Ali G interviews Noam Chomsky

Booyah K'shah!

Check this science with none
other than my main man,

Professor Noam Chompsky.

And in it he's gonna explain about language.

Why is studying language important?

>> Language is the core property
that basically defines human beings.

So when animals chat to each other
does them talk in language?

>> Well that's more or less
a matter of definition.

>> Every organism has some means
of communication including insects.

How many words does you know?

>> Well. The uh, normally humans by maturity
have tens of thousands of words.

For real?

>> Yeah.

What is some of them?

>> Well the ones we're using.

For real?

Me know loads of words.
Parachute. Photograph.

>> You count them up they'll be in the --

Spaghetti.

>> You count 'em up they'll be
in the tens of thousands.

Camera.

Me 4-year-old cousin Sanjeef
is got a Bangladesh-ee Mum

but 'is Dad come from States,
represent West Side.

Does you think he'll grow up
speaking both languages?

>> It varies among different people.

>> So if he speaks two languages
you call him bi-lingual.

>> Many languages you call it multilingual.

So what you are saying to me Cousin
may grow up bi-lingual?

>> In normal circumstances he will.

But Professor ain't it wrong to say

just because he might be able to speak two languages
that him will be into ladies and also into boys?

>> I don't understand.
There's no connection.

You were saying he would be 'bi'.

>> There's no connection.

>> There's no connection at all.

>> I mean whether he ends up liking boys
or girls or chemistry --

You say he's gonna grow up to be 'bi'
and I don't think that's fair you saying that.

>> Bi-lingual means having two languages.

>> It has nothing to do with 'bi'
in the sense that you're thinking of.

>> Bi-lingual means having two languages.

>> It has nothing to do with being bi-sexual.

How would you like it if I called you bi-lingual?

>> I'd love it if I were bi-lingual.

>> I'd love it if I were multilingual.

>> If I had many different languages
I'd be a richer person.

What's multilingual is that having
to do with animals --

>> It's having many languages.

>> Multilingual is multiple. Multi is many.

Cuz my Nan's boyfriend, Derrick,
'im always tell me Nan

that he is cunnilingual.

Now how many languages
does that mean 'im speak?

>> Each. Again let me say each of us
speaks many different languages.

Why don't you create a new language

where instead of like the word 'bread'

you have something
like 'methalope' or 'methlah'?

Or no, no, no. Or 'lefina'.

>> You can, you can do it.

Or for a table call it 'laplella'.
'Laplella' would be better for a dog.

>> You can do it if you like and nobody
will pay the slightest attention to you.

>> Because it will just be a waste of time.

But you could earn a lot of money.

>> No you wouldn't because nobody
would pay the slightest attention

>> since it's a waste of time.

Yo. So check it out you haz heard
the words of my main man.

Now listen up.
Be more clever like 'im.

And start speakin' proper.

Respect.

>> Okay.

Big out yourself. Safe.