Ep #38: Reading in Foreign Languages: Advice and Techniques

In this episode, I'll be talking with Madeline Snigaroff, a current Ph.D. student studying linguistics. We'll discuss her field of study and the Aleut language, which is part of the Eskimo-Aleut language family. She will also share her efforts in revitalizing the language and the underlying process.

Do you ever wonder how your different manners of expression change in different social environments? Or how our ears often pick up different phonetic sounds? In this episode, I'll be talking with Anna-Marie, a current PhD linguistics student at the University of Chicago. We'll be delving into her areas of study, discussing the third wave of sociolinguistics and its current debates that are shaping the future of this field. Additionally, we explore the theoretical frameworks used in sociolinguistic research. You can check her out more here: https://linguistics.uchicago.edu/anna-marie-sprenger 

In this episode, I'll be talking with Ivy, a bilingual reader who has read over 100 novels in foreign languages, with a focus on Chinese. We'll be talking about her experiences, what insights she's gained throughout the process, what methods we use to make the most out of the reading process to guide us in our language journies, and suggestions for beginners. You can check out her Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/packingmylibrary/ 

In this episode, I'll be talking with Tamisha Tan, a current linguistics student studying at Harvard University and who will be sharing all about her research on the Austronesian languages of West Timor as well as the field of historical linguistics. We'll be discussing topics from how historical languages can inform our understanding of modern languages, how dialectical differences form, and the process behind how historical linguists decipher languages. 

In this episode, I'll be talking with Natasha Thalluri, a linguistics graduate student, who will be sharing all about the fascinating realm of language typology, which is a field that classifies languages according to their structural features. This is part 2 of our conversation so make sure you check out part 1 if you haven't already! 

In this episode, I'll be talking with Natasha Thalluri, a linguistics graduate student, who will be sharing all about the fascinating realm of gesture semantics. We'll delve into how our everyday gestures evolve to form meaning, differ from other forms of nonverbal communication, and the intersections of the field of ASL. 

In this episode, I'll be talking with Emily, an international adoptee from China who is currently studying German, Spanish, Italian, Turkish, Arabic, and Russian. She'll share her perspective on language learning as an adoptee and how languages have contributed to her sense of identity and belonging. Emily will also share her language journey, what challenges she's encountered along the way, and advice she has to share.  Please check out her Instagram @languagetravelingadoptee and YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/ehhmuhhlee18 

Latin, Ancient Greek, Middle English.. These are just a few examples of what are considered 'ancient languages.' In part 2 of my conversation with Tilly Brooks, we'll be delving into the fascinating field of ancient languages, exploring questions like what is considered an ancient language? Why do they die out? How can we translate them if we have no English dictionary or guidance? She'll wrap up our discussion with a reflection on the importance of learning ancient languages even in our modern days. 

How do words change meaning over time? Is a hotdog considered a 'sandwich?' In this podcast episode, I'll be talking with Tilly Brooks (https://ling.yale.edu/people/tilly-brooks) , a current senior at Yale University studying linguistics. We'll be delving into the fascinating linguistical theories behind semantics- the study of meaning and exploring how different languages draw semantic lines and whether there are overlaps between them. 

In this episode, I'll be talking with Stefani Kostadinova, a polyglot from Bulgaria who speaks Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, French, and Greek. She will be sharing about her language journey, what inspired her to learn so many languages and top misconceptions she's heard about the language learning process. She'll be ending the conversation with a spark of motivation for those who feel unmotivated to study a language they don't immediately like. You can find her YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/c/PolyglotSecrets/about