Talking

Sociologist Allison Pugh says human interactions matter greatly, giving dignity and a sense of purpose to people. We need to feel that we're seen - and to see the other person. Her new book details… Audio

Wouldn't you love to know what other people are thinking? Jeff Wetzler says that's easier than you might expect. All you have to do is ask, but too often we either don't know how to ask the right… Audio

Nineties sitcom Friends has had far-reaching cultural impact over the decades, finding itself at the centre of rolling fashion trends and loads of scholarly analysis. But Elizabeth Stokoe found the… Audio

How often do you find yourself struggling to get out of conversations with people? A new study has found that  most conversations don't end when the participants want them to. Study lead Adam… Audio

Roslyn Petelin is a staunch defender of proper grammar and style, and doesn't mind copping flak for being a language pedant. Roslyn joins the show to discuss mispronunciations, malapropisms, and some… Audio

Self-confessed language nerd, Ellen Jovin set up Grammar Table outside her Upper West Side apartment in New York and started answering questions about grammar. Audio

Otago University Professor of Primary Healthcare, Tony Dowell, talks about research in the U.S which pointed to a drop in male suicides when there was an increase in the minimum wage. He has… Audio

Julia Deans got a bit grumpy at people talking through her set in Queenstown - did she have a point, and what level of conversation is polite at a concert? Audio

Would you just like everyone to shut up sometimes? Blabbing during movies, commenting during music performances, nattering in the middle of a play. Apparently people don't like being "shhhhh'ed". So… Audio