Multilinguish

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

Switching between languages is a natural part of being bilingual — but why? How does the bilingual brain work, is it difficult to keep your languages separated, and what does code-switching say about us as language learners and social beings? We answer these questions together with experts from Babbel's team of linguists and a bilingual panel.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-code-switching-decoded Special thanks to Jennifer Dorman, Michela Mosca and Todd Ehresmann.

77% of language learners find speaking (and listening) to be the most challenging part of learning a language. We talk about the anxiety that comes with having conversations in a foreign language and offer some tips, tricks and strategies for not giving up when the going gets tough.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-foreign-language-anxietySpecial thanks to Áine Gallagher for her contributions to this episode.

Throughout our lives, people try to affect the way we talk, whether it be elementary school teachers or inclusive-language activists. We look at how people have tried to change language historically, and what the impacts of so-called "verbal hygiene" are on our everyday lives.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-verbal-hygiene

From Dothraki in 'Game Of Thrones' to Esperanto, we explore the universe of constructed languages, or conlangs. Whether they're crafted for pop culture and entertainment, or designed as a tool for global unity, why would someone want to make up a language in the first place?Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-conlangsSpecial thanks to Ben Wood, Thomas Alexander of the Esperanto Variety Show, and David J. Peterson for their contributions to this episode.

What's the deal with the way Gen Z is talking? And why have young people been "ruining" (a.k.a. creating) language since the dawn of time? We brought in an intergenerational panel to talk growing up, learning slang, and speaking the code of our peers.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-language-is-for-the-youngSpecial thanks to Yulia Laricheva for taking the time to talk to us.

Are polyglots born or made? Believe it or not, these elusive creatures are just like us. We ask two polyglots — one who speaks 5 languages and another who speaks 21 — how and why they learned multiple languages, and what obstacles they had to overcome along the way.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine:babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-secrets-of-the-polyglots/‎Special thanks to Bruno Beidacki and Steve Kaufmann. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCez-2shYlHQY3LfILBuDYqQ

Is comedy the same everywhere? If you've ever tried to tell a joke in another language and had it fall flat, you may say "no." We talk about how comedy in translation is complex, and we have multilingual comedian Eddie Izzard explain how and why she's learned to perform standup comedy in multiple languages. Note: Since this episode aired, Izzard has started using “she”/“her” pronouns. Because of this, the pronouns used in the episode are outdated. Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI. For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-how-to-be-funny/ Special thanks to Eddie Izzard for taking the time to talk to us.

ASMR, hypnosis, healing crystals, learning in your sleep. Can any of these "alternative" language-learning methods actually work? Or are you wasting your time and money? We bust some myths about these unconventional techniques and discuss how they could potentially supplement your studies.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine:babbel.com/magazine/multilinguish-asmr-hypnosis-crystalsSpecial thanks to Elise ASMR and Dr. Steve G. Jones. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChCV973VxXQjLXmDo2Ufqzw/featured

One language dies approximately every 14 days, and we're on track for half of the world's languages to go extinct by the end of this century. We spoke with the director and co-founder of Wikitongues about why we should be hopeful about language revitalization anyway.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.Special thanks to Daniel Bögre Udell for taking the time to talk to us for this episode.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine:babbel.com/magazine/multilinguish-dead-and-endangered-languages/

Why does it seem like Europeans are better at learning languages than Americans and Brits? The team talks to language experts about how geography, education and motivation drive this divide, and what we can do to close the gap.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.Special thanks to Markus Witte, Caroline Paboeuf, Jenny Dorman and Sophie Harwood.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine:babbel.com/magazine/multilinguish-european-american-language-learning/