Overview

Course No. 20010

Cut through the complexity of linguistics with Professor John McWhorter’s engaging course, Language A to Z. This course uses the English alphabet to explore various aspects of language, from ancient dialects to modern slang, in 24 lectures.

Video Lesson List

1. A for Aramaic

Discover the rise and fall of Aramaic, an influential ancient language, and its current presence.

16 min

2. B for Baby Mama

Explore the grammar behind the expression “baby mama” and its roots in African-American Vernacular English.

14 min

3. C for Compounds

Understand the world of compounds and how they affect English pronunciation and spelling.

16 min

4. D for Double Negatives

Learn why double negatives are common in many languages and the peculiarities of their use in English.

14 min

5. E for Etymology

Delve into the fascinating backstories of words and phrases, including “eeny, meeny, miney, moe” and “quaint.”

15 min

6. F for First Words

Investigate why “mama” and “papa” are common first words and the theories behind language acquisition.

16 min

7. G for Greek Alphabet

Explore the invention of the Greek alphabet and its profound impact on language.

16 min

8. H for Hobbits

Use the backstory of “hobbits” to learn about the complexity of lesser-known languages like Homo floresiensis.

17 min

9. I for Island

Understand the quirks of English spelling through the word “island” and the Great Vowel Shift.

15 min

10. J for Jamaican

Examine Jamaican patois and its unique linguistic features.

14 min

11. K for Ket

Learn about the peculiarities of the Maltese language and the challenges of classifying dialects and languages.

15 min

12. L for Like

Understand the use of “like” in conversation and its role as a pragmatic particle.

15 min

13. M for Maltese

Explore Maltese, the only Arabic language in the EU, and its unique linguistic features.

16 min

14. N for Native American English

Investigate Native American Pidgin English and its role in bridging communication gaps.

17 min

15. O for Oldsters in Cartoons

Learn about language portrayal in cartoons and the distinction between rural and urban speech patterns.

15 min

16. P for Plurals, Q for Quiz

Discover the evolution of plurals and the origins of the word “quiz.”

16 min

17. R for R-lessness

Examine the significance of the “R” sound and its disappearance in certain English dialects.

17 min

18. S for She

Learn about the evolution of pronouns and their usage in English.

16 min

19. T for Tone

Explore the importance of tone in languages and its emergence in certain regions.

16 min

20. U for Understand

Understand the concept of vocabulary size and the misconception about counting words.

16 min

21. V for Vocabulary

Investigate the complexities of defining and counting vocabulary in different languages.

16 min

22. W for What’s Up, Doc?

Study the evolution of slang and its significance in modern language.

16 min

23. X for !Xóõ, Y for Yiddish

Investigate the click language !Xóõ and the surprising vitality of Yiddish.

15 min

24. Z for Zed

Tribute to the letter Z and its evolution from ancient times to today.

15 min