Popular Reviews of The History of English Podcast

I heard about the History of English on another podcast I was listening to (I forget which) and it sat for a long time in my subscribed shows without a listen, then one day I gave it a go. I’ve not looked back since! I was worried at first it might be a little boring but I was wrong, I’ve fallen in love with it, particularly some of the earlier episodes where the host, Kevin, goes into great detail about the Indo-European languages and how we can recreate how they were spoken and probably sounded. It’s so cool! Language is something we take for granted but knowing its history can really enrich how you think about words. It also shows how interconnected we all are – so much shared history. Whilst I like to think I’d pretty open in my views listening to this podcast has helped my better appreciate why some people may speak differently – unfortunately some people may be subject to stereotypes about their accents but knowing the how and why they pronounce words they way they do is fascinating (but I might still tease them and expect the same back!).Kevin will read texts from old English in both their original form and modern versions – hearing the difference is really interesting, as he progresses through the history of the language you begin hear more and more familiar words and sounds. I am curious how he’s going to cover more recent times.This podcast gives a detailed look at English and it’s influences (we have a lot which is why it’s so diverse) and is well worth a try – if you love listening to people speak on podcasts why not learn more about the language they’re using!

Absolutely brilliant podcast. I can't thank Kevin Stroud enough for sharing his knowledge. He is a master of contextualizing the History of English so that it has meaning within a broader sense of history. So compelling and interesting.

I find this series totally absorbing. I am in awe of the research that has gone into this. There is so much detail and it is presented in a friendly, enjoyable manner. The audio quality is excellent too. I was impressed by Kevin Stroud's skillful readings of sections in Old and Middle English followed by the modern translations.

This is an amazingly-detailed history, including lots of fun details about specific words. I am going to be so sad when it ends!

This is a work of art. A 500 level English history/etymology course that is available for free. Kevin has been blessing us with word histories and families along with what was happening at the time in Merry Old England. You couldn't ask for a better podcast. I recommend it every time.

Well researched and interesting, but very slow paced.

You would be "right" to try this podcast. Kevin explains history through the lens of English. He also explains why "right" has a silent "gh." To know why English developed as it did, you must know history, and he explains it all. Each podcast has new and interesting insights.

Excellent podcast, I wish there were similar podcasts about other major languages.