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The contronym conundrum

Inside Language | A surprising number of English words have completely different meanings in different contexts. Linguist Kate Burridge discusses why with Peter Clarke

Kate Burridge & Peter Clarke 28 March 2016 49 words

English is peppered with contronyms – those words that mean one thing in one context, and the opposite in another. Where do they come from and what do they signify, asks linguist Kate Burridge in this conversation with Peter Clarke.

Duration: 9 minutes 22 seconds

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Kate Burridge is professor of linguistics at Monash University. Peter Clarke is a Melbourne-based broadcaster, writer and educator who pioneered national talkback on Australian radio as the inaugural presenter of Offspring (now Life Matters) on ABC Radio National.

Topics: Inside Language | language | podcast

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