearly 50 years!

New episode in your podfeed, starring @suchmayer.bsky.social, whose new book #BadLanguage is out next week! We talk about many things, including coming out as a speech act, power, shame, finding vocab for oneself... Listen/read via theallusionist.org/disobedience and The Podplaces

Excellent real world example of a chilling effect @allusionistshow.bsky.social

New episode is in your podfeed, for Banned Books Week theallusionist.org/bannedbooks

So excited to have my work featured on @allusionistshow.bsky.social by @helenzaltzman.bsky.social !! www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/... Check it out! @arsenalpulp.bsky.social @concordiapress.bsky.social @mcgillarts.bsky.social @mcgillumedia.bsky.social

@allusionistshow.bsky.social I think this might be relevant to a recent episode, 6:27 specifically! youtu.be/yRh6OTPPVwM?...

Happy tenth anniversary of Pig-gate theallusionist.org/gate

Really unexpectedly lovely song about Scunthorpe from @martinaustwick.bsky.social on this episode of @allusionistshow.bsky.social www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/...

like so many products to come out of silicon valley in the last decade or so, AI is a legal innovation masquerading as a tech innovation. the legal theory seems to be that AI is entitled to everything but liable for nothing.

The finale of Four Letter Word season is heading to your podfeed this weekend. Which word do you think it’ll be about?

I love The Allusionist, every so often they will casually release something transcendent

Funny how many two letter words from Hawai'i aren't allowed in N. American Scrabble.

New episode: all the two-letter words you can play in Scrabble. Listen to become unbeatable/annoying theallusionist.org/two

Get the song here! Pay what you can! palebird.bandcamp.com/track/poison...

There’s a new episode on your podfeed, featuring placentas, curses and a very catchy new song by @martinaustwick.bsky.social about poisonous plants theallusionist.org/bane

There's a new episode in your podfeed! Next in #FourLetterWord season is 'dino', which means 'terrible'. Hannah McGregor of Material Girls podcast joins to talk about Jurassic Park, and humans' relationship with language for dinosaurs. Hear/read via theallusionist.org/dino and the usual podplaces

There's a new episode in your podfeed! Next in #FourLetterWord season is 'dino', which means 'terrible'. Hannah McGregor of Material Girls podcast joins to talk about Jurassic Park, and humans' relationship with language for dinosaurs. Hear/read via theallusionist.org/dino and the usual podplaces

This is TODAY and sounds fascinating:

Hey! Our piece #souvenirs is being broadcast on BBC Radio 4 tomorrow, 22 July at 4pm UK time (also available on the internet for a while thereafter), I’d love for you to listen! Especially if you enjoy tales of hurt feelings & petty revenge.

oh but language isn't political, the screamers in my inbox tell me www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/j...

Got to geek out with another geek about the geekery behind the names and uses and backstories of Vancouver parks. If that interests you, check out the podcast!

A new episode is in your podfeed! We go on a field trip with @jmcelroy.bsky.social around several of Vancouver's parks, to consider what IS park, also how their names can make us feel about them. Listen, see more photos, read the transcript at theallusionist.org/park

Delighted to hear Aotearoa mentioned on the '-gate' episode of @allusionistshow.bsky.social. And it's a fabulous excuse to post this photo of the incident. I can think of a few current politicians who deserve this treatment. See the whole story at: thespinoff.co.nz/politics/05-...

Starting a new series of interviews on the @lingcomm.bsky.social blog with people who are doing neat community collaboration linguistics projects that don't otherwise have much of a web presence Starting with Linguistics + Girl Scouts! lingcomm.org/2025/07/09/l...

There’s a new quiz in your podfeed! All about four letter words, but none of the rude ones (sorry). Listen and play along theallusionist.org/444

Note THUS FAR, LAT is covering this as a response to Trump's ICE escalation (other outlets are treating the protests as the spark).

Good morning Montréal! Brace yourself, I’m going to be on CBC’s All In A Weekend around 8am, talking about tomorrow’s live show #Souvenirs without swearing, even though some of the subject matter is about some swears. Wish me luck! Come to the live show! theallusionist.org/events

If you have a sudden appetite for two adult men rapidly turning from friends to petty, petty enemies, I recommend the Allusionist live show #Souvenirs, playing in Montreal on Monday! www.blueskiesturnblack.com/show/theallu...

This time tomorrow, the Toronto show will be over - so don’t submit yourself to a lifetime of regret, get tickets now! theallusionist.org/events (Montreal, you have a few more days for regret-proofing yourself - show is 9 June)

I loved talking to the amazing @helenzaltzman.bsky.social about a word that I still struggle to say, but that’s culturally very important!

Want to know what kind of jobs people go on to do after a linguistics degree? Join us on Patreon for a bonus episode about all the cool things people have done with their linguistics training www.patreon.com/posts/83814530

New episode! #FourLetterWord season continues with a return to the cunt-word. Since I covered it 10 years ago (!) in the 4th ever episode (!!) of the show, there have been exciting developments, which the wonderful @mixedlinguist.bsky.social & #KellyElizabethWright explore theallusionist.org/serving

This episode of The Allusionist @allusionistshow.bsky.social is giving me SUCH joy. The interview with @jessesword.com is so nerdy and fun. I love the seriousness with which he treats the subject of the F Bomb, and it still makes me giggle!

oy Toronto! Montréal!! Our live show Souvenirs is coming to you IMMINENTLY, get tickets via theallusionist.org/events or live forever chewed by regret

Montrealers! Come see Helen Zaltzman and The Allusionist podcast live on June 9th! Come for the culture, laughs, and beautiful original music. What more do you want??

Let's not forget for a second that AI is now overwhelmingly an oligarchic project. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/u...

oy Toronto! Montréal!! Our live show Souvenirs is coming to you IMMINENTLY, get tickets via theallusionist.org/events or live forever chewed by regret

the show is back from break with Four Letter Word Season! First up, one of the most versatile words: it can be a noun, verb, punctuation, expostulation, full sentence on its own; it can be an intensifier, an insult and a compliment... and a Category A swear, one of your faves theallusionist.org/ffff

the show is back from break with Four Letter Word Season! First up, one of the most versatile words: it can be a noun, verb, punctuation, expostulation, full sentence on its own; it can be an intensifier, an insult and a compliment... and a Category A swear, one of your faves theallusionist.org/ffff

"Friendly Signs" explores the impact of a sign language class at San Quentin. Watch the documentary and learn about the challenges of prison filmmaking from director Rahsaan "New York" Thomas.

I try not to be antagonistic on social media much, but I need to be very clear: if you do not stand shoulder-to-shoulder with trans people, you are on the wrong side of history, my pal.

You know what? It was making this show that led me to understand that the gender binary was just a load of bullshit (sorry I arrived so late; I grew up under Section 28 and its tentacles were decades long): it didn't make any sense to me in language. Then I realised nor did it make sense in life.

cover yourselves in pronouns to keep the administration away www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-...

There’s a sweary version of What3Words! Why did none of you fuckers tell me about it? Anyway, I am here. You are not.

Celebrating the patron saint of beekeepers, plagues and epilepsy (oh yeah and also heart-shaped boxes of Ferrero Rocher) theallusionist.org/valentine

This weekend in the #Allusioverse, we're watching Return to Oz and Great Pottery Throwdown together. Want to join us for the most and least eldritch entertainments? theallusionist.org/donate

Have you listened yet? It’s a nice break from *gestures around*.

A new episode is in your podfeed! Relaxation looms, because it’s a #Tranquillusionist of every randomly selected word from the dictionary from the first ten years of the show. theallusionist.org/randomlyselectedwords Thanks @martinaustwick.bsky.social for the beautiful music!