How To Academy Podcast Laura Spinney - How One Ancient Language Went Global
Jul 22, 2025
Laura Spinney, a science journalist and author of 'Proto', dives into the captivating story of Proto-Indo-European, the ancient language that shaped much of the world today. She discusses the linguistic journey from the Black Sea to regions like Scotland and China, emphasizing how migrations and cultural exchanges influenced language evolution. Spinney also unpacks the vital role of the Yamnaya people in this spread, challenging notions of violent conquest, and highlights how language intertwines with identity and historical narratives across diverse civilizations.
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Reconstructing Proto-Indo-European
- Proto-Indo-European is a reconstructed language based on similarities among ancient Indo-European languages like Sanskrit, Latin, and Greek.
- Linguists use systematic rules of sound evolution and cognates to infer its ancestral forms.
Black Sea Sparks Language Spread
- The Black Sea's reconnection to the oceans after the last Ice Age triggered cultural and linguistic exchanges.
- This event enabled trade, mingling of peoples, and the emergence of new languages post-agriculture.
Varna Cemetery Metalworkers
- The Varna cemetery revealed a wealthy culture of skilled copper and gold workers trading across Eurasia.
- This discovery challenged prior assumptions about Europe's metalworking history and highlighted early international trade.
