How pronouns reveal our psychology. How’d we get our alphabet? Tabagogox.

2025-08-05

1105. This week, we look at how the pronouns you use can be reveal your psychological state — for example, how using "I" versus "we" can signal how you are coping with a breakup or a tragic event. Then, we look at where our alphabet started, from ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs to the Phoenicians and Romans.The psychology of pronouns segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." You can find her at valeriefridland.com.🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses

The psychology of pronouns segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." You can find her at valeriefridland.com.

🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.

🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

🔗 Subscribe to the newsletter.

🔗 Take our advertising survey.

🔗 Get the edited transcript.

🔗 Get Grammar Girl books.

🔗 Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference.

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.