Studying the Beauty of Different Languages

7min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

Three scholars conduct an experiment to determine the beauty of different languages using an online film about the life of Jesus recorded in hundreds of languages. The experiment reveals that there are no definitive conclusions about the prettiest or ugliest languages, but preferences for female voices, slight dislike for tonal languages, and a boost in attractiveness for familiar languages.

Generative artificial intelligence dominated conversations at Davos this year. How might education and healthcare be transformed as the technology reaches the developing world? The Notre Dame Cathedral is set to reopen this year. Come with us to visit the site in Paris (10:11). And, how lovely is your language (18:05)?

Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Podcast transcripts are available upon request at podcasts@economist.com. We are committed to improving accessibility even further and are exploring new ways to expand our podcast-transcript offering.