{"href":"https://api.simplecast.com/oembed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgrammar-girl-grammarpaloozian-bonus-feed.simplecast.com%2Fepisodes%2F1159-bonus-mcCZEXBl","width":444,"version":"1.0","type":"rich","title":"Why the much maligned 'um' rhetorical power.","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/144e46c6-af93-41fd-b037-2ab1fda9b542/ce075fd3-781a-43fb-9ef3-a465b9d2739d/grammar_girl_assets_templates_2_fb_ig_profile_picture_v1.jpg","thumbnail_height":300,"provider_url":"https://simplecast.com","provider_name":"Simplecast","html":"<iframe src=\"https://player.simplecast.com/a9cb01e1-41c9-492c-8e93-07971e84728b\" height=\"200\" width=\"100%\" title=\"Why the much maligned &apos;um&apos; rhetorical power.\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>","height":200,"description":"In the bonus this week, we look at the much-maligned word \"um\" and its evolving role in the English language. This segment written by Edwin Battistella covers the difference between using \"um\" to start a sentence versus placing it before a specific word, and what these choices tell the reader about the speaker's true intent."}