Should you start a sentence with 'hopefully'? Why we might not recognize alien language.

1178. Do you cringe when someone says "Hopefully, he'll pass the test"? This week, we look at why "hopefully" as a sentence adverb has been controversial for decades, even though the Associated Press accepted it in 2012, and it's been common since the 1930s. Then, we look at xenolinguistics — the study of alien languages — asking what human languages have in common and why (and how) alien languages might be completely different. The xenolinguistics segment was by Natalie Schilling . 🔗 Join the Grammar Girl Patreon. 🔗 Share your familect recording in Speakpipe or by leaving a voicemail at 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) 🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses . 🔗

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Should you start a sentence with 'hopefully'? Why we might not recognize alien language. is an episode from Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing by Mignon Fogarty, Inc..

This episode is 18:06 long.

This episode was published on Apr 21, 2026.

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