"You're a fishmonger!" By taking a closer look at Shakespeare's words, and particularly his insults, we can see why he is known as a master playwright whose works appeal to audiences all over the world.

Over the course of human history, thousands of languages have developed from what was once a much smaller number. How did we end up with so many? And how do we keep track of them all? Alex Gendler explains how linguists group languages into language families, demonstrating how these linguistic trees give us crucial insights into the past.

David and Ben Crystal explain what goes into original pronunciation (OP) productions of Shakespeare and what they reveal about the history of the English language.

When we look at insults used in Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet," we get a new insight into dynamics between the characters and how they relate to the development of the story.

The First Lady welcomes the first act in an evening of poetry, music and spoken word at the White House. Pianist ELEW and bassist/singer Esperanza Spalding kick off the evening with an instrumental jazz fusion performance. Enjoy!

The President and First Lady kick off an evening of poetry, music, and the spoken word at the White House.

MTV has unearthed an amazing clip of David Bowie backstage at Live Aid with Thomas Dolby, talking about Labyrinth and his “Dancing in the Street” music video.

Jamila Lyiscott is a “tri-tongued orator;” in her powerful spoken-word essay “Broken English,” she celebrates — and challenges — the three distinct flavors of English she speaks with her friends, in the classroom and with her parents. As she explores the complicated history and present-day identity that each language represents, she unpacks what it means to be “articulate.”

John Tullo (Beej) from Drumroots and Tanante giving an interview about our most recent Drumroots Live event ran as a fund raiser to for all proceeds to be handed onto Médecins Sans Frontières MSF (Doctors Without Borders) for their essential and on-going work in East Africa.

Ever wondered why most Americans don't like tea? Have they ever even tasted a cup of tea properly prepared? Simon Jones is convinced that they haven't and gives a nice detailed description, taken from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," of how to make a proper cup of tea. Enjoy!