Main content
This programme will be available shortly after broadcast

The Language of the Manosphere

Dr Jessica Aiston talks to Michael Rosen about her research into the language of online misogyny

The 'Manosphere' is a group of loosely affiliated mainly young males who have developed a specialised vocabulary to discuss women online in a negative and hostile way. Some of the vocabulary is a response to feminism which some men claim is diminishing their role in society. For other men a failure to attract women has given rise to phrases such as Chad and Stacey and a belief in the 80/20 theory - that 80% of women are attracted to just 20% of men who are Alpha males or Chads.
Acronyms such as AWALT (All women are like that) and MGTOW (Men Going Their Own Way) are also used for the purpose of internet dialogue.
Dr Jessica Aiston of Queen Mary University in London is one of several linguistic researchers who submitted evidence to the UK Parliament call for research into online misogyny. She tells Michael Rosen what that research has shown her and explains some of the terms used.

How did terms like 鈥渄own the rabbit hole鈥 and 鈥済aslighting鈥 enter the English language? How do other languages adapt expressions like these? Find out in an interactive guide with The Open University鈥檚 experts. Visit the 蜜芽传媒 Radio 4Word of Mouth page and follow the links to The Open University.

Produced for 蜜芽传媒 Audio Bristol by Maggie Ayre, in partnership with the Open University.
Subscribe to the Word of Mouth podcast and never miss an episode: /sounds/brand/b006qtnz

Release date:

28 minutes

On radio

Sun 21 Sep 2025 20:00

Broadcast

  • Sun 21 Sep 2025 20:00

Explore the OU鈥檚 Cultural Idioms Guide

Explore how some cultural idioms entered the English Language.

Idioms Quiz

Explore why languages have idioms with The Open University鈥檚 quiz.

From blunk to brickfielder: our wonderful words for weather

From blunk to brickfielder: our wonderful words for weather

Exploring creative descriptions for wind, rainfall and sunny spells from around the world

Digital body language 鈥 how to communicate better online

Digital body language 鈥 how to communicate better online

We need to find new ways of talking to each other 鈥渧irtually鈥.

Coinages that changed the world 鈥 and some that tried to...

Coinages that changed the world 鈥 and some that tried to...

Exploring the hidden histories of obscure words, and common buzz phrases.

Ittibitium, borborygmus, and Ba humbugi 鈥 14 wonderful science words you鈥檝e never heard of

Ittibitium, borborygmus, and Ba humbugi 鈥 14 wonderful science words you鈥檝e never heard of

Michael Rosen puts the language of science under the microscope.

Download this programme

Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.

Keywords for Our Time

Series of programmes examining key phrases in public debate.

Smiley face: Seven things you didn't know about emoji

Some facts about emoji - possibly the world's first truly global form of communication.

The funny words that kids invent

Have a look at some of the fantastic words that children invent and reimagine.

Podcast