On the Ted Radio Hour, linguist Anne Curzan says she gets a lot of complaints about people using the pronoun they to refer to one person.

I sometimes get into arguments with people where they will say to me, but it can't be singular, and I will say, but it is.

The history behind words causing a lot of debate.

That's on the Ted radio hour from NPR.

A quick note before the show, this podcast contains explicit language.

I got to my metro stop and there was a padlock on the gate.

And I was like, well that can't be good.

That's so dramatic.

A padlock.

Yeah, well I was just like, who are they trying to keep out? Isn't me? Who are they trying to keep out isn't me?

Who are they trying to keep in?

Well, you should be asking yourself.

Maybe there's chuds in there.

Or I was thinking like zombies or something.

I don't know man.

This shuttle bus situation was one of those days where just the bus shelter is a terrarium.

Like a greenhouse, just like...

Sounds nice.

Creating life in the moist corners of like my backpack. I mean I love public transport so yeah no I'm a fan I mean really like that's been the biggest casualty to me of hybridized work is that

all of the epiphanies that I used to have on public transport while listening to

whatever was in my headphones.

Yeah, or like not just epiphanies, but really good people spotting.

...