John McWhorter Describes Human Language'...

Emanuel Leutze's iconic painting Washington Crossing the Delaware shows the general standing heroically at the bow of his boat, staring toward an unseen enemy across the icy river. But who were those enemies waiting on the other side? They were Hessian soldiers from a small Germa ... Show More

For nearly two thousand years, swords reigned as humanity's weapon of choice—the first tools designed exclusively to kill other humans rather than hunt animals. When archaeologist Paul Gething rediscovered a rusty blade forgotten in a suitcase for thirty years, he unknowingly hel ... Show More

Science progresses through breakthrough discoveries, but behind many of the field's greatest advancements lies a darker history of scientific dysfunction—hostile competition, information hoarding, and criticism that has silenced revolutionary thinkers. From Alexander Gordon being ... Show More

<p>Around the world, 2.3 billion people speak English, and for most of them it is an extra, rather than their first, language.</p> <p><br></p> <p>In many countries, English is also used to teach most academic subjects at schools and universities – even where most of the populatio ... Show More

My guest today is someone who I believe, without exaggeration, will help transform the way people learn ancient languages for years to come. While our institutional academies crumble, a new academy is quietly emerging in independent organizations like the Ancient Language Institu ... Show More

Why modern communication still relies on ancient words and narratives.All communication and connection depend on one thing: language. That’s why Laura Spinney says understanding language — where it comes from and how it evolves over time — can help us use it more effectively.“Lan ... Show More

There are thousands of languages in the world. Some are spoken by billions of people, others by less than one hundred! Which country has the most languages? In this episode I’ll answer that question, look at some of the languages spoken in that country, and try to explain why the ... Show More

<p><strong>Is the Way You Speak Limiting How You Think?</strong></p><p>For years, scientists debated how language shapes the brain, but new research reveals it goes far beyond communication. Some languages lack numbers, grammar, or even complex sentences—yet their speakers naviga ... Show More

<p>A woman on a mission to help people around the world learn languages, today we are speaking to Lindsay Does Languages, an incredible woman who  speaks 14+ languages, has a MA in Applied Linguistics and has spent the last few years creating courses and programmes that help adul ... Show More

<p>It's always a bit sad to hear someone say they didn&rsquo;t want to travel somewhere because they were worried about not being able to get by in a foreign language. Struggling to communicate can be half the fun of a trip (at least in retrospect!) and we can learn so much from ... Show More

What does the future hold for the English language? And how is technology transforming the way we speak, write and connect across borders?In this episode of Our World, Connected, host Christine Wilson explores how digital culture is reshaping the English language, from the rise o ... Show More

Let's be honest: the concept of writing stuff down is both brilliant and insane. Right now, all around the world, countless people are scrawling or typing messages that may last long after the writer has passed from this mortal plane - in a way, reading your favorite dead authors ... Show More

<p>Want to learn a language by yourself, but not sure how? Find out how to learn a language from home with John Fotheringham, who has spent two decades learning what works—and what doesn’t.</p> <p>John is an author, linguist, teacher, and creator of <a href="http://languagemaster ... Show More