[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:01.66,0:00:02.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Spoons.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:04.94,0:00:06.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Cardboard boxes.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.30,0:00:09.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Toddler-size electric trains.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.52,0:00:11.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Holiday ornaments.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:12.44,0:00:13.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bounce houses.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.29,0:00:15.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Blankets.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.60,0:00:16.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Baskets.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.23,0:00:18.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Carpets.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.50,0:00:19.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Tray tables.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.67,0:00:21.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Smartphones.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.10,0:00:22.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Pianos.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.28,0:00:24.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Robes.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.62,0:00:25.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Photographs.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.42,0:00:28.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What do all of these things\Nhave in common,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.47,0:00:31.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,aside from the fact they're photos\Nthat I took in the last three months,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.93,0:00:33.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and therefore, own the copyright to?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.79,0:00:35.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.32,0:00:36.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're all inventions
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.88,0:00:40.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that were created\Nwith the benefit of language.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.55,0:00:43.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,None of these things\Nwould have existed without language.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.27,0:00:45.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Imagine creating any one of those things
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.26,0:00:48.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or, like, building\Nan entire building like this,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.03,0:00:50.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,without being able to use language
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.41,0:00:54.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or without benefiting from any knowledge\Nthat was got by the use of language.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.97,0:00:59.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Basically, language\Nis the most important thing
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.04,0:01:00.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the entire world.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.24,0:01:03.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All of our civilization rests upon it.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.31,0:01:05.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And those who devote\Ntheir lives to studying it --
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.78,0:01:10.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,both how language emerged,\Nhow human languages differ,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.80,0:01:13.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how they differ from\Nanimal communication systems --
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.33,0:01:14.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are linguists.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:15.14,0:01:20.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Formal linguistics is a relatively\Nyoung field, more or less.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.10,0:01:23.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's uncovered a lot\Nof really important stuff.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.52,0:01:26.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like, for example, that human\Ncommunication systems
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.08,0:01:28.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,differ crucially from animal\Ncommunication systems,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.86,0:01:31.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that all languages are equally expressive,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.55,0:01:33.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even if they do it in different ways.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.100,0:01:37.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And yet, despite this,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.30,0:01:41.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there are a lot of people\Nwho just love to pop off about language
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.94,0:01:45.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like they have an equal\Nunderstanding of it as a linguist,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.58,0:01:47.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because, of course, they speak a language.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:47.64,0:01:50.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if you speak a language,\Nthat means you have just as much right
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.84,0:01:52.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to talk about its function\Nas anybody else.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.95,0:01:54.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Imagine if you were talking to a surgeon,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.97,0:01:56.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you say, "Listen, buddy.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.50,0:01:58.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I've had a heart for, like, 40 years now.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.49,0:02:01.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think I know a thing or two\Nabout aortic valve replacements.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.46,0:02:03.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think my opinion\Nis just as valid as yours."
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.70,0:02:05.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And yet, that's exactly what happens.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.52,0:02:09.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is Neil deGrasse Tyson,\Nsaying that in the film "Arrival,"
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.97,0:02:12.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he would have brought a cryptographer --
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.15,0:02:15.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,somebody who can unscramble a message\Nin a language they already know --
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.99,0:02:17.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,rather than a linguist,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.29,0:02:18.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to communicate with the aliens,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.95,0:02:21.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because what would a linguist --
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.08,0:02:23.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,why would that be useful\Nin talking to somebody
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.32,0:02:25.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,speaking a language we don't even know?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.25,0:02:27.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Though, of course, the "Arrival" film\Nis not off the hook.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.01,0:02:30.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, come on --\Nlisten, film. Hey, buddy:
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.10,0:02:33.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there are aliens that come down\Nto our planet in gigantic ships,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.16,0:02:36.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they want to do nothing\Nexcept for communicate with us,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.98,0:02:39.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you hire one linguist?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.27,0:02:40.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.31,0:02:42.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What's the US government\Non a budget or something?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.03,0:02:44.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.64,0:02:47.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A lot of these things can be\Nchalked up to misunderstandings,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.57,0:02:51.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,both about what language is\Nand about the formal study of language,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.07,0:02:52.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about linguistics.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.57,0:02:57.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I think there's something that\Nunderlies a lot of these misunderstandings
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.02,0:03:02.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that can be summed up\Nby this delightful article in "Forbes,"
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.58,0:03:06.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about why high school students\Nshouldn't learn foreign languages.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.30,0:03:08.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm going to pull out\Nsome quotes from this,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.46,0:03:10.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I want you to see\Nif you can figure out
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.54,0:03:14.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what underlies some\Nof these opinions and ideas.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.93,0:03:19.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Americans rarely read the classics,\Neven in translation."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.04,0:03:21.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in other words, why bother\Nlearning a foreign language
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.76,0:03:25.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when they're not even going to read\Nthe classic in the original anyway?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.23,0:03:26.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What's the point?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.44,0:03:29.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Studying foreign languages in school\Nis a waste of time,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.24,0:03:32.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,compared to other things\Nthat you could be doing in school."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.89,0:03:37.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Europe has a lot of language groups\Nclustered in a relatively small space."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.82,0:03:41.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So for Americans, ah, what's the point\Nof learning another language?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.36,0:03:44.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You're not really going to get\Na lot of bang for your buck out of that.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.74,0:03:45.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is my favorite,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:45.92,0:03:48.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"A student in Birmingham\Nwould have to travel
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.09,0:03:50.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about a thousand miles\Nto get to the Mexican border,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.60,0:03:54.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and even then, there would be enough\Npeople who speak English to get around."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.63,0:03:57.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In other words, if you can\Nkind of wave your arms around,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:57.35,0:03:59.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you can get to where you're going,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:59.20,0:04:02.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then there's really no point\Nin learning another language anyway.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.28,0:04:07.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What underlies a lot of these attitudes\Nis the conceptual metaphor,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.33,0:04:08.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,language is a tool.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:08.92,0:04:11.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And there's something that rings\Nvery true about this metaphor.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.90,0:04:13.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Language is kind of a tool
Dialogue: 0,0:04:13.17,0:04:16.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in that, if you know the local language,\Nyou can do more than if you didn't.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:16.80,0:04:19.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the implication is that\Nlanguage is only a tool,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.82,0:04:21.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this is absolutely false.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.84,0:04:25.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If language was a tool,\Nit would honestly be a pretty poor tool.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.17,0:04:28.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we would have abandoned it long ago\Nfor something that was a lot better.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.80,0:04:30.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Think about just any sentence.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.36,0:04:33.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here's a sentence that I'm sure I've said\Nin my life: "Yesterday I saw Kyn."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.02,0:04:35.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I have a friend named Kyn.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.29,0:04:38.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And when I say this sentence,\N"Yesterday I saw Kyn,"
Dialogue: 0,0:04:38.10,0:04:39.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,do you think it's really the case
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.85,0:04:43.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that everything in my mind\Nis now implanted in your mind
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.10,0:04:44.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,via this sentence?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.30,0:04:46.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hardly, because there's a lot\Nof other stuff going on.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.86,0:04:48.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like, when I say "yesterday,"
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.28,0:04:51.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I might think what the weather\Nwas like yesterday because I was there.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.61,0:04:52.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if I'm remembering,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.78,0:04:56.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'll probably remember there was something\NI forgot to mail, which I did.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.25,0:04:59.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This was a preplanned joke,\Nbut I really did forget to mail something.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.59,0:05:02.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so that means\NI'm going to have to do it Monday,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:02.46,0:05:04.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because that's when\NI'm going to get back home.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:04.68,0:05:06.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And of course, when I think of Monday,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.52,0:05:09.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'll think of "Manic Monday"\Nby the Bangles. It's a good song.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.50,0:05:12.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And when I say the word "saw,"\NI think of this phrase:
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.78,0:05:15.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"'I see!' said the blind man\Nas he picked up his hammer and saw."
Dialogue: 0,0:05:15.89,0:05:17.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I always do.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.06,0:05:20.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Anytime I hear the word "saw" or say it,\NI always think of that,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.16,0:05:22.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because my grandfather\Nalways used to say it,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.28,0:05:24.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so it makes me think of my grandfather.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.17,0:05:26.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we're back to "Manic Monday"\Nagain, for some reason.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.84,0:05:30.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And with Kyn, when I'm saying\Nsomething like, "Yesterday I saw Kyn,"
Dialogue: 0,0:05:30.12,0:05:33.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'll think of the circumstances\Nunder which I saw him.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.25,0:05:36.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this happened to be that day.\NHere he is with my cat.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.05,0:05:37.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And of course, if I'm thinking of Kyn,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.90,0:05:40.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'll think he's going to\NLong Beach State right now,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:40.40,0:05:43.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I'll remember that\Nmy good friend John and my mother
Dialogue: 0,0:05:43.06,0:05:44.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,both graduated from Long Beach State,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.85,0:05:47.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,my cousin Katie is going to\NLong Beach State right now.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.72,0:05:49.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's "Manic Monday" again.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:49.18,0:05:51.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But this is just a fraction\Nof what's going on in your head
Dialogue: 0,0:05:51.99,0:05:54.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at any given time while you are speaking.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:54.30,0:05:56.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And all we have to represent\Nthe entire mess
Dialogue: 0,0:05:56.92,0:05:59.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that is going on in our head, is this.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:59.84,0:06:01.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, that's all we got.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.16,0:06:02.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:06:02.35,0:06:04.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Is it any wonder\Nthat our system is so poor?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:04.98,0:06:07.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So imagine, if I can give you an analogy,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:07.48,0:06:10.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,imagine if you wanted to know\Nwhat is it like to eat a cake,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.65,0:06:13.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if instead of just eating the cake,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.03,0:06:16.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you instead had to ingest\Nthe ingredients of a cake,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.28,0:06:17.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,one by one,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.83,0:06:19.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,along with instructions
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.37,0:06:22.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about how these ingredients\Ncan be combined to form a cake.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:22.78,0:06:24.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You had to eat the instructions, too.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:24.70,0:06:25.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.79,0:06:27.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If that was how we had to experience cake,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.88,0:06:29.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we would never eat cake.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.48,0:06:34.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And yet, language is\Nthe only way -- the only way --
Dialogue: 0,0:06:34.07,0:06:38.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we can figure out\Nwhat is going on here, in our minds.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:38.29,0:06:40.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is our interiority,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.16,0:06:41.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the thing that makes us human,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:41.63,0:06:44.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the thing that makes us different\Nfrom other animals,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:44.90,0:06:46.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is all inside here somewhere,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.75,0:06:50.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and all we have to do to represent it\Nis our own languages.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.72,0:06:53.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A language is our best way of showing\Nwhat's going on in our head.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.86,0:06:56.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Imagine if I wanted to ask\Na big question, like:
Dialogue: 0,0:06:56.13,0:06:58.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"What is the nature of human\Nthought and emotion?"
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.49,0:06:59.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What you'd want to do
Dialogue: 0,0:06:59.60,0:07:02.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is you'd want to examine\Nas many different languages
Dialogue: 0,0:07:02.79,0:07:04.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as possible.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.41,0:07:06.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One isn't just going to do it.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:06.45,0:07:07.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To give you an example,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:07.84,0:07:10.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,here's a picture I took of little Roman,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:10.71,0:07:13.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that I took with a 12-megapixel camera.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:13.71,0:07:17.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, here's that same picture\Nwith a lot fewer pixels.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.17,0:07:21.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Obviously, neither\Nof these pictures is a real cat.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.08,0:07:24.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But one gives you a lot better sense\Nof what a cat is than the other.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:26.65,0:07:28.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Language is not merely a tool.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:28.66,0:07:29.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It is our legacy,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:29.84,0:07:32.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's our way of conveying\Nwhat it means to be human.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:32.31,0:07:36.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And of course, by "our" legacy,\NI mean all humans everywhere.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.72,0:07:41.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And losing even one language\Nmakes that picture a lot less clear.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.81,0:07:45.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So as a job for the past 10 years
Dialogue: 0,0:07:45.88,0:07:49.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and also as recreation, just for fun,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:49.19,0:07:50.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I create languages.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:50.92,0:07:52.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These are called "conlangs,"
Dialogue: 0,0:07:52.81,0:07:54.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,short for "constructed languages."
Dialogue: 0,0:07:54.97,0:07:57.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, presenting these facts back to back,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:57.07,0:07:59.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we're losing languages on our planet
Dialogue: 0,0:07:59.07,0:08:00.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that I create brand-new languages,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:00.91,0:08:03.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you might think that there's\Nsome nonsuperficial connection
Dialogue: 0,0:08:03.72,0:08:04.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,between these two.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:04.91,0:08:07.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, a lot of people have drawn a line\Nbetween those dots.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:07.85,0:08:09.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a guy who got\Nall bent out of shape
Dialogue: 0,0:08:09.90,0:08:12.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that there was a conlang\Nin James Cameron's "Avatar."
Dialogue: 0,0:08:12.74,0:08:14.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He says,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:14.47,0:08:16.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"But in the three years\Nit took James Cameron
Dialogue: 0,0:08:16.72,0:08:18.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to get Avatar to the screen,\Na language died."
Dialogue: 0,0:08:18.99,0:08:20.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Probably a lot more than that, actually.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:20.94,0:08:24.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Na'vi, alas, won't fill the hole\Nwhere it used to be ..."
Dialogue: 0,0:08:24.41,0:08:26.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A truly profound and poignant statement --
Dialogue: 0,0:08:26.75,0:08:29.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if you don't think about it at all.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:29.39,0:08:30.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:08:30.57,0:08:32.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But when I was here at Cal,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:32.64,0:08:34.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I completed two majors.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:34.04,0:08:36.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of them was linguistics,\Nbut the other one was English.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:36.86,0:08:39.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And of course, the English major,\Nthe study of English,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:39.48,0:08:42.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is not actually the study\Nof the English language, as we know,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:42.46,0:08:43.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's the study of literature.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:43.88,0:08:45.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Literature is just a wonderful thing,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:45.70,0:08:49.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because basically, literature,\Nmore broadly, is kind of like art;
Dialogue: 0,0:08:49.52,0:08:51.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it falls under the rubric of art.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:51.20,0:08:52.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what we do with literature,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:52.78,0:08:57.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,authors create new,\Nentire beings and histories.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.88,0:09:00.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's interesting to us to see
Dialogue: 0,0:09:00.92,0:09:06.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what kind of depth and emotion\Nand just unique spirit
Dialogue: 0,0:09:06.03,0:09:08.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,authors can invest\Ninto these fictional beings.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:08.66,0:09:11.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So much so, that, I mean --\Ntake a look at this.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:11.31,0:09:13.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's an entire series of books
Dialogue: 0,0:09:13.58,0:09:15.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that are written\Nabout fictional characters.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:15.85,0:09:19.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like, the entire book is just about one\Nfictional, fake human being.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:19.84,0:09:22.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's an entire book\Non George F. Babbitt
Dialogue: 0,0:09:22.03,0:09:23.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from Sinclair Lewis's "Babbitt,"
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.90,0:09:26.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I guarantee you,\Nthat book is longer than "Babbitt,"
Dialogue: 0,0:09:26.59,0:09:27.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is a short book.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:27.81,0:09:29.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Does anybody even remember that one?
Dialogue: 0,0:09:29.57,0:09:32.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's pretty good, I actually think\Nit's better than "Main Street."
Dialogue: 0,0:09:32.79,0:09:34.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's my hot take.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:34.18,0:09:37.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we've never questioned the fact\Nthat literature is interesting.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:38.43,0:09:39.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But despite the fact,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:40.01,0:09:44.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not even linguists are actually interested\Nin what created languages can tell us
Dialogue: 0,0:09:44.10,0:09:47.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about the depth of the human spirit\Njust as an artistic endeavor.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:48.52,0:09:51.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'll give you a nice little example here.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:51.42,0:09:54.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There was an article written about me
Dialogue: 0,0:09:54.17,0:09:57.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the California alumni\Nmagazine a while back.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:57.03,0:09:58.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And when they wrote this article,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:58.66,0:10:01.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they wanted to get somebody\Nfrom the opposing side,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:01.10,0:10:03.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which, in hindsight,\Nseems like a weird thing to do.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:03.58,0:10:05.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You're just talking about a person,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:05.30,0:10:08.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you want to get somebody\Nfrom the opposing side of that person.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:08.47,0:10:09.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:10:09.77,0:10:12.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Essentially, this is just\Na puff piece, but whatever.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:12.45,0:10:14.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, they happened to get
Dialogue: 0,0:10:14.100,0:10:17.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,one of the most brilliant\Nlinguists of our time,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:17.34,0:10:20.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,George Lakoff, who's a linguist\Nhere at Berkeley.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:20.40,0:10:23.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And his work has basically forever changed\Nthe fields of linguistics
Dialogue: 0,0:10:23.98,0:10:25.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and cognitive science.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:25.48,0:10:28.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And when asked about my work\Nand about language creation in general,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:28.78,0:10:32.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he said, "But there's a lot of things\Nto be done in the study of language.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:32.45,0:10:35.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You should spend the time\Non something real."
Dialogue: 0,0:10:35.23,0:10:36.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yeah.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:36.40,0:10:38.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Something real."\NDoes this remind you of anything?
Dialogue: 0,0:10:38.89,0:10:42.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To use the very framework\Nthat he himself invented,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:42.65,0:10:45.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,let me refer back\Nto this conceptual metaphor:
Dialogue: 0,0:10:45.37,0:10:46.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,language is a tool.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:46.66,0:10:50.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And he appears to be laboring\Nunder this conceptual metaphor;
Dialogue: 0,0:10:50.12,0:10:54.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that is, language is useful\Nwhen it can be used for communication.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:54.21,0:10:57.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Language is useless\Nwhen it can't be used for communication.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:57.53,0:11:00.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It might make you wonder:\NWhat do we do with dead languages?
Dialogue: 0,0:11:00.40,0:11:01.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But anyway.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:01.64,0:11:03.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, because of this idea,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:03.07,0:11:06.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it might seem like\Nthe very height of absurdity
Dialogue: 0,0:11:06.95,0:11:10.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to have a Duolingo course\Non the High Valyrian language
Dialogue: 0,0:11:10.39,0:11:12.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that I created for HBO's\N"Game of Thrones."
Dialogue: 0,0:11:12.96,0:11:16.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You might wonder what, exactly,\Nare 740,000 people learning?
Dialogue: 0,0:11:17.37,0:11:19.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:11:19.65,0:11:21.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, let's take a look at it.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:21.74,0:11:23.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What are they learning?
Dialogue: 0,0:11:23.40,0:11:25.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What could they possibly be learning?
Dialogue: 0,0:11:25.78,0:11:28.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, bearing in mind that\Nthe other language for this --
Dialogue: 0,0:11:28.61,0:11:31.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's for people that speak English --
Dialogue: 0,0:11:31.16,0:11:33.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,English speakers are learning quite a bit.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:33.24,0:11:36.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here's a sentence that they will probably\Nnever use for communication
Dialogue: 0,0:11:36.58,0:11:37.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in their entire lives:
Dialogue: 0,0:11:37.77,0:11:39.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Vala ābre urnes."
Dialogue: 0,0:11:39.36,0:11:40.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"The man sees the woman."
Dialogue: 0,0:11:40.76,0:11:42.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The little middle line is the gloss,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:42.67,0:11:44.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so it's word for word,\Nthat's what it says.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:44.91,0:11:47.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they're actually learning\Nsome very fascinating things,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:47.72,0:11:49.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,especially if they're English speakers.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:49.62,0:11:52.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're learning that a verb can come\Nat the very end of a sentence.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:52.88,0:11:55.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Doesn't really do that in English\Nwhen you have two arguments.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:55.87,0:11:57.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're learning that sometimes
Dialogue: 0,0:11:57.63,0:12:01.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a language doesn't have an equivalent\Nfor the word "the" -- it's totally absent.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:01.51,0:12:03.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's something language can do.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:03.16,0:12:06.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're learning that a long vowel\Ncan actually be longer in duration,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:06.97,0:12:08.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as opposed to different in quality,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:08.95,0:12:12.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is what our long vowels do;\Nthey're actually the same length.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:12.16,0:12:15.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're learning that\Nthere are these little inflections.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:15.68,0:12:16.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hmm? Hmm?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:16.86,0:12:20.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are inflections called "cases"\Non the end of nouns --
Dialogue: 0,0:12:20.20,0:12:21.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:12:21.24,0:12:24.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that tell you who does what\Nto whom in a sentence.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:24.56,0:12:27.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even if you leave the order\Nof the words the same
Dialogue: 0,0:12:27.61,0:12:29.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and switch the endings,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:29.36,0:12:32.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it changes who does what to whom.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:32.37,0:12:38.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What they're learning is that languages\Ndo things, the same things, differently.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:38.51,0:12:40.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that learning languages can be fun.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:41.100,0:12:45.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What they're learning is respect\Nfor Language: capital "L" Language.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:45.79,0:12:49.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And given the fact that 88 percent\Nof Americans only speak English at home,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:49.100,0:12:52.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I don't think that's\Nnecessarily a bad thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:52.63,0:12:56.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know why languages die on our planet?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:56.80,0:13:02.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's not because government imposes\None language on a smaller group,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:02.04,0:13:04.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or because an entire group\Nof speakers is wiped out.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:04.58,0:13:07.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That certainly has happened in the past,\Nand it's happening now,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:07.68,0:13:09.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it's not the main reason.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:10.27,0:13:13.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The main reason is that\Na child is born to a family
Dialogue: 0,0:13:13.07,0:13:16.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that speaks a language that\Nis not widely spoken in their community,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:16.65,0:13:18.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that child doesn't learn it.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:18.68,0:13:19.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:19.99,0:13:24.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because that language is not valued\Nin their community.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:24.32,0:13:26.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because the language isn't useful.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:26.25,0:13:31.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because the child can't go and get a job\Nif they speak that language.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:31.26,0:13:35.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because if language is just a tool,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:35.32,0:13:37.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then learning their native language
Dialogue: 0,0:13:37.72,0:13:39.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is about as useful\Nas learning High Valyrian,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:39.98,0:13:41.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so why bother?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:43.39,0:13:44.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now ...
Dialogue: 0,0:13:46.51,0:13:50.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe language study isn't going to lead\Nto a lot more linguistic fluency.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:50.93,0:13:53.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But maybe that's not such a big deal.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:53.86,0:13:56.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe if more people\Nare studying more languages,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:56.99,0:13:59.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it will lead to more linguistic tolerance
Dialogue: 0,0:13:59.63,0:14:01.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and less linguistic imperialism.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:01.95,0:14:04.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe if we actually respect\Nlanguage for what it is --
Dialogue: 0,0:14:04.96,0:14:09.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,literally, the greatest invention\Nin the history of humankind --
Dialogue: 0,0:14:09.87,0:14:11.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then in the future,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:11.10,0:14:14.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we can celebrate endangered languages\Nas living languages,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:15.02,0:14:16.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as opposed to museum pieces.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:17.18,0:14:18.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(High Valyrian) Kirimvose.\NThank you.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:18.99,0:14:20.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)