Episode 190: Union, Division and Unusual U

Summary

In this episode, the host explores the pivotal decade of the 1640s, a period marked by both the English Civil War and significant shifts in the English language. The narrative begins with the publication of George Herbert’s Outlandish Proverbs, a collection that introduced many idioms still in use today—such as the earliest recorded versions of phrases like where there’s a will, there’s a way—and which served as a notable influence on Benjamin Franklin’s later work. The episode then transitions to the political instability of the era, detailing how King Charles I’s failed attempt to impose religious reforms on Scotland led to his humiliating defeat and the subsequent rise of the Long Parliament. As England descended into civil war, language itself underwent a parallel transformation. The host provides a fascinating analysis of the letter U, explaining why English speakers say "a university" rather than "an university." This linguistic anomaly is traced back to the Great Vowel Shift and the influence of French loanwords, which introduced a "y-glide" sound to the letter. By examining these phonetic changes alongside the political turmoil of the 1640s, the episode offers a rich perspective on how English evolved during one of Britain's most volatile centuries.

Updated Jun 30, 2026