In what was meant to be a casual chat, cognitive scientist Dr Mark Ellison answers galaxy-brain-level questions about how language works.

• Why aren't we more efficient with language?
• How do we know when something has gone wrong in a conversation?
• Why don't we just talk in a flat monotone all the time?
• Why do fairy tales start a certain way?
• Why is it so tiring to speak another language?

Fortunately, he helps us keep our eyes on the ball for this episode.