Dr. Valerie Fridland
Dr. Valerie Fridland
Sociolinguist, Author, Professor of Linguistics | University of Nevada
Valerie Fridland is a professor of linguistics at University of Nevada, Reno and the author of “Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English.” She writes a monthly blog for Psychology Today, is a regular guest writer for the popular Grammar Girl podcast and has a lecture series, Language and Society, available with The Great Courses. She is a two-time National Endowment for the Humanities fellow and her scholarly research is supported by the National Science Foundation.
A frequent radio and podcast guest, her popular facing work has been featured or discussed in media outlets ranging from the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times to Armchair Expert, Entrepreneur, Marketplace and NPR. She is currently working on her new book, “Why We Talk Funny,” coming out in spring 2026 with Penguin Random House, exploring the fascinating science and little-known history behind the accents that have come to define us.
