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Canguro English

Canguro English

By Canguro English

Canguro English presents a podcast about language for people learning languages.
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The cognitive revolution | The Story of Language | Episode 10

Canguro EnglishMay 16, 2021

00:00
01:16:09
Accent and identity (with Erik Singer)

Accent and identity (with Erik Singer)

If you know me and my work then you know that I talk a lot about identity, and especially how your accent is a big part of your identity: your accent tells the story of your life.

But if you do want to change your accent, or improve your pronunciation, how do you do it?

Recently I had the pleasure of talking to someone with expert answers to that question: Erik Singer, a dialect coach who helps film and television actors to speak with an accent that is not their native accent, and because of this he knows exactly what it takes mentally and physically to change the way you speak.

In this interview we talk about how to change your accent, the best ways to practice, but more importantly if and why you should try to ‘speak like a native’.

I hope you enjoy it.

Jul 13, 202101:21:41
The state of modern linguistics | The Story of Language | Bonus episode

The state of modern linguistics | The Story of Language | Bonus episode

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this bonus episode we talk about the state of modern linguistics, including the effects of the replication crisis, scientific fraud, Anglocentrism, and how the underappreciated work of Charles Sanders Peirce might offer a universal theory of how language works.

Jun 13, 202101:04:25
Embodied cognition | The Story of Language | Episode 12

Embodied cognition | The Story of Language | Episode 12

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we discuss embodied cognition and the uncontroversial fact that the brain is an organ of the body, which then leads to the very controversial conclusion that our brain is no more important than our skin, and that imagining the world as if you had eyes in your toes can lead to some revolutionary new thinking.

Jun 06, 202101:07:06
Dark matter of the mind | The Story of Language | Episode 11

Dark matter of the mind | The Story of Language | Episode 11

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we discuss the content of Dan’s book Dark Matter of the Mind, which lays out Dan’s theory of culture. The book contains bold statements as ‘brains do not learn’ and ‘science is NOT pure rational thought’, but after this conversation you might change your mind about the raw power of viewing the world from the perspective of Dark Matter.

May 30, 202101:31:28
The cognitive revolution | The Story of Language | Episode 10

The cognitive revolution | The Story of Language | Episode 10

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we talk about the cognitive revolution, and whether the revolution really exists at all. We discuss the beginnings and the state of the art of the study of cognition and show why it’s important to celebrate all discoveries as progress, even if they are doomed to failure.

May 16, 202101:16:09
Endangered languages | The Story of Language | Episode 9

Endangered languages | The Story of Language | Episode 9

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we talk about endangered languages. I ask why languages are important, what is lost when a language disappears, the cultural and economic factors behind language loss, and the truth about the best way to stop languages from disappearing.

May 02, 202101:00:15
Language acquisition | The Story of Language | Episode 8

Language acquisition | The Story of Language | Episode 8

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we talk about the big questions in language acquisition. Is there a Language Acquisition Device? Is language learned or innate? How does child learning differ from adult learning? Should syntax be the basis for language analysis? And are humans really the only things on the planet with language, or do other animals have it too?

Apr 18, 202101:12:54
Metaphor in language | The Story of Language | Episode 7

Metaphor in language | The Story of Language | Episode 7

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we talk about the fundamental role of metaphor in language, from its involvement in the creation and evolution of language to its role in the modern understanding of language through the work of Lakoff and Johnson, and the study of semiotics.

Apr 04, 202101:05:21
Learn English with a dictionary (with Peter Sokolowski)

Learn English with a dictionary (with Peter Sokolowski)

People are passionate about language, especially language change, and words matter. And nobody knows this better Peter Sokolowski, who is an editor at the Merriam-Webster dictionary, one of the most famous and most trusted dictionaries in the world. Peter has spent his life immersed in words and their meanings, and all the complications that come along with that work.  In this interview we talk about the role of the dictionary, standard and non-standard English, language and culture, how to learn English with a dictionary, and how dictionaries are a sign of human agreement, and sometimes profound disagreement.

Dec 01, 202001:15:35
1 powerful mind trick to get fluency

1 powerful mind trick to get fluency

In this podcast you will learn how Pygmalion and the Wizard of Oz can teach you the secret to fluency in English that has been causing controversy for more than 50 years.

Nov 26, 202015:59
Destroying language myths (with Shana Poplack)

Destroying language myths (with Shana Poplack)

It’s an unfortunate fact that many people don’t know the truth about how language works outside of their grammar books, in the real world, but recently I spoke to someone who is trying to change that. Shana Poplack and her sociolinguistics laboratory at the University of Ottawa are known as the mythbusters, because they destroy damaging myths about language and language change. They don’t look at language in its ideal state: they look at how language is used every day by real people, and the discoveries they make are often controversial, and fly in the face of deeply-held beliefs, but their discoveries are always based in truth.

Nov 19, 202057:60
Where words come from and how to remember them (with Mark Forsyth)

Where words come from and how to remember them (with Mark Forsyth)

There are few people in the world who know as much about where words come from as Mark Forsyth. His first book, The Etymologicon, was a journey through the origins of many common words and their connections, and he has since written various other books about words, language, and writing. In this interview Mark tells fascinating and entertaining stories about where words come from, how to remember them, and how to use those words to be a better communicator.

Nov 10, 202045:35
Grammar based on the unfamiliar (with Robert Van Valin)

Grammar based on the unfamiliar (with Robert Van Valin)

It’s an unfortunate fact that most of linguistic theory is based on a few major European languages, especially English, which actually damages our understanding of how the thousands of languages in the world might work. But there is one man who has spent his career trying to correct the balance. Robert Van Valin is one of the developers of Role and Reference Grammar or RRG which aims to explain language by focusing on some of the most unfamiliar languages in the world. In this interview we talk about the fundamentals of RRG, and what unites and divides the world's languages.

Nov 07, 202044:26
How to speak English faster

How to speak English faster

In this podcast you will learn the connection between Pixar, red triangles, information, thought, and fluency. Enjoy!

Nov 06, 202016:06
The weight of expectation

The weight of expectation

In this podcast I talk about the positive and negative effects of the weight of expectation, and how living the in past or the future might be stopping you from getting fluency in English.

Nov 05, 202012:39
Touch wood

Touch wood

In this episode you'll learn why touching wood, throwing salt, and car accidents can help you to see the truth about learning a language.

Oct 30, 202015:49
How many holes does a straw have?

How many holes does a straw have?

In this episode you'll learn why culture connects London taxi drivers, donuts, smiling Japanese people, and Australian shop assistants.

Oct 29, 202014:28
Immersion is a state of mind

Immersion is a state of mind

In this episode you'll learn the hard lessons of my army father-in-law, who failed to learn a language after 14 years of 'immersion'.

Oct 26, 202019:32
Question everything to get fluency

Question everything to get fluency

In this episode you will learn about the differences and similarities between humans and animals, and why you shouldn't take everything you know about language learning for granted.

Oct 22, 202014:58
Why you need to learn slowly to get fluency

Why you need to learn slowly to get fluency

In this episode I talk about what mathematics really means, why Mathematicians asked schools to stop teaching calculus, and the parallels between maths and language. In this episode you might be surprised to learn that the secret to fluency is to slow down.

Oct 21, 202014:16
Construction grammar and language learning (with Remi van Trijp)

Construction grammar and language learning (with Remi van Trijp)

Recently I had the pleasure of talking to Remi van Trijp, head of the Language Research Unit and the Sony Computer Science Laboratories in Paris, and one of the main developers of Fluid Construction Grammar. His team is trying to answer some of the most profound questions in linguistics by combining techniques from computational linguistics, artificial intelligence and robotics. It’s complicated and very technical work, but as you’ll see in this interview Remi has an incredible ability to explain complex things in an easy-to-understand way.

Sep 01, 202050:22
How Language Began | The Story of Language | Episode 6

How Language Began | The Story of Language | Episode 6

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we talk about how language began, including language evolution vs language change, how animal and human communication are similar and different, and the evidence for why language is probably millions of years old, not thousands.

Sep 01, 202001:15:42
How language works (with Ted Gibson)

How language works (with Ted Gibson)

Recently I had the pleasure of talking to Ted Gibson from his eponymous TedLab at MIT which researches why human languages are the way they are, how people learn and process language, and the relationship between language and culture. In this interview we talk about his work with numbers, colours, word order, and information theory across various languages and his search for simplicity in explaining the complexity of language.

Jul 14, 202001:25:37
You are STUPID and LAZY (how to speak English PERFECTLY)

You are STUPID and LAZY (how to speak English PERFECTLY)

Are you stupid and lazy? Do you want to speak English perfectly? Then this podcast is for you! We are going to take a journey through the light and dark of the human mind to discover why you are so bad at English and the secret to speaking perfect English.

Jul 09, 202009:10
How to study english well (with Paul Nation)

How to study english well (with Paul Nation)

There is no doubt that this is the best time in history to learn a language, especially English. We are surrounded by content in English, English language learning apps, English teachers, English courses, information. But one very important question remains: what do we do with all this information? HOW do we study? HOW do we learn a language. One man who knows the answer to this question is Paul Nation. He has been studying and writing about language acquisition and language teaching methodology for more than 50 years, and in this interview he talks about the four strands of language learning, and how by following this simple concept, based on a lifetime of research, both teachers and students can have success at language teaching, and language learning.

Jul 01, 202054:05
The theory and practice of field linguistics | The Story of Language | Episode 5

The theory and practice of field linguistics | The Story of Language | Episode 5

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we talk about the theory and the practice of field linguistics, including how to survive in the field, what to take, and what to bring back.

Jun 18, 202001:20:36
Should I learn British or American English? | How are they different?

Should I learn British or American English? | How are they different?

Students ask me all the time if they should learn British English or American English, and in this video you'll discover the real differences between UK and US English and how it's not about language rules, it's about culture. You will discover how they are different and if you should study British or American English.

Jun 15, 202020:39
How to write business English (with Ellen Jovin)

How to write business English (with Ellen Jovin)

When you think about improving your writing in English, especially business writing, you probably think about studying lots of rules, and memorising specific phrases, and complicated vocabulary. But recently I spoke to Ellen Jovin who’s been writing professionally and teaching professionals how to write for more than 20 years, and in this interview you’ll discover that good business writing isn’t about language, it’s about people.

Jun 11, 202001:07:15
Do you want to speak English like a native? (with Heather Hansen)

Do you want to speak English like a native? (with Heather Hansen)

It’s a sad fact that the English that millions of people learn in classrooms all over the world, often doesn’t match the reality of English outside the classroom. One person who knows the reality of English as a global language is Heather Hansen. She teaches professionals from the world’s biggest companies how to communicate in English all over the world. And the secret to successful global communication? It isn’t about being like a native speaker, or having an RP accent, or using ‘standard’ English. This is a powerful interview and I hope it makes teachers and students all over the world question their assumptions about what it means to learn and use English.

Jun 05, 202056:51
Linguistic Relativity | The Story of Language | Episode 4

Linguistic Relativity | The Story of Language | Episode 4

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we talk about linguistic relativity: the idea that the language we speak can change the way we think.
May 07, 202001:20:35
How languages are learned (with Patsy Lightbown)

How languages are learned (with Patsy Lightbown)

In the world of language there are few people as experienced, or as respected, as Patsy Lightbown, Distinguished Professor Emerita at Concordia University in Canada. She has been working in the field of language teaching and language learning for more than 40 years as a researcher, writer, editor, and consultant and she literally wrote the book on how languages are learned. In this interview we talk about language acquisition, language learning, language teaching and what life has taught her about the way education works. I hope you enjoy it!
Apr 21, 202001:04:36
What is culture? | The Story of Language | Episode 3

What is culture? | The Story of Language | Episode 3

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we talk about culture: we discuss exactly what it is, how it exists on a macro and micro level, how it affects our language and our cognition, and how without it, we would die.
Apr 17, 202001:09:30
Get fluent English in 2020 | 9 tips to help you learn English

Get fluent English in 2020 | 9 tips to help you learn English

Do you want to really succeed at learning English in 2020? It doesn't matter if this is the first or the tenth time you have tried to get fluency in English, these 9 simple steps will help you to succeed at your English learning goals.
Jan 06, 202011:33
The Piraha Language | The Story of Language | Episode 2

The Piraha Language | The Story of Language | Episode 2

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we talk about the Piraha language, and what it tells us about the intersection of language and culture. We also talk about the practice of the science of linguistics, animal vs human communication, universal translation, and what unites and what divides us as humans.
Dec 18, 201901:17:45
Meet Dan Everett | The Story of Language | Episode 1

Meet Dan Everett | The Story of Language | Episode 1

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture.

My name is Christian Saunders and I am an English teacher, and throughout this series I will be in discussion with Dan Everett: linguist, anthropologist, philosopher, and author.

In this episode you will meet Dan, and we will talk about the story of his life, including his upbringing near the Mexican border, his research stays with hunter-gatherers in the Amazon jungle, hunting giant anacondas, his famous disagreement with Noam Chomsky, and what his lifetime of work can tell us about language, thought, and being human.
Dec 03, 201901:10:43
Task-based English learning (with Geoff Jordan)

Task-based English learning (with Geoff Jordan)

In the world of English language teaching there are few people as controversial and divisive as Geoff Jordan. He is not afraid of promoting what he calls a radical approach to the problems in the ELT industry, how to fix them, and how to improve student learning outcomes in the classroom. And that’s why I had to talk to him, and in this interview we talk about all that, and more. I hope you enjoy it.
Nov 27, 201901:05:32
Daily Digest 06/11/19 | The secret to fluency in English

Daily Digest 06/11/19 | The secret to fluency in English

Today's daily digest answers a question I get asked every day: How can I get fluent in English? To answer this question we have to travel back in time to 1931, learn about chimpanzees and Klingons, and what that tells us about the secret to fluency in English.
Nov 06, 201914:52
Plurilingualism and culture (with Angelica Galante)

Plurilingualism and culture (with Angelica Galante)

Recently I had the pleasure of talking to Angelica Galante from McGill University in Canada. Originally from Brazil, Angelica’s work focuses on social justice, inclusive education, and critical sociolinguistics. In this interview we talk about plurilingualism, language and culture, and how teachers and students can take advantage of their existing language resources to learn new languages better. I hope you enjoy it.
Nov 01, 201952:39
Daily Digest 24/10/19 | Why can't I speak fluent English?

Daily Digest 24/10/19 | Why can't I speak fluent English?

Today's daily digest is a rant about why you might be part of the problem, and not the solution to good language learning (and teaching).
Oct 24, 201910:04
Improve your English IMMEDIATELY (with Pete from Aussie English)

Improve your English IMMEDIATELY (with Pete from Aussie English)

In this podcast I talk to Pete from Aussie English about how to improve your English IMMEDIATELY, without learning anything new. We also talk about our personal experiences learning languages, and the history and evolution of swearing. CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE.
Oct 19, 201901:04:56
Daily Digest 17/10/19 | Speak English without fear

Daily Digest 17/10/19 | Speak English without fear

Today's daily digest explains why you are afraid of speaking English, and having conversations, and how you can overcome your fear and use your English in public confidently. I use evidence from clinical psychology and computer science to show you what really works, and why clowns are great role models.
Oct 17, 201913:55
Language and the brain (with Ev Fedorenko)

Language and the brain (with Ev Fedorenko)

Recently I had the pleasure of speaking to cognitive neuroscientist Ev Fedorenko. She is head of EvLab, her own language lab at MIT, and their mission is to discover how minds and brains create language.
In this interview we speak about the language architecture of the brain, adult language learning, and the difference between thought and language. I hope you enjoy it!
Oct 10, 201951:26
9/10/19 | The advantages of speaking bad English

9/10/19 | The advantages of speaking bad English

Today's daily digest shows why having a low level of English, and a foreign accent, and only knowing a few key concepts, are all advantages when you first start learning a language. I hope you feel super motivated to get out there are USE your English after this!
Oct 09, 201919:11
Daily Digest 07/10/19 | Language is universal

Daily Digest 07/10/19 | Language is universal

Today's daily digest shows what Hindustani music, cave drawings, and Japanese psychology can teach us about linguistic universals, learning a language from zero, and what it means to be human.
Oct 07, 201920:34
Daily Digest 19/9/19 | Language and sexism

Daily Digest 19/9/19 | Language and sexism

Today's daily digest talks about gendered languages, sexism, culture, and some common myths and misconceptions about the effect that language has on the way we think.
Sep 19, 201918:40
Input vs output in language learning (with Adele Goldberg)

Input vs output in language learning (with Adele Goldberg)

In the world of linguistics, there are very few people with a resume as impressive as Adele Goldberg. She has had a major influence on the way we understand and study language. In this very special interview we talk about vocabulary learning, input vs output, and her language acquisition research.
Sep 18, 201929:47
Daily Digest 17/9/19 | Does language affect the way you think?

Daily Digest 17/9/19 | Does language affect the way you think?

Today's daily digest shows how your brain is only interested in content, not language, and why it's so important to have something to say. It also shows how your culture can affect the way you think, and why you need to learn culture to get fluent in English.
Sep 17, 201919:52
Daily Digest 16/9/19 | An alien language with no verbs

Daily Digest 16/9/19 | An alien language with no verbs

Today's daily digest is a philosophical journey into the meaning of language, what it means to be human, how we could understand and speak alien languages, how we can talk to animals, and what all of that tells us about how to get fluent in English.
Sep 16, 201921:20
Practice and immersion (with Josh Hartshorne)

Practice and immersion (with Josh Hartshorne)

I always talk about how important patience is when you’re learning a language, because it’s really hard, and it takes a really long time, and recently I spoke to someone who knows that better than anyone: cognitive scientist Josh Hartshorne. In this interview we talk about the critical period, language acquisition, and the importance of immersion
Sep 11, 201934:20
The truth about non-native English teachers (with Marek Kiczkowiak)

The truth about non-native English teachers (with Marek Kiczkowiak)

In the world of English language learning and teaching there is an obsession with the native speaker. Recently I spoke to someone who explains exactly why that has to end: Marek Kiczkowiak from TEFL Equity Advocates. This class is essential viewing for anyone learning English, but especially non-native English teachers.
Sep 04, 201930:55