Group 501: Birth of a Language (and Genes vs. Memes)

For this week's class, we'll be using two segments from the U.S. Public Broadcasting documentary program Nova and its series Evolution. From episode 6, "The Mind's Big Bang," we'll look at the birth of a new language among deaf children in Nicaragua. Then we'll look at how memes operate in intellectual evolution in ways that are similar to (and competing with??) genes operating in biological evolution.

The whole program:



(Our first segment begins at 35 minutes 43 seconds.)

Our discussion questions:

1. Who are Maria Noname and Judy Kegel?
2. What information about herself was Maria unable to give?
3. The “window” for acquiring language stays open until about what age?
4. Why did the Nicaraguan deaf children in this documentary never encounter the window for language?
5. Instead of learning the standard sign language, what did the Nicaraguan children do?
6. What does every language depend upon? A set of strict ... what?
7. Richard Dawkins believes that language provided an advantage in what grand process?
8. What does Robin Dunbar do when he is out in the field--for example in a restaurant or on a train?
9. Dunbar and his colleagues thought that the exchange of technical information made up the major part of communication. To their surprise, 2/3 of normal human communication is actually made up of what?
10. What will monkeys and apes never know?
11. What does Stephen Pinker suggest might be the advantage of being the first to get a nice bit of gossip?
12. The narrator says, "Language: the force that created modern human culture, and that today tells us...." What three things does language tell us? “Who …, how …, and where ....”
13. Memes include, among other things, such intellectual and behavioral patterns as: (name as many as possible)
14. As an example of “memes fighting against genes,” Blackmore mentions that, in general, the more education you have, the fewer children you have.” What might the implications be?

The Public Broadcasting Service Web site maintains a subsite dedicated to the Evolution series.

Group 301-401 (Evening): 3000 Dancers

Welcome back, students! For a couple of weeks, we'll be watching the documentary film Every Little Step and listening carefully to the unscripted speech of the dancers, directors, choreographers, and others in this film.

There's a copy of this film on vk.com:



Amazon.com purchase link.

We'll be watching a higher-quality copy in class--with subtitles. Listen carefully, so that we can discuss the synopsis and these questions:

Groups 201-204 Homework: Words and phrases from this week's reading

Singapore's Changi Airport features in this week's short texts. Source.

Please use twelve of these words and phrases in complete sentences. (As always, you can use more than one in a sentence.) Be ready to read them next week in class.

1. Short texts.
does not simply
fancy
in the flesh

2. Gap fill.
as a sign of
the afterlife
by accident

3. Long text.
only just
well-built
twists and turns
shabby
stunning
initially
come to an arrangement
it was a relief
to stroll
desperate
put out feelers

Bonnie Raitt, "Something to Talk About"

Here's the music video by the great blues slide guitarist Bonnie Raitt, followed by the audio track and the words:



The audio version we heard in class:


Amazon.com purchase link

Something to Talk About, Shirley Eikhard

People are talkin, talkin ’bout people
I hear them whisper, you won’t believe it
They think we’re lovers kept undercover
I just ignore it, but they keep sayin’
We laugh just a little too loud
We stand just a little too close
We stare just a little too long
Maybe they’re seeing, somethin’ we don’t, Darlin’
Let’s give ’em something to talk about (x3)
How about love?

I feel so foolish, I never noticed
You’d act so nervous, could you be falling for me?
It took a rumor to make me wonder
Now I’m convinced I’m goin under
Thinking ’bout you every day
Dreaming ’bout you every night
I'm hoping that you feel the same way
Now that we know it, let’s really show it, Darlin’
Let’s give ’em something to talk about
A little mystery to figure out
Let’s give ’em something to talk about
How about love, love, love?

Groups 201-204 Homework: Use these words and phrases, if you dare...

Calvin & Hobbes source

Based on vocabulary from this week's listening comprehension exercises: Use ten of these words and phrases in complete sentences. Please be ready to read your sentences next week. (Remember, you can use more than one word or phrase in a sentence; you don't have to write ten separate sentences unless you really want to!)

exercise one
stick to the deadlines
get confused
(all) by myself

exercise two
to throw a party
to contribute (smth) (to)
a good deal

exercise three
homesick
impress
the locals
manage to
people my age
brush up on

Arcade Fire, "My Body Is a Cage"

Audio, Sarah Lov:  

Sara Lov — My Body Is a Cage на Яндекс.Музыке

Amazon.com purchase link Arcade Fire Amazon.com purchase link Sarah Lov Amazon.com purchase link Peter Gabriel My Body Is a Cage, Arcade Fire (Jeremy Gara / Richard Parry / Régine Chassagne / Tim Kingsbury / William Butler / Win Butler ) (Other singers' versions differ slightly.) Chorus: My body is a cage That keeps me from dancing with the one I love But my mind holds the key [x2] I’m standing on the stage Of fear and self-doubt It’s a hollow play But they’ll clap anyway Chorus You’re standing next to me My mind holds the key I’m living in an age That calls darkness light Though my language is dead Still the shapes fill my head I’m living in an age Whose name I don’t know Though the fear keeps me moving Still my heart beats so slow Chorus
You’re standing next to me
My mind holds the key
My body is a...

My body is a cage
We take what we’re given
Just because you’ve forgotten,
That don’t mean you’re forgiven

I’m living in an age
That screams my name at night
But when I get to the doorway
There’s no one in sight

I’m living in an age
They laugh and I’m dancing
With the one I love
But my mind holds the key

You’re still next to me
My mind holds the key

Set my spirit free [x2]
Set my body free [x2]
...

Groups 201-204 Homework: Alex writes from Vancouver, British Columbia

Anders Jacobsen. Source.

You have received the following letter from your English-speaking pen friend Alex:

Hello from Vancouver! The newspapers are full of interesting news from Sochi. It reminds me of four years ago, when the Winter Olympics were here in Vancouver. Some events took place just a couple of kilometers from my house. Will you go to Sochi for the 2014 games? Which Olympic sports are especially interesting to you? Do you participate in winter sports yourself?

My grandfather likes to tell me about his younger years, when he was a ski jumper.

Answer Alex's three questions, and ask him three questions about his grandfather. Write between 100 and 150 words in 20 minutes, and remember the rules of letter-writing. Please be ready to read your letter next week.