I watched this last week. It was an interesting 5-part series, but only a cursury introduction to language and linguistic theory. Much of this will likely be known to many of you, but it is still worth watching. I think I found the part on the history of written language to be the most interesting for me. It was a bad decision though to call this series "Speaking in Tongues," because everywhere you look for it online, all you find is religious glossolalia. - DG

 

Speaking in Tongues: The History of Language

Currently there are more than 6,000 languages spoken around the world. This five-part series traces the history and evolution of language and attendant theories and controversies while evaluating the scope of linguistic diversity, the dissemination of language, the expansion of language into written form, and the life cycle of language. Prominent figures in the field of linguistics—Noam Chomsky, John McWhorter, and Peter Ladefoged, to name only three—are featured. 5-part series, 48 minutes each.

The Series Includes : Let There Be Words: The Origin of Human Language | Constant Change: The Diversification and Spread of Language | Mother Tongues: Languages Around the World | Civilization to Colonization: Language Takes Written Form | Birth and Death: The Life Cycle of Language