Folium: Does Grammar Matter via TED

… Connect TED: Does Grammar Matter? … Grammar is thought of as a set of linguistic habits. When we started out learning a language, such as English, you learn from a linguistic pattern that helps you remember what is right and what isn’t. We sometimes recognize the poor grammar of others and become so called […]

Folium: Real Talk – The Idea of Language Instinct via Aeon

… Connect Real Talk – The Idea of Language Instinct via Aeon … A key challenge that most linguists face is the question of whether or not humans are predisposed with the knowledge of language, or if they develop linguistic features listening to their parents and others speak. Most four-year-olds know thousands of words and have a sense […]

Folium: Is Speaking a Language Different From Being Fluent via MentalFloss

… Connect MentalFloss: Is Speaking a Language Different From Being Fluent? … I am under the impression that to be fluent in another language means that you speak it as well as, or almost as well as, your native language. But what does being fluent in another language actually mean? Is speaking a language different […]

Folium: How The Language You Speak Changes Your View Of The World via The Independent

… Connect The Independent: How The Language You Speak Changes Your View Of The World … I began my journey of learning a new language when I was in middle school. My middle school Spanish teacher often expressed her passion for the language and how learning a foreign language changes you. She would say “language […]

Folium: How to Understand the Deep Structures of Language via Scientific American

… Connect Scientific American: How to Understand the Deep Structures of Language … If you have ever seen a silent film then you have probably picked up on some examples of the unspoken language all humans speak to one another. Although we do not hear what is being said, the non-verbal communication a lot of […]

Folium: How to Approach Every Day Like an Explorer via National Geographic

… Connect NatGeo/Gizmodo: How to Approach Every Day Like an Explorer … While reading this article by Matt Marquez, I got the sinking feeling that I’m living my life very wrong. A handful of people I know say that they have an on-going list of activities they want to do or places they want to […]

Folium: New Study May Revolutionize Language Learning via Phys.org

… Connect Phys.org: New Study May Revolutionize Language Learning … Learning a new language seems to always be a summer goal, only when you have “enough time” to sit down and memorize some new vocabulary. But if you think about it, many say that they will and seldom do it. Learning a new language can […]

Folium: What If Everyone On Earth Spoke the Same Language via HSW

… Connect HowStuffWorks: What if everyone on Earth spoke the same language? … Did you know at one point in time everyone spoke the same language? According to old biblical stories, post-flood, you know… Noah’s Ark era, was when everyone spoke the same language. But how would that transfer over to today’s world? Could this […]

Folium: Strange Spelling Puts English-Speaking Learners At a Disadvantage via BigThink

… Connect BigThink: Strange Spelling Puts English-Speaking Learners at a Disadvantage … English is hard. Between the pronunciation and the spelling English words are extremely difficult to master to foreign speakers. Native English-speakers intuitively know what order to put words in, but this is hard to teach to those just learning the language. The difference […]

Folium: How Learning Languages and Music Are Linked via The Conversation

… Connect How Are Learning Languages and Music Linked via The Conversation … For some people, music is what makes them tick. They cannot live without music. And truthfully, no one can really live without music. There are patterns within music that our brain attaches onto in order to communicate. There are sounds and repetitions […]