Whose English is it anyway?
In this film, James explores how there are now more non-native English speakers than native speakers. Feel free to add any further comments in the usual fashion – you may …
Course: The Power of Languages
Diglossia in German-speaking Switzerland
The modern, standard form of German, known as Hochdeutsch or ‘High German’, is a variety of the language used in Germany, Austria and parts of Switzerland in education, media and …
The standardisation of Italian
Italy’s linguistic landscape is remarkably complex. Although many Italians will tell you they speak dialetto (‘dialect’) at home, what they are often referring to is not a dialect of Standard …
Language academies
Language academies are institutions established with the aim of regulating, standardising and preserving languages. This is what legal professor Yehonatan Givati (2019) refers to as a “planned-order” approach to language …
Attitudes towards variation
In this film, Maria explore attitudes towards variation in Italy. Is there anything that strikes you as worthy of further discussion? As always, share your thoughts in the comments section.
Korea and the K-wave
On 21st December 2012, Psy’s “Gangnam Style” became the first video to reach one billion views on YouTube. Not only did the video spark a global dance craze, it signalled …
Language as soft power
In this film, Angela talks about soft power and how it is becoming increasingly important to promote language and culture non-coercively. If you have any further thoughts about this film, …
European languages go global
As we have seen, languages have always come into contact and influenced each other. As a result, languages and language families have spread throughout the world, shaping communities and often …
Languages as hard power
In this film, Sam talks about Russification. Is there anything here you were not aware of before? Feel free to add any thoughts to the comments section.
Welcome to the course
Welcome to the course! Over the next three weeks, we will explore the role that languages play in every facet of life and how they can be used, for good …
Language contact through technology
In this film, Jamie talks about the Japanese influence on English and other languages, largely through technology. Is there anything that you would like to discuss further? Feel free to …
Contact through trade and migration
The movement of people through migration and trade has always brought speakers of different languages into contact. These encounters can be brief and their effects limited to changes in vocabulary, …
Language contact in the EU
The European Union (EU) has 24 official languages, so it’s no wonder the corridors of the European Commission resonate with the hum of Hungarian, the melodies of Maltese and the …
