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The web site of the RSA (the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) features a fascinating video lecture by Steven Pinker, one of the world's leading experts on language. You can watch "The Stuff of Thought: Language as a window into human nature" here. (Note: this presentation contains very strong language.)
Carolyn Burgess (our chief exec, below) was in Westminster last week for the publication of a report into tolls on the Humber Bridge. The report concluded that abolishing the tolls would boost the region's economy by £1 billion over the next 25 years.
Carolyn was back in Westminster for a House of Lords dinner hosted by Baroness Virginia Bottomley, the Chancellor of the University of Hull. Language is Everything is working with the University on a number of projects related to language and culture.
Great news from the Gilberdyke and District Leisure Association, who successfully applied to Language is Everything last year for an award from our community fund. The award has enabled the Association to finance the verti draining of the Ings View sports field (see photo).
The answer to the question we set earlier this week (see below) is: "one, two" sounds just like "itchy, knee" in Japanese.
Catching up on other news, Carolyn Burgess (our chief exec) spoke recently at the official launch of the Routes into Languages Yorkshire and The Humber Regional Consortium.
Routes into Languages is a three-year, government-funded programme to increase the uptake of languages from schools to university.
Carolyn gave a presentation entitled "A different language is a different vision of life" (which is a quote from Federico Fellini, the late Italian film-maker). The question Carolyn asked was: does the language we speak affect the way we see the world?