YouTube Resources

Three Ways to Speak English

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9fmJ5xQ_mc&list=UUAuUUnT6oDeKwE6v1NGQxug&index=120

Jamila Lyiscott powerfully explains the meaning of “articulate” by reference to race, gender, and status.

Saying No in English

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q12zg939ojI

While this video is intended for English-language learners, even native speakers will learn something about different ways of saying no and why it may be necessary.

Euphemism and Connotation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-B3cFB3FPc

This quick video explains euphemism and ties it to connotation.

The Concept of Language

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdUbIlwHRkY

This video featuring Noam Chomsky, a world-renowned linguist and intellectual, discusses human language.

Linguistics as a Window to Understanding the Brain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-B_ONJIEcE

This is a long video, but worth your time: Steven Pinker is a cognitive scientist who studies language and the mind.

TED Talks

Rory Sutherland, “Perspective Is Everything”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iueVZJVEmEs

Rory Sutherland makes a compelling case for how reframing is the key to happiness.

John McWhorter, “Txtng is killing language. JK!!!”

https://www.ted.com/talks/john_mcwhorter_txtng_is_killing_language_jk

Linguist John McWhorter explains the origins of language and the relationships between speech and writing. Texting habits, he argues, are not going to destroy writing.

Lera Boroditsky, “How language shapes the way we think”

https://www.ted.com/talks/lera_boroditsky_how_language_shapes_the_way_we_think

Cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky argues in favour of linguistic determinism, asserting that the languages we learn shape the way we think.

Oscar Schwartz, “Can a computer write poetry?”

https://www.ted.com/talks/oscar_schwartz_can_a_computer_write_poetry

As we consider the increasing presence of artificial intelligence in our world, poet Oscar Schwartz explains why computer-generated poetry strikes many people as a bad idea.

Erin McKean, “The job of lexicography”

https://www.ted.com/talks/erin_mckean_redefines_the_dictionary

Dictionary editor Erin McKean discusses how dictionaries are traditionally built and how dictionaries are evolving in the digital age.

John Koenig, “Beautiful new words to describe obscure emotions”

https://www.ted.com/talks/john_koenig_beautiful_new_words_to_describe_obscure_emotions

Writer John Koenig has created a dictionary of made-up words that help us identify intensely human experiences and for which there is no existing English word.

Web Resources

Understanding Human Language: An In-Depth Exploration of the Human Facility for Language

http://www.studentpulse.com/articles/82/understanding-human-language-an-in-depth-exploration-of-the-human-facility-for-language

This journal article provides relevant background on human language.

Language Convergence; Meaning Divergence

http://www.natcom.org/CommCurrentsArticle.aspx?id=917

This item puts convergence and divergence into an interpersonal context.

The Ladder of Abstraction and the Public Speaker

http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/ladder-abstraction/

This blog post explains the ladder of abstractions with respect to public presentations.

Emotive Language and Surveys

http://www.maven.co/2014/07/07/emotive-language

This blog post demonstrates the problem with using emotive language when you write survey questions.

The Talk of the Sandbox

http://faculty.georgetown.edu/tannend/sandbox.htm

This article by Deborah Tannen explores some of the differences in gendered communication discussed in Chapter 3.

Sex, Lies and Conversation; Why Is It So Hard for Men and Women to Talk to Each Other?

http://faculty.georgetown.edu/tannend/sexlies.htm

Another short article by Deborah Tannen discussing gender differences in conversation.

Rice University Neologisms Database

http://neologisms.rice.edu/index.php

This database tracks how pop-culture texts (such as songs and movies) affect language through the introduction of new words.

Bad Business Jargon

http://brandjournalists.com/articles/10-pieces-of-business-jargon-that-suck

This article identifies ten examples of business jargon that have become clichés—you've likely heard every one of them.

Synonyms for the 96 most commonly used words in English

http://justenglish.me/2014/04/18/synonyms-for-the-96-most-commonly-used-words-in-english/

A valuable resource: a mini-synonym finder for the most basic words we use.