Conversations with Tyler John McWhorter on Linguistics, Music, and Race (Live at Mason)
Mar 11, 2020
John McWhorter, a prominent linguist, podcaster, and author, shares his insights on an array of fascinating topics. He argues for colloquial Indonesian as the ideal universal language and dives into the origins of Creole languages. The conversation touches on why Mandarin won't replace English as the global lingua franca, the historical influence of Vikings on modern English, and reflections on race in American musical works like Gershwin's 'Porgy and Bess.' McWhorter also discusses the decline of regional accents and the complexities of language learning.
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Estonian Complexity
- Estonian has 16 cases and many dialects due to its small speaker population and limited exposure to second-language learners.
- The lack of adult learners allows Estonian to become more complex and ingrown, unlike its simpler sister language, Finnish.
Language Inefficiency
- Languages are inherently inefficient and overly complex, far exceeding what is necessary for basic communication.
- This complexity is partly due to the vast capacity of a toddler's brain to absorb language, making simplification unlikely.
Universal Language
- John McWhorter advocates for a streamlined universal language, suggesting colloquial Indonesian as a prime example.
- He finds English ugly and prefers a language easily learned in a month rather than simplified English.