Over the past 3 months, I have thought several times about how social isolation due to the Covid 19 pandemic might impact language. I had considered the possibility of new additions to our lexicon, the way social media memes might creep into our everyday speech, and even how small children might be impacted by spending more time talking to their family members, rather than teachers and peers. I had not, however, considered the way language might affect infection rate. Today I learned that several researchers are looking at whether some languages can pose a larger risk for pathogen transmission than others. While there is no consensus, it does bring up an interesting discussion about aspirate languages, the frequent use of ejectives in English, and their role in the spread of disease. It also adds credence to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's speaking moistly comments. See this article on language and the spread of coronavirus for full details.
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AuthorMeredith McGregor Archives
June 2021
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