3 HN users recommended this lecture3 months2015–2024score 3.5
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
HN recommends it, and the whole course, for understanding the brain and language acquisition.
Robert Sapolsky's Stanford lecture on language, comparing human and animal communication, ape language projects like Koko and Kanzi, and how language is acquired. It is part of his human behavioral biology course.
“If you want to understand better how the brain works, I really recommend watching the whole course.” (HN, 2018)
This is well known and well studied. I highly recommend Sapolksy’s lecture on this: [this video] Start at 12:14 for the relevant topic, but the entire lecture is a good watch.
Robert Sapolsky's lecture, mentioned in the article, wherein he discusses ape language projects, is a good watch: [this video] He completely dismisses Koko but considers Kanzi to be more credible.
Sapolsky discusses ape language projects, Koko and Kanzi
If I remember correctly, when you learn a new language after age 10, the brain encodes the new language in a region adjacent to the one where your mother language is encoded, which means that any localized injury on this part of the brain may impact your ability to speak just one of them. Source: Sapolsky's lecture about language: [this video] If you want to understand better how the brain works, I really recommend watching the whole course.
Brain encoding of second languages; whole course recommended
On the recorded lectures from Robert Sapolsky, he talks about motherese being both about teaching language and expressing emotion. The aspect of language is absent when people "talk" to their pets. [this video]
Motherese teaching language and expressing emotion
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