Your Brain On Language

Is it possible to tell the whole history of a language in under half an hour? In this episode, we try our best. In the season finale, the whole Multilinguish team gets together to focus on five key moments in English language history, from its start as Proto-Indo-European to its role as a global lingua franca today. We explore how humans changed language, and how language changed us. For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-the-story-of-english Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/coupons/new and using the code MULTI

Which language should you learn? It can be hard to decide between so many incredible options, but we have a few in particular for you to consider. In this episode, our language experts reveal the top 3 easiest and hardest languages (in their humble opinion) for English speakers to learn. We discuss what makes these languages particularly easy or challenging and why they're worth taking the time to learn regardless.  Special thanks to Elin Asklöv and Ted Mentele for lending their insight on this episode.  For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-easiest-hardest-languages Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting https://www.babbel.com/coupons/new and using the code MULTI

Most of us are familiar with the folktales of the Brothers Grimm, from Cinderella to Sleeping Beauty to Snow White. But how much do you know about the impressive legacies of the men behind these magic and mysterious stories? In this episode, we dive into the work of Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm — not only as collectors of generations of oral tradition but also as linguists and language scholars whose near-lifelong dedication to the German people and their language contributed to the flourishing of the German national spirit from a linguistic lens. For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-the-brothers-grimm/ Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting https://www.babbel.com/coupons/new and using the code MULTI.

Early education is designed to set you up for success, but it also often sets you up for a certain amount of disillusionment as you get older. The language classroom is no exception. In this episode, we talk about what makes language learning so different as an adult when you're free to self-direct your own process. Then, we deliver a rousing exposé on the biggest lies our language teachers personally told us. For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-language-myths/ Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/coupons/new and using the code MULTI.

How do babies learn languages? We don't know for sure. One of the leading theories is Universal Grammar, which is the idea that humans are genetically predisposed to acquire languages, but not all linguists agree on this. In this episode, we talk about this theory, its originator Noam Chomsky and why Universal Grammar has become one of the most divisive topics in linguistics.  Special thanks to Jennifer Dorman for her help and insight on this episode.  For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-universal-grammar Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting https://www.babbel.com/coupons/new and using the code MULTI.

If you're like us, you love the idea of being able to communicate with animals. But how realistic is this dream? From prairie dogs to dolphins to Koko the Gorilla, we look at the surprisingly complex language animals use with each other and attempts to teach them human language. Special thanks to Con Slobodchikoff for taking the time to speak with us for this episode. For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-animal-language/ Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/coupons/new and using the code MULTI.

What exactly goes on in your head when you're speaking a language? What happens when you learn a new one, or forget your mother tongue as you age in another country? Does reading Braille require different parts of your brain than reading text on a page? Why does the aphasia patient sing? In this episode, we’ll deconstruct the parts of the brain that make language possible by quite literally bringing them to life. For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-your-brain-on-language   Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting https://www.babbel.com/coupons/new and using the code MULTI.

Every year, dictionaries and language organizations around the world choose a word that they think best sums up the previous 12 months. In 2020, there were a few obvious choices. But rather than spending the whole time talking about coronavirus, we go beyond the top words and look at all of the terms and phrases that defined a historic year.  For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-words-of-the-year-2020  Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting https://www.babbel.com/coupons/new and using the code MULTI.

You've probably been told countless times to avoid "like," "um" and "uh" in your speech. But these words may serve more of a linguistic purpose than many of us realize. In this episode, we look at the science behind using these filler words in conversation to find out why they're actually, um, like, normal. And we take a look at how they appear in languages across the world. Special thanks to James Douglas for taking the time to speak with us for this episode. For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-filler-words Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting https://www.babbel.com/coupons/new and using the code MULTI.

Buckle up for season 3 of Multilinguish – coming this winter to a podcast feed near you. This season, Babbel's content team brings you fun facts and fascinating conversations about animal languages, filler words, the Brothers Grimm, how language-learning works in the brain, and much more. Subscribe now!  Learn more about Multilinguish here: https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/language-linguistics-podcast-multilinguish