The Allusionist

As podcasts go, award-winning British show The Allusionist is a logophile’s dream.

Ever heard of Toki Pona (said to be ‘the smallest language in the world’) or indefinite hyperbolic numerals (‘zillions, jillions or squillions’)? Have you questioned Western yogic deployments of ‘namaste’, opening lines on dating apps, or dating systems of the BC, AD and BCE kind? Producer and host Helen Zaltzman is here for you.

A veteran podcaster if ever there was one – beginning with the long-running, hugely popular indie podcast Answer Me This! in 2007 – Zaltzman started making The Allusionist in 2015. In each episode, she rumbles with language with infectious verve and a generous helping of pop culture.