In an ordinary busy life, it’s hard sometimes to find time to sit down and devote even fifteen minutes to a vocabulary study program. Fortunately, with today’s technology, there are many ways to access information on vocabulary, and if you have a radio, or can tune into a radio station on your computer, you should be able to find one or more of the programs we highlight below. In addition, many of these programs have podcasts available, so if you don’t have time to listen to the shows live, you can download the podcasts and listen to them while riding the bus to work, or walking the dog in the evening.

The radio show “Says You!” describes itself as “a game of words and whimsy, bluff and bluster” and involves a panel of word-savvy folks playing a variation on the game Fictionary, where an unusual or obscure word is given to one team member along with the correct definition, the two other team members must come up with a fictional definition for the word, and the opposing team has to pick the real definition from the three presented. They also play other word games, discuss language-related trivia, and answer questions from the audience that have been submitted through their website. The show is taped live in various locations around the United States. Look on their website to see if the production will be in your area soon, and also to find radio stations where you can listen to the show.

“A Way With Words” is a call-in show that answers listeners’ questions about vocabulary, grammar, word origins, and anything else word-related that people are interested in. This show is aired on many public radio stations in the United States (you can check the site for a station in your broadcast area). Recent episodes included discussions on how to pronounce the word niche, the etymology of the word frenetic, and how Twitter is changing the way we use language. These shows are also available as podcasts.

The BBC’s “Learning English” website is a world-wide and excellent resource for general information about vocabulary and language, with sections on business English, pronunciation, and grammar. They’ve got on-line quizzes to test your skills, and a YouTube-based broadcast called “The Flatmates” that gives examples of using vocabulary in context. While the BBC radio network has in the past broadcast word-related shows (both quiz shows and documentaries) they do not currently have a regular feature. However, you can download the “Learning English” segments in MP3 format to listen to offline.

The ABC is the Australian broadcasting network, and they offer the radio show “Lingua Franca,” which covers a wide range of topics related to vocabulary and language. You can listen to their shows live, download podcasts, or read transcripts of previous shows. While this isn’t a program that focuses on learning vocabulary, it’s an always-interesting discussion about the way language shapes our lives.

Do you have a radio show or podcast to recommend? Let us know!