ABOUT

 

WELCOME TO MOTHER TONGUES

We will take you on a wicked round-the-world journey through the medium of language.

We’ll mix up linguistics, anthropology and biology in a tasty, cross-disciplinary brew, and open your mind to different ways of thinking and being. You can expect our posts to feature crazy “untranslatable” words and ask important questions, like: what is the greatest number of languages a single person can speak fluently? How do I swear in Faroese? Could I learn to speak dolphin-language?

We’re also here to shine a spotlight on Earth’s disappearing languages.

Sadly, many of Earth’s languages are endangered – we are in the midst of a cultural extinction crisis. But this isn’t just about some abstract “culture” concept. It’s about people. Without language, history, art and connection to land, people would be homogenous and identity-less. MOTHER TONGUES is all about that diversity, bro – so we’re gonna celebrate it.

Wanna get in touch?

Flick us a message: erykers(at)gmail.com. This blog is part of coursework for the Masters of Science Communication programme at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand.

 

About the Author

Ever since she started a dead bird collection at age five, Ellen has had an insatiable curiosity. An avid nature enthusiast, she worships wild landscapes, tiny pretty bugs and lush ferns.

Ellen relishes travelling alone and learning about anything and everything. She divides her time between studying science communication in the wintry depths of Dunedin and fanging around the world with her hiking boots.