What is the place of Yiddish in the context of a globalizing world? The role of Yiddish as a heritage language and its present uses by Jewish and non-Jewish speech communities around the world are considered, including Hasidim at one end of a cultural spectrum and European Christians at the other end. A theoretical description of the instruction of Yiddish and language competition with Hebrew and English is supplemented by a personal reflection on what it means to be a Yiddish speaker and Yiddish teacher in today's world.

National Museum of Language Podioma

Discourses in Dying Languages: My Story with Yiddish by Miriam Isaacs

Discover the vast variety of “World Englishes”; how English has spread around the world and how World Englishes can be a two-edged sword, offering gifts and dangers. How do power, oppression, imperialism, and resistance link to World Englishes?

World Englishes by Rebecca Oxford & Rashi Jain

Part 3 of a lecture by David Zorc on Language and Culture, sponsored by the National Museum of Language. In this podcast Dr. Zorc discusses the relationship between cultural practices and becoming a part of a language community. He references a number of interesting personal experiences and explores the hierarchy of vocabulary registers, specifically the contrast between 'gutter' language and polite conversation. Connotation and denotation of terms are explained in relation to politically correct language. Dr. Zorc celebrates the diversity of expressions that reflect the pairing of culture and language. This section of the podcast is a fascinating exchange of questions and answers between Dr.Zorc and the audience.

David Zorc on Language and Culture Part 3

Part 1 of a lecture by David Zorc on Language and Culture, sponsored by the National Museum of Language. In this podcast Dr. Zorc discusses the relationship between cultural practices and becoming a part of a language community. He references a number of interesting personal experiences and explores the hierarchy of vocabulary registers, specifically the contrast between 'gutter' language and polite conversation. Connotation and denotation of terms are explained in relation to politically correct language. Dr. Zorc celebrates the diversity of expressions that reflect the pairing of culture and language.

David Zorc on Language and Culture

Part 2 of a lecture by David Zorc on Language and Culture, sponsored by the National Museum of Language. In this podcast Dr. Zorc discusses the relationship between cultural practices and becoming a part of a language community. He references a number of interesting personal experiences and explores the hierarchy of vocabulary registers, specifically the contrast between 'gutter' language and polite conversation. Connotation and denotation of terms are explained in relation to politically correct language. Dr. Zorc celebrates the diversity of expressions that reflect the pairing of culture and language.

David Zorc on Language and Culture Part 2

A podcast from the programs and people at the National Museum of Language in College Park, Maryland. Topics include languages, the museum, and linguistics. See http://languagemuseum.org for more information