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23. Language

Stanford

2.2M subscribers • 7 videos on Rounds

YouTube
  • Recommended by 3 people, in Hacker News, across 3 different months.
  • Presented by Robert Sapolsky, as the video describes them

Assumes interest and some biology. Education, not medical advice.

1.1M views15 years ago3 recommendations

Brain and nervesNeuroscienceMemory and learning

Robert Sapolsky lectures on the neurobiology, genetics, and evolutionary aspects of human and animal language.

(May 21, 2010) Professor Robert Sapolsky gives a lecture on language. He describes the similarities and differences between different human and animal languages. He focuses on how we use language to communicate with each other, how we communicate with animals, and how animals commute with each other. Stanford University: stanford.edu/ Stanford Department of Biology: biology.stanford.edu/ Stanford University Channel on YouTube: youtube.com/stanford

Why it's here

3 people recommend this

What people say. Recommended as an engaging and informative lecture on how the brain processes language and how it evolved.

nerfhammerin Hacker News • Recommends

On “Apes may be closer to speaking than many scientists think”

Robert Sapolsky's lecture, mentioned in the article, wherein he discusses ape language projects, is a good watch: link to this video He completely dismisses Koko but considers Kanzi to be more credible.

SlySherZin Hacker News • Recommends

On “I woke up unable to speak English”

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: link to this video If you want to understand better how the brain works, I really recommend watching the whole course.

i2sharin Hacker News • Recommends

On “Gene therapy allows an 11-year-old boy to hear”

This is well known and well studied. I highly recommend Sapolksy’s lecture on this: link to this video Start at 12:14 for the relevant topic, but the entire lecture is a good watch.

belornin Hacker News • Mentions

On “Lilli, the German Adult-Themed Cartoon Character Who Became the Barbie Doll”

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. link to this video