One Is the Loneliest Number

众里孤独最是那一数

Lexicon Valley from Booksmart Studios

社会与文化

2022-08-31

30 分钟
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单集简介 ...

Only, lonely, alone and even atone all derive from the number one, which, by the way, wasn’t always pronounced as if it began with the letter w. John explains. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lexiconvalley.substack.com
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单集文稿 ...

  • From Booksmart Studios, this is Lexicon Valley, a podcast about language.

  • I'm John McWhorter, and listen to this music in the background.

  • Not my usual style, but...

  • Listen, darling, to every word I say.

  • I left you long before...

  • My sweet darling, don't even try to sway.

  • Love is lost and I must walk away.

  • I know I've said it once before.

  • But now I'm feeling more and more.

  • That is actually a new single from Danielle.

  • Ponder.

  • I think she's new on the scene.

  • And the album is called Some of Us Are Brave.

  • And it's called Only the Lonely.

  • I happened to be listening to NPR while I was in the car.

  • And I heard it come on.

  • And, you know, no, it's not the kind of music I usually listen to.

  • And maybe partly for that reason,

  • I was listening to it more as a linguist than as whatever kind of artistic soul I am.

  • And I was just thinking to myself, hmm, Only the Lonely.