What happens when you take a language and put it on an island?

That’s what’s happened on Palmerston Island, one of the most isolated places on earth. And one linguist, Dr Rachel Hendery, has learned some fascinating things about what language does in isolation.

We’ll find out more on this episode of Talk the Talk.

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Promo

Promo with Teri Campbell, 2018-12-03: Microcosm

Full interview

Interview with Rachel Hendery (complete)

Daniel chats with Dr Rachel Hendery of Western Sydney University about English on Palmerston Island. What happens to language in a small community on one of the most remote islands on earth? And how does this tie in with the expectations and attitudes of English speakers?

Thanks to Dr Hendery, to the Association for Linguistic Typology, and to the Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language.

Also at https://www.patreon.com/posts/23089582

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Show notes

Google removes gendered pronouns from Gmail’s Smart Compose to avoid AI bias
https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/27/18114127/google-gmail-smart-compose-ai-gender-bias-prounouns-removed

Analysing cross-cultural variation | Open Science
http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/5/8/181100

The ecological drivers of variation in global language diversity | bioRxiv
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/09/26/426502

Motherfocloir: Dispatches From A Not So Dead Language : HarperCollins Australia
https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781786691873/motherfocloir-dispatches-from-a-not-so-dead-language/

Motherfoclóir: here’s proof that the Irish language is in rude health
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/motherfocl%C3%B3ir-here-s-proof-that-the-irish-language-is-in-rude-health-1.3507094

Pop-Up Gaeltacht: A One Night Stand | Osgur Ó Ciardha | TEDxBallyroanLibrary

It’s True: Alcohol Helps You Speak a Foreign Language Better | Time
http://time.com/4989850/alcohol-foreign-language-speak/

The Marsters of Palmerston
http://www.cookislands.org.uk/marsters.html

William Marsters’ claim to Palmerston
http://www.cookislands.org.uk/marsters-claim.html

Palmerston: The island at the end of the earth – BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-25430383

World’s first CRISPR gene edited babies born – are we ready? – Science Friction – ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/sciencefriction/world-first-gene-edited-twins/10571596

Gene editing babies was irresponsible, risky and unnecessary, say experts. Why? – Science News – ABC News
https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-12-01/crispr-gene-editing-twins-controversy-legal-ethical-china/10567542

US Biotech Firms Made China’s Gene-Edited Babies Possible
https://www.wired.com/story/us-biotech-firms-made-chinese-crispr-babies-possible/

‘Scientists are now very sure that the babies really were gene-edited’ | New Scientist
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2186956-scientists-are-now-very-sure-that-the-babies-really-were-gene-edited/

CRISPR babies: is this the start of a terrifying new chapter in gene editing? – Vox
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/11/30/18119589/crispr-technology-he-jiankui

First CRISPR babies: six questions that remain
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07607-3

Recursive acronym – Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recursive_acronym

CRISPR-Cas9 (“Mr. Sandman” Parody) | A Capella Science

Macron Inspects Damage After ‘Yellow Vest’ Protests as France Weighs State of Emergency
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/01/world/europe/france-yellow-vests-protests-macron.html

France fuel protests: Tear gas fired in clashes in Paris – BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-europe-46411699

Driving in France: The Law – Travel and Tourism in Provence
https://www.marvellous-provence.com/travel/road/driving-france-laws-rules-regulations

I’m the reporter who discovered Knickers the giant steer. I can assure you he is enormous – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-29/a-defence-of-knickers-the-giant-steer/10567066

Big cow: WA’s giant steer Knickers a viral social media sensation
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/social/big-cow-was-giant-steer-knickers-a-viral-social-media-sensation-ng-b881034571z

Etymonline: steer
https://www.etymonline.com/word/steer

Transcript

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