Darwin and language diversity - Audio
By The Open University
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Description
Can Darwin's theory of evolution be applied to languages? If so what are the analogues for natural selection and species diversification? What truths does this approach reveal and what problems does it throw up? In this album Professor Mark Pagel of Reading University and Quentin Atkinson, an evolutionary biologist at Oxford, discuss the pitfalls and the up-sides to approaching language through a Darwinian model. Focussing on Indo-European languages, they show how mathematical and statistical models can be used to study the development of both particular words and of grammatical terms. Looking to the future they speculate on how language will develop in the new globalised culture. The tracks on this album were produced by The Open University in collaboration with the British Council. They form part of Darwin Now, a global initiative celebrating the life and work of Charles Darwin and the impact his ideas about evolution continue to have on today’s world. © British Council 2009.
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1 |
Darwin and language diversity | A short introduction to this album. | 8 11 2009 | Free | View in iTunes |
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2 |
Transcript -- Darwin and language diversity | Transcript -- A short introduction to this album. | 8 11 2009 | Free | View in iTunes |
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3 |
A Darwinian approach to language | What happens when you apply Darwin to the development of language? Mark Pagel and Quentin Atkinson explore the parallels. | 8 11 2009 | Free | View in iTunes |
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4 |
Transcript -- A Darwinian approach to language | Transcript -- What happens when you apply Darwin to the development of language? Mark Pagel and Quentin Atkinson explore the parallels. | 8 11 2009 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Conservation and diversification | In the tree of Indo-European languages, some words are remarkably similar across several languages, whilst many other words are remarkably different. | 8 11 2009 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Transcript -- Conservation and diversification | Transcript -- In the tree of Indo-European languages, some words are remarkably similar across several languages, whilst many other words are remarkably different. | 8 11 2009 | Free | View in iTunes |
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7 |
Revolution or evolution? | Why, when languages change, do they often do so in rapid bursts. | 8 11 2009 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Transcript -- Revolution or evolution? | Transcript -- Why, when languages change, do they often do so in rapid bursts. | 8 11 2009 | Free | View in iTunes |
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9 |
Warriors or farmers - who spread Indo-European languages? | There are two theories about the way that Indo-European languages spread - which one is correct? | 8 11 2009 | Free | View in iTunes |
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10 |
Transcript -- Warriors or farmers - who spread Indo-European languages? | Transcript -- There are two theories about the way that Indo-European languages spread - which one is correct? | 8 11 2009 | Free | View in iTunes |
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11 |
Towards a global language? | Can Darwin's theories predict the future of language? Why are languages so resilient in the face of globalisation? | 8 11 2009 | Free | View in iTunes |
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12 |
Transcript -- Towards a global language? | Transcript -- Can Darwin's theories predict the future of language? Why are languages so resilient in the face of globalisation? | 8 11 2009 | Free | View in iTunes |
| 12 Items |
