Dr Thomas Bak, University of Edinburgh, School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences
Monday 4 December 2023 (18:00-19:15)| Free | Venue: Godfrey Thomson Hall
What’s the point of learning languages in the age of automatic translation? Doesn’t everybody speak English anyway? And, if we really have to learn a language, what’s the best method, leading quickly to perfect mastery, with as little effort as possible?
Drawing on Thomas' experience as a cognitive neurologist, as well as an avid language learner, this lecture will question the implicit assumptions made about language learning. Are languages really just about communication? Is learning them always a burden? Should we make everything as easy as possible or can effort be a good thing? And can you fall in love with a grammar?!