NEW PEOPLE NEW LANGUAGES

1) GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER

Pair up with your partner. Find out as much as you can about them.
Use these topics.

 Languages they speak

 Their occupation
 Aspirations
 Leisure pursuits

PREPARATION

Read the cartoon. Do you find it funny? Why do you think we speak different languages?

According to Genesis, the Babylonians wanted to make a name for themselves by building a mighty city and
a tower “with its top in the heavens.” God disrupted the work by so confusing the language of the workers that
they could no longer understand one another. The city was never completed, and the people were dispersed
over the face of the earth. (Encyclopaedia Brittanica)

2) READING

a)Skim-read the interview for 2 minutes, Are You a Hyperpolyglot? The Secrets of Language
Superlearners from TIME magazine. What is the attitude of the speaker to hyperpolyglots?

b)Scan the interview for 3 minutes.

What is meant by these words/phrases? Match with their deivinitions.

1. excessively proud or self-confident.

a) put the kibosh on 2. a comfortable or suitable position in life or
b) hubristic employment.
c) mamma-jammas(slang) 3. put an end to; dispose of decisively.
4. a person who cultivates an area of interest,
d) phenoms
such as the arts, without real commitment or
e) as a cutoff knowledge
f) a social niche 5. a point or level which is a designated limit of
g) dilettante something
6. a very attractive and stunning person
7. a person who is outstandingly talented or
admired; a star.

c) Complete these phrases about hypepolyglots using the text.

1. According to the linguist Michael Erard, unless you have a special mental gift, it is possible to
…........................................................

2. People who can mimic pronunciation are claimed.........................

3. Not only do hyperpolyglots know how to learn.......................

4. What makes hyperpolyglots different than others.............

 5. One way to get a job in America is …..

6. The author thinks it's such a pity people...

3) LISTENING: Why learn a new language?

Watch some of this TED video. What are the four reasons to learn a new language?

https://www.ted.com/talks/john_mcwhorter_4_reasons_to_learn_a_new_language/transcript#t-589083

4) DISCUSSION: In pairs

 Do you agree or disagree with the speaker?

 Are you learning another language apart from English? Why?
 Would you learn a new language just because it's good for your brain or well-being?