MinutePhysics
Ye Olde Debunking
Have you ever wondered where "Ye Olde" spelling comes from? Today we unravel this thorny linguistic issue.
TED Talks
Media Polarization and the Erosion of Accountability in American Democracy
President and founder of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media Ian Bremmer highlights the increasing polarization of the American media landscape, noting how media outlets like MSNBC and Fox offer divergent narratives that contribute to social...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Why don't "tough" and "dough" rhyme? | Arika Okrent
Spelling reformers have been advocating for changes to make English spelling more intuitive and less irregular. One example of its messiness: take the “g-h” sound from “enough,” the “o” sound from “women” and the “t-i” sound from...
TED Talks
TED: A meditation on Rumi and the power of poetry | Leili Anvar
In an ode to the Persian language, author Leili Anvar unfurls the work of 13th-century mystic poet Rumi and reflects on how poetry gives meaning to our lives.
SciShow
Why Do We Rhyme?
Rhymes might seem frivolous, but there's scientific evidence for why we like them so much.
SciShow
Animals Have Grammar Too - A Little Birdie Told Us
If you hear birds chirping in the trees, you might not think much of the different sounds you're hearing. But as it turns out, those tweets and chirps have a lot more in common with some of our complicated rules of grammar than you might...
SciShow
Is Your Dog Bilingual?
Your dog might seem like a bit of a goof, but they might be capable of more tricks than you think. A new study from researchers in Hungary investigated whether dogs can distinguish between new and familiar languages.
PBS
Syrian refugees to US bring complex health needs
Refugees arriving in upstate New York in recent years have increasingly come from active conflict zones, including Syria and Iraq -- many fleeing with injuries of war and deep emotional scars. As the refugee populations in places like...
PBS
Isabel Allende's Newest Historical Novel Tells Familiar Story Of Refugee Life
"A Long Petal of the Sea," a new historical novel by renowned writer Isabel Allende, draws upon events spanning from the Spanish civil war to the 1973 coup in her native Chile -- and with resonance for the experience of refugees today....
PBS
"Trust Exercise" Author Susan Choi On Power Dynamics And Timely Fiction
Susan Choi’s novel “Trust Exercise” takes place in a high school for the performing arts in an unnamed southern city. But the subjects examined, including consent, power and memory, are universally relevant. “Trust Exercise” won the 2019...
PBS
Author Robert McCrum Explains How English Has Taken Root Worldwide (Jul. 23, 2010)
"Globish" Author Robert McCrum explains why the English language went global and how it has become the first worldwide language.
PBS
Poet Sherman Alexie Talks 'Faces' & 'War Dances' (Oct. 22, 2009)
Author Sherman Alexie talks about his new book of poetry called "Faces" and his new short story collection, "War Dances."
PBS
Christopher Curtis, Newberry Award Winner for 'Bud, Not Buddy' (Feb. 18, 2000)
Christopher Curtis, Newberry Award winner for "Bud, Not Buddy" (Feb. 18, 2000) (Author Interview)
PBS
Poet Amanda Gorman On How She Prepared For Inauguration Day
The poet who will carry on a tradition and present her new work, "The Hill We Climb" at the inauguration this week is already quite accomplished at the age of 22. Jeffrey Brown talked to Amanda Gorman to learn more, as part of our...
PBS
This Ancient Whistling Language Is In Grave Danger Of Dying Out
In the Greek island village of Antio, home to the world's most endangered
language, aging residents communicate across hillsides through whistles, a
specific system of communication believed to date back to Ancient Greece.
Special...
Be Smart
How Some Words Get Forgetted
English is a confusing language for many reasons. But the irregular verbs might be the most confusing part. Why is "told" the past tense of "tell" but "smold" isn't the past tense of "smell"? It turns out that the study of irregular...
SciShow
5 Ancient Structures with Amazing Acoustics
Many ancient sites had some truly amazing effects on sound waves, suggesting that early cultures may have built spaces to evoke certain sensation. And by studying the acoustics of these structures, we can learn new things about the...
TED Talks
TED: How to win an argument (at the US Supreme Court, or anywhere) | Neal Katyal
The secret to winning an argument isn't grand rhetoric or elegant style, says US Supreme Court litigator Neal Katyal -- it takes more than that. With stories of some of the most impactful cases he's argued before the Court, Katyal shows...
SciShow
Agriculture May Have Changed How People Speak | SciShow News
The development of agriculture was a huge game changer for human beings and it may have even changed the way we speak.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed A brief history of graffiti - Kelly Wall - MENA
Spray-painted subway cars, tagged bridges, mural-covered walls -- graffiti pops up boldly throughout our cities. And it turns out: it's nothing new. Graffiti has been around for thousands of years. And across that span of time, it's...
Crash Course
Language & Meaning: Crash Course Philosophy
Today we start our unit on language with a discussion of meaning and how we assign and understand meaning. We’ll cover sense and reference, beetles in boxes, and language games. We’re also getting into the meaning-making game ourselves:...
SciShow
Why Are There Righties & Lefties?
About 10% of the world population is left-handed. But why does handedness exist and what determines which hand is dominant? Scientists have suggested several theories, but the answer may well lie with evolution.