Language Myths (V Lange SS 24)

There are many enduring myths about language(s) and language use in the popular imagination, for example:• Women talk more than men,• Speakers of a dialect are dumber than speakers of the standard language,• Our language is continually deteriorating, and this is mainly due to anglicisms/the youth/the internet,• A multilingual nation will always have language conflicts,• Some languages are better (more beautiful, more expressive, simpler, older, …) than others.This lecture is dedicated to looking behind such myths. We will discuss how language myths arise, how they are perpetuated, which interests they serve, and how we can come to more realistic ideas about language and language use.

When: Fri 3. DS

Where: ABS/0E04