Shiv on Learning

Video: Why do we talk?

Great BBC documentary exploring the the origin of speech and language acquisition.

The shows official website with extra clips can be found here. Those of you in the UK can watch the full thing on the BBC iplayer .

I recommend watching the whole thing but here are some chapters particularly significant to language learning:

2. How do children learn to speak?

Dr Deb Roy has used cameras and microphones to record all his son’s noises and speech from birth until he was three years old, so he can understand how we learn to talk.

4. How does the brain work with regards to speech?

Steve Steere was involved in an accident which left him unable to speak properly. Now, Steve undergoes testing to see what parts of the brain are involved in speech development and usage.

6. Why is it difficult to learn a language as an adult?

Christopher Taylor is autistic and can speak over 20 languages. This also means he can learn words in new languages at an exceptional rate.

10. Final Summary

Language and speech will change from generation to generation, with many different aspects effecting its development.