so I’m here today because of something that I’m very passionate about languages
that I’m very passionate about languages
that I’m very passionate about languages I’ve had an interesting relationship
I’ve had an interesting relationship
I’ve had an interesting relationship with them
with them
with them I started Turkish basically when I was
I started Turkish basically when I was
I started Turkish basically when I was born like everybody does their first
born like everybody does their first
born like everybody does their first language then at seven
language then at seven
language then at seven I started English from scratch that’s
I started English from scratch that’s
I started English from scratch that’s when I really discovered that I loved
when I really discovered that I loved
when I really discovered that I loved learning something other than my native
learning something other than my native
learning something other than my native tongue at about the same time I started
tongue at about the same time I started
tongue at about the same time I started Arabic for me the language of
Arabic for me the language of
Arabic for me the language of hospitality and a bit further on of us
hospitality and a bit further on of us
hospitality and a bit further on of us French the language of refinement and
French the language of refinement and
French the language of refinement and then Spanish the language of joy in
then Spanish the language of joy in
then Spanish the language of joy in German the language of philosophy at a
German the language of philosophy at a
German the language of philosophy at a year of Latin a sprinkle of Russian that
year of Latin a sprinkle of Russian that
year of Latin a sprinkle of Russian that okay grass with Azerbaijani and you get
okay grass with Azerbaijani and you get
okay grass with Azerbaijani and you get me now even as a little girl I was
me now even as a little girl I was
me now even as a little girl I was completely obsessed my parents remember
completely obsessed my parents remember
completely obsessed my parents remember this time in my life and laugh every
this time in my life and laugh every
this time in my life and laugh every time they do I was about four to six
time they do I was about four to six
time they do I was about four to six years old and I used to march up to my
years old and I used to march up to my
years old and I used to march up to my rooms slammed a door and just start
rooms slammed a door and just start
rooms slammed a door and just start talking to myself for hours on end now
talking to myself for hours on end now
talking to myself for hours on end now this was concerning enough as it was but
this was concerning enough as it was but
this was concerning enough as it was but the catch was that I wasn’t even
the catch was that I wasn’t even
the catch was that I wasn’t even speaking in an actual language it was
speaking in an actual language it was
speaking in an actual language it was gibberish now if you had asked me at the
gibberish now if you had asked me at the
gibberish now if you had asked me at the time I would have sat as a four-year-old
time I would have sat as a four-year-old
time I would have sat as a four-year-old I’m speaking pretend English or
I’m speaking pretend English or
I’m speaking pretend English or sometimes we pretend Arabic or pretend
sometimes we pretend Arabic or pretend
sometimes we pretend Arabic or pretend French I didn’t know any of these
French I didn’t know any of these
French I didn’t know any of these languages but I wanted to and that’s
languages but I wanted to and that’s
languages but I wanted to and that’s just a level of session that I had but
just a level of session that I had but
just a level of session that I had but throughout the years as I discovered
throughout the years as I discovered
throughout the years as I discovered more and more about my love for
more and more about my love for
more and more about my love for languages I came back to two fundamental
languages I came back to two fundamental
languages I came back to two fundamental questions where did they come from and
questions where did they come from and
questions where did they come from and where are they going
where are they going
where are they going so by now you might have started asking
so by now you might have started asking
so by now you might have started asking yourself why I’m standing here talking
yourself why I’m standing here talking
yourself why I’m standing here talking about languages and a TED talk about the
about languages and a TED talk about the
about languages and a TED talk about the future well as the answer it’s actually
future well as the answer it’s actually
future well as the answer it’s actually pretty simple languages Chronicle our
pretty simple languages Chronicle our
pretty simple languages Chronicle our society’s development they shape our
society’s development they shape our
society’s development they shape our mentality and they’re are a gift to our
mentality and they’re are a gift to our
mentality and they’re are a gift to our species it’s something that is unique to
species it’s something that is unique to
species it’s something that is unique to humankind and from the rudimentary the
humankind and from the rudimentary the
humankind and from the rudimentary the most basic scratches and
most basic scratches and
most basic scratches and is on stones in Mesopotamia to the
is on stones in Mesopotamia to the
is on stones in Mesopotamia to the socially constructed language of
socially constructed language of
socially constructed language of Esperanto they Chronicle our progression
Esperanto they Chronicle our progression
Esperanto they Chronicle our progression as a species and so what you can do is
as a species and so what you can do is
as a species and so what you can do is you can go through this timeline of
you can go through this timeline of
you can go through this timeline of lingual development and sort of look to
lingual development and sort of look to
lingual development and sort of look to the Past asking yourself what sort of
the Past asking yourself what sort of
the Past asking yourself what sort of patterns emerged and language to try to
patterns emerged and language to try to
patterns emerged and language to try to see where we’re going in the future and
see where we’re going in the future and
see where we’re going in the future and this is actually exactly what linguists
this is actually exactly what linguists
this is actually exactly what linguists are doing today they are referring back
are doing today they are referring back
are doing today they are referring back to the past analyzing a lot of
to the past analyzing a lot of
to the past analyzing a lot of complicated data and making educated
complicated data and making educated
complicated data and making educated guesses about where we’re headed but
guesses about where we’re headed but
guesses about where we’re headed but like linguists in order to look to the
like linguists in order to look to the
like linguists in order to look to the future we must first look to the past so
future we must first look to the past so
future we must first look to the past so let’s start there well actually start
let’s start there well actually start
let’s start there well actually start with a very simple word man I’m sure you
with a very simple word man I’m sure you
with a very simple word man I’m sure you all know what it means well a thousand
all know what it means well a thousand
all know what it means well a thousand years ago it would have simply meant
years ago it would have simply meant
years ago it would have simply meant human where was a word that referred to
human where was a word that referred to
human where was a word that referred to males and that led to war wolf literally
males and that led to war wolf literally
males and that led to war wolf literally man wolf and whiff was females and that
man wolf and whiff was females and that
man wolf and whiff was females and that led to you might have guessed wife and a
led to you might have guessed wife and a
led to you might have guessed wife and a thousand years ago or so man simply
thousand years ago or so man simply
thousand years ago or so man simply became gendered and linguists don’t
became gendered and linguists don’t
became gendered and linguists don’t really know why but they know that these
really know why but they know that these
really know why but they know that these stuff do happen as languages develop
stuff do happen as languages develop
stuff do happen as languages develop another word girl not simple enough and
another word girl not simple enough and
another word girl not simple enough and you might say there’s a girl talking
you might say there’s a girl talking
you might say there’s a girl talking right now and yes that is true but if
right now and yes that is true but if
right now and yes that is true but if you were in the 13th century and Cameron
you were in the 13th century and Cameron
you were in the 13th century and Cameron were up here right now you would have
were up here right now you would have
were up here right now you would have still said there’s a girl standing here
still said there’s a girl standing here
still said there’s a girl standing here talking because girls simply meant young
talking because girls simply meant young
talking because girls simply meant young person gay girls refer to females and
person gay girls refer to females and
person gay girls refer to females and knave girls to males but as time went on
knave girls to males but as time went on
knave girls to males but as time went on and young person started taking on a
and young person started taking on a
and young person started taking on a more dainty gentle connotation it became
more dainty gentle connotation it became
more dainty gentle connotation it became gendered in about the 16th century so
gendered in about the 16th century so
gendered in about the 16th century so what we know is that these types of
what we know is that these types of
what we know is that these types of things happen when a language has been
things happen when a language has been
things happen when a language has been around as long as English has but ok
around as long as English has but ok
around as long as English has but ok we’ve kind of looked at how languages
we’ve kind of looked at how languages
we’ve kind of looked at how languages develop over a millennium or a couple of
develop over a millennium or a couple of
develop over a millennium or a couple of centuries but the thing is languages are
centuries but the thing is languages are
centuries but the thing is languages are developing all the time they’re
developing all the time they’re
developing all the time they’re developing right now as we speak from
developing right now as we speak from
developing right now as we speak from day to day so although it is very easy
day to day so although it is very easy
day to day so although it is very easy to spot a
to spot a
to spot a change in a word or a thousand years
change in a word or a thousand years
change in a word or a thousand years it’s harder to spot the subtle changes
it’s harder to spot the subtle changes
it’s harder to spot the subtle changes that happen between today and tomorrow
that happen between today and tomorrow
that happen between today and tomorrow and so on so let’s look at those for a
and so on so let’s look at those for a
and so on so let’s look at those for a bit so let’s fast forward from the
bit so let’s fast forward from the
bit so let’s fast forward from the sixteenth century to the present it’s a
sixteenth century to the present it’s a
sixteenth century to the present it’s a lot of years but bear with me so for
lot of years but bear with me so for
lot of years but bear with me so for example having noticed that we’ve really
example having noticed that we’ve really
example having noticed that we’ve really started going from you talk to you are
started going from you talk to you are
started going from you talk to you are talking about 200 or 300 years ago it
talking about 200 or 300 years ago it
talking about 200 or 300 years ago it would have been very weird to say you
would have been very weird to say you
would have been very weird to say you are talking but we’re getting more
are talking but we’re getting more
are talking but we’re getting more progressive with our grammar and it’s
progressive with our grammar and it’s
progressive with our grammar and it’s completely natural to us now but it is a
completely natural to us now but it is a
completely natural to us now but it is a small subtle evolution of language and
small subtle evolution of language and
small subtle evolution of language and another one is I start to walk to I
another one is I start to walk to I
another one is I start to walk to I started walking it’s another thing it’s
started walking it’s another thing it’s
started walking it’s another thing it’s sort of the progressiveness of the
sort of the progressiveness of the
sort of the progressiveness of the language it’s developing and this next
language it’s developing and this next
language it’s developing and this next one’s my favorite because I use it all
one’s my favorite because I use it all
one’s my favorite because I use it all the time when I’m with my friends he got
the time when I’m with my friends he got
the time when I’m with my friends he got caught he got selected he got admitted
caught he got selected he got admitted
caught he got selected he got admitted well and about a hundred years ago we
well and about a hundred years ago we
well and about a hundred years ago we would have said he was caught he was
would have said he was caught he was
would have said he was caught he was selected he was admitted to get is
selected he was admitted to get is
selected he was admitted to get is replacing to be now this is kind of
replacing to be now this is kind of
replacing to be now this is kind of interesting because linguists don’t
interesting because linguists don’t
interesting because linguists don’t really know why this is happening
really know why this is happening
really know why this is happening it’s an unusual phenomenon but it is and
it’s an unusual phenomenon but it is and
it’s an unusual phenomenon but it is and the important thing is that languages
the important thing is that languages
the important thing is that languages are developing all right so now we’ve
are developing all right so now we’ve
are developing all right so now we’ve sort of looked at how a language can
sort of looked at how a language can
sort of looked at how a language can develop over a thousand years and how
develop over a thousand years and how
develop over a thousand years and how from day to day subtle changes are
from day to day subtle changes are
from day to day subtle changes are happening and they’re going to build up
happening and they’re going to build up
happening and they’re going to build up to something great so now the question
to something great so now the question
to something great so now the question really is what is that something great
really is what is that something great
really is what is that something great so can we predict what is going to
so can we predict what is going to
so can we predict what is going to happen the answer is yes well sort of
happen the answer is yes well sort of
happen the answer is yes well sort of linguists have been making a lot of
linguists have been making a lot of
linguists have been making a lot of complicated predictions about the next
complicated predictions about the next
complicated predictions about the next hundred years or so and they are divided
hundred years or so and they are divided
hundred years or so and they are divided in their ideas but they all come down to
in their ideas but they all come down to
in their ideas but they all come down to some common core ideas so I’ll just talk
some common core ideas so I’ll just talk
some common core ideas so I’ll just talk about those one of the main things they
about those one of the main things they
about those one of the main things they always talk about is inter languages I’m
always talk about is inter languages I’m
always talk about is inter languages I’m sure you’ve heard of these things like
sure you’ve heard of these things like
sure you’ve heard of these things like Spanglish Spanish English and singlish
Spanglish Spanish English and singlish
Spanglish Spanish English and singlish Singaporean English these are all around
Singaporean English these are all around
Singaporean English these are all around pop culture and we hear about them all
pop culture and we hear about them all
pop culture and we hear about them all the time when we’re talking around the
the time when we’re talking around the
the time when we’re talking around the world now these normally emerge from the
world now these normally emerge from the
world now these normally emerge from the native language of an immigrant family
native language of an immigrant family
native language of an immigrant family merging with the English that their kids
merging with the English that their kids
merging with the English that their kids speak it’s normally English because it’s
speak it’s normally English because it’s
speak it’s normally English because it’s such a global language and I’m actually
such a global language and I’m actually
such a global language and I’m actually guilty of doing this myself because
guilty of doing this myself because
guilty of doing this myself because going back home and speaking Turkish
going back home and speaking Turkish
going back home and speaking Turkish with my parents I always sprinkle in
with my parents I always sprinkle in
with my parents I always sprinkle in English words and phrases a few in each
English words and phrases a few in each
English words and phrases a few in each sentence like condiment it’s just easier
sentence like condiment it’s just easier
sentence like condiment it’s just easier I mean it avoids awkward pauses and you
I mean it avoids awkward pauses and you
I mean it avoids awkward pauses and you can switch to a different language when
can switch to a different language when
can switch to a different language when you forget a word in your own and I
you forget a word in your own and I
you forget a word in your own and I witness that a lot in the Gulf region in
witness that a lot in the Gulf region in
witness that a lot in the Gulf region in the Middle East where I traveled and
the Middle East where I traveled and
the Middle East where I traveled and lived for the last ten years the ferry
lived for the last ten years the ferry
lived for the last ten years the ferry before I came to Lawrenceville the
before I came to Lawrenceville the
before I came to Lawrenceville the children of Arab families would almost
children of Arab families would almost
children of Arab families would almost exclusively talk in English and when
exclusively talk in English and when
exclusively talk in English and when they had to talk in Arabic with their
they had to talk in Arabic with their
they had to talk in Arabic with their parents or more likely their
parents or more likely their
parents or more likely their grandparents they would talk in such a
grandparents they would talk in such a
grandparents they would talk in such a way that a person who could only speak
way that a person who could only speak
way that a person who could only speak English a few feet away could probably
English a few feet away could probably
English a few feet away could probably understand what they were saying just in
understand what they were saying just in
understand what they were saying just in the sheer amount of English words that
the sheer amount of English words that
the sheer amount of English words that they were using so I can’t really judge
they were using so I can’t really judge
they were using so I can’t really judge them because it is something that I do
them because it is something that I do
them because it is something that I do myself but the actual point is that
myself but the actual point is that
myself but the actual point is that linguists predict that these inter
linguists predict that these inter
linguists predict that these inter languages are going to develop more and
languages are going to develop more and
languages are going to develop more and more and they’re going to come even more
more and they’re going to come even more
more and they’re going to come even more common as immigration goes on and
common as immigration goes on and
common as immigration goes on and globalization occurs so they think that
globalization occurs so they think that
globalization occurs so they think that one day Spanglish and singlish and words
one day Spanglish and singlish and words
one day Spanglish and singlish and words and languages like those are going to
and languages like those are going to
and languages like those are going to become their own languages like English
become their own languages like English
become their own languages like English and German another thing that they focus
and German another thing that they focus
and German another thing that they focus a lot on is Mandarin it’s really
a lot on is Mandarin it’s really
a lot on is Mandarin it’s really important right now
important right now
important right now in Lingle field they predict that it
in Lingle field they predict that it
in Lingle field they predict that it will become a sort of future language of
will become a sort of future language of
will become a sort of future language of Commerce and finance and linguists do
Commerce and finance and linguists do
Commerce and finance and linguists do think that English is also going to
think that English is also going to
think that English is also going to continue being a very global language so
continue being a very global language so
continue being a very global language so they think that in the future these two
they think that in the future these two
they think that in the future these two languages might merge into a sort of
languages might merge into a sort of
languages might merge into a sort of supreme global language now I don’t know
supreme global language now I don’t know
supreme global language now I don’t know about you but I cannot imagine Mandarin
about you but I cannot imagine Mandarin
about you but I cannot imagine Mandarin and English merging they’re just so
and English merging they’re just so
and English merging they’re just so different and I could not even imagine
different and I could not even imagine
different and I could not even imagine what it’d be called because I don’t
what it’d be called because I don’t
what it’d be called because I don’t think would ball up the tongue as easily
think would ball up the tongue as easily
think would ball up the tongue as easily as Spanglish or Singlish but I do think
as Spanglish or Singlish but I do think
as Spanglish or Singlish but I do think it would be pretty cool
it would be pretty cool
it would be pretty cool all right now going back to my point
all right now going back to my point
all right now going back to my point about looking to the Past to predict the
about looking to the Past to predict the
about looking to the Past to predict the future the thing is we can’t always do
future the thing is we can’t always do
future the thing is we can’t always do this
this
this I mean linguists have been talking about
I mean linguists have been talking about
I mean linguists have been talking about this for a very long time and thing is
this for a very long time and thing is
this for a very long time and thing is that as time changes things change I
that as time changes things change I
that as time changes things change I mean it’s a fundamental truth of history
mean it’s a fundamental truth of history
mean it’s a fundamental truth of history history is never completely repeated it
history is never completely repeated it
history is never completely repeated it only rhymes so one major think that
only rhymes so one major think that
only rhymes so one major think that linguists are thinking of right now is
linguists are thinking of right now is
linguists are thinking of right now is something called relative isolation and
something called relative isolation and
something called relative isolation and let me give you an example of where the
let me give you an example of where the
let me give you an example of where the secured so during the fall of the Roman
secured so during the fall of the Roman
secured so during the fall of the Roman Empire the citizens of the Empire who
Empire the citizens of the Empire who
Empire the citizens of the Empire who spoke Volger Latin which is basically
spoke Volger Latin which is basically
spoke Volger Latin which is basically just slang Latin they spread around the
just slang Latin they spread around the
just slang Latin they spread around the Mediterranean and they grew apart they
Mediterranean and they grew apart they
Mediterranean and they grew apart they developed in relative isolation from one
developed in relative isolation from one
developed in relative isolation from one another and this actually caused them to
another and this actually caused them to
another and this actually caused them to become distinct dialects and further on
become distinct dialects and further on
become distinct dialects and further on as centuries and centuries went on
as centuries and centuries went on
as centuries and centuries went on different languages things like Italian
different languages things like Italian
different languages things like Italian Spanish French I mean we can argue right
Spanish French I mean we can argue right
Spanish French I mean we can argue right now that there are different languages
now that there are different languages
now that there are different languages but they all started from the same root
but they all started from the same root
but they all started from the same root of slang Latin so linguists think that
of slang Latin so linguists think that
of slang Latin so linguists think that with the development of the internet and
with the development of the internet and
with the development of the internet and globalization I mean we are completely
globalization I mean we are completely
globalization I mean we are completely global right now they think that this
global right now they think that this
global right now they think that this relative isolation would just be almost
relative isolation would just be almost
relative isolation would just be almost impossible you cannot separate two
impossible you cannot separate two
impossible you cannot separate two groups of people for enough time
groups of people for enough time
groups of people for enough time centuries centuries sometimes in
centuries centuries sometimes in
centuries centuries sometimes in millennium for their language to grow
millennium for their language to grow
millennium for their language to grow apart so they think that instead of
apart so they think that instead of
apart so they think that instead of creating new languages a lot of the time
creating new languages a lot of the time
creating new languages a lot of the time languages might simply merge become
languages might simply merge become
languages might simply merge become hybrids like Anglo Mandarin so these are
hybrids like Anglo Mandarin so these are
hybrids like Anglo Mandarin so these are the basic predictions for the future I
the basic predictions for the future I
the basic predictions for the future I mean they’re not perfect but there’s
mean they’re not perfect but there’s
mean they’re not perfect but there’s something and they’re pretty interesting
something and they’re pretty interesting
something and they’re pretty interesting to think about the thing is if I wanted
to think about the thing is if I wanted
to think about the thing is if I wanted you to take one thing from my talk today
you to take one thing from my talk today
you to take one thing from my talk today it wouldn’t be that languages are
it wouldn’t be that languages are
it wouldn’t be that languages are evolving it’s just that languages are
evolving it’s just that languages are
evolving it’s just that languages are fascinating something that I’m
fascinating something that I’m
fascinating something that I’m fascinated about they Chronicle
fascinated about they Chronicle
fascinated about they Chronicle society’s development and think about
society’s development and think about
society’s development and think about how unique it is to humanity it is a
how unique it is to humanity it is a
how unique it is to humanity it is a gift and we should cherish it and we
gift and we should cherish it and we
gift and we should cherish it and we should look out for where we think it’s
should look out for where we think it’s
should look out for where we think it’s going to go in the future that’s
going to go in the future that’s
going to go in the future that’s basically the point of all of this
basically the point of all of this
basically the point of all of this and I just like to finish with telling
and I just like to finish with telling
and I just like to finish with telling you to think of this in 500 or maybe a
you to think of this in 500 or maybe a
you to think of this in 500 or maybe a thousand years from now native English
thousand years from now native English
thousand years from now native English speakers if there are any left would be
speakers if there are any left would be
speakers if there are any left would be watching stuff like Mean Girls with
watching stuff like Mean Girls with
watching stuff like Mean Girls with subtitles on because it would be like
subtitles on because it would be like
subtitles on because it would be like complete Old English to them and that is
complete Old English to them and that is
complete Old English to them and that is the development of language thank you
”
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