Explore the fascinating levels of language from micro to macro! Learn how sounds and handshapes create meaning while discovering the dynamics of syntax and morphemes. Delve into the complexities of spoken and signed languages and understand how small syntax changes can alter interpretations. The hosts also share valuable insights into historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, and even offer a DIY linguistics course for eager learners. Language is not just a tool; it's a playful adventure waiting to be explored!
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Writing vs. Riding
The word "writing" is often pronounced with a D-like sound instead of a T, like "riding."
This pronunciation difference demonstrates phonological efficiency in Canadian and Australian English.
insights INSIGHT
Sound Distinction
Sounds perceived as distinct in one language may be treated as the same in another.
This poses challenges for language learners, as in distinguishing L and R in Japanese.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Record vs Record
English words like "record" change meaning based on stress placement (record vs. record).
This morphological process demonstrates how stress can differentiate word classes.
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Julie Sedivy's "Linguaphile" delves into the intricate relationship between humans and language throughout their lives. It explores how our linguistic experiences shape our understanding of the world and ourselves. The book examines the beauty and complexity of language, highlighting its impact on our cognitive development and emotional well-being. Sedivy uses a blend of scientific research and personal anecdotes to make complex linguistic concepts accessible to a wider audience. The book is praised for its engaging style and insightful exploration of the human experience through the lens of language.
Because Internet
Understanding the New Rules of Language
Gretchen McCulloch
In 'Because Internet,' Gretchen McCulloch delves into the ways the internet has influenced language, from the development of texting and memes to the use of emojis and emoticons. The book examines how internet conversations are structured by the shape of our apps and platforms, and how social media acts as a laboratory for unedited and unfiltered language. McCulloch discusses how our online interactions reveal aspects of our identities and how language evolves quickly through online communities. She also explores the historical context of internet language, including the different generations of internet users and their unique linguistic styles[2][3][5].
When we first learn about nature, we generally start with the solid mid-sized animals: cats, dogs, elephants, tigers, horses, birds, turtles, and so on. Only later on do we zoom in and out from these charismatic megafauna to the tinier levels, like cells and bacteria, or the larger levels, like ecosystems and the water cycle. With language, words are the easily graspable charismatic megafauna (charismatic megaverba?), from which there are both micro levels (like sounds, handshapes, and morphemes) and macro levels (like sentences, conversations, and narratives).
In this episode, your hosts Lauren Gawne and Gretchen McCulloch take advantage of the aptly numbered 101th episode to get enthusiastic about linguistics from the micro to macro perspective often found in Linguistics 101 classes. We start with sounds and handshapes, moving onto accents and sound changes, fitting affixes into words, words into sentences, and sentences into discourse. We also talk about areas of linguistics that involve language at all these levels at once, including historical linguistics, child language acquisition, linguistic fieldwork, sociolinguistics, and psycholinguistics. Plus: why we don't follow this order for Lingthusiasm episodes or Crash Course Linguistics and how you can give yourself a DIY intro linguistics course.
Click here for a link to this episode in your podcast player of choice: https://episodes.fm/1186056137/episode/dGFnOnNvdW5kY2xvdWQsMjAxMDp0cmFja3MvMjAzOTAyNTM3Ng
Read the transcript here: https://lingthusiasm.com/post/776045991069728768/transcript-episode-101-ling-101
Announcements:
To celebrate Lingthusiasm now having more than 100 episodes, we have compiled a list of 101 places where you can get even more linguistics enthusiasm! This is your one-stop-shop if you want suggestions for other podcasts, books, videos, blogs, and other places online and offline to feed your interest in linguistics. Even with a hundred and one options, we're sure there's still a few that we've missed, so also feel free to tag us @ lingthusiasm on social media about your favourites!
In this month’s bonus episode we get enthusiastic about what psycholinguistics can tell us about creative writing, with Julie Sedivy, psycholinguist and the author of Memory Speaks and Linguaphile! We talk about moving from the style of scientific writing to literary writing by writing a lot of unpublished poetry to develop her aesthetic sense, how studying linguistics for a writer is like studying anatomy for a sculptor or colour theory for a painter, and how you could set up an eyetracking study to help writers figure out which sentences make their readers slow down.
Join us on Patreon now to get access to this and 90+ other bonus episodes. You’ll also get access to the Lingthusiasm Discord server where you can chat with other language nerds.
For links to things mentioned in this episode: https://lingthusiasm.com/post/776045579375640576/lingthusiasm-episode-101-micro-to-macro-the
Lingthusiasm - A podcast that's enthusiastic about linguistics 