Exploring Language http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5541690&ft=1&f=5541690 Researchers used to think that grammar and vocabulary were the only things needed to carry on a conversation. But over the last two decades, a much more complex picture of language has emerged. It turns out that words and sentences are just the tip of a huge linguistic iceberg. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Mon, 10 Jul 2006 09:54:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Exploring Language http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5541690&ft=1&f=5541690 Rare Disorder Offers Fresh Insight into Language Unlike autism, people with Williams Syndrome are very talkative and outgoing. They're described as "overfriendly." But while they love to talk, they often end up missing the point in a conversation. Scientists say the disorder illustrates the social roots of why we talk. Mon, 10 Jul 2006 09:54:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5545504&ft=1&f=5541690 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5545504&ft=1&f=5541690 Unlike autism, people with Williams Syndrome are very talkative and outgoing. They're described as "overfriendly." But while they love to talk, they often end up missing the point in a conversation. Scientists say the disorder illustrates the social roots of why we talk.

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]]> The Inner World of Ripley the Robot Plenty of computers know thousands of words and complex rules of grammar. But they're dismal communicators. So a group of scientists at MIT is trying a different approach: They're creating robots that learn what words mean the same way humans do. Mon, 10 Jul 2006 11:23:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5503683&ft=1&f=5541690 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5503683&ft=1&f=5541690 Plenty of computers know thousands of words and complex rules of grammar. But they're dismal communicators. So a group of scientists at MIT is trying a different approach: They're creating robots that learn what words mean the same way humans do.

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]]> Q&A: Temple Grandin on Autism & Language Autistic people can be isolated, Temple Grandin says, not only because they have difficulty making a connection with so-called "normal" people, but because normal people find it difficult to put themselves in an autistic person's shoes and see the world from their perspective. Sun, 09 Jul 2006 16:03:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5488844&ft=1&f=5541690 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5488844&ft=1&f=5541690 Autistic people can be isolated, Temple Grandin says, not only because they have difficulty making a connection with so-called "normal" people, but because normal people find it difficult to put themselves in an autistic person's shoes and see the world from their perspective.

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]]> Autism Reveals Social Roots of Language Like many people with autism, Temple Grandin struggles with language and also with personal relationships. Scientists say that's probably not a coincidence, as research increasingly suggests that language depends as much on social skills as grammar. Sun, 09 Jul 2006 11:24:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5503688&ft=1&f=5541690 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5503688&ft=1&f=5541690 Like many people with autism, Temple Grandin struggles with language and also with personal relationships. Scientists say that's probably not a coincidence, as research increasingly suggests that language depends as much on social skills as grammar.

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]]> Living with Nyota the Bonobo Eight years ago, ethnographer Bill Fields became a single parent -- to a bonobo. Fields has a theory that Nyota's integrated upbringing -- which includes trips to Dairy Queen -- will give him the most sophisticated grasp of human language ever seen in a bonobo. Sat, 08 Jul 2006 14:22:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5541593&ft=1&f=5541690 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5541593&ft=1&f=5541690 Eight years ago, ethnographer Bill Fields became a single parent -- to a bonobo. Fields has a theory that Nyota's integrated upbringing -- which includes trips to Dairy Queen -- will give him the most sophisticated grasp of human language ever seen in a bonobo.

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]]> Do You Understand Me, My Pet? Any dog lover will tell you that dogs respond to human behavior, often with loyalty and unconditional love. But do dogs really understand us? Sat, 08 Jul 2006 09:28:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5540532&ft=1&f=5541690 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5540532&ft=1&f=5541690 Any dog lover will tell you that dogs respond to human behavior, often with loyalty and unconditional love. But do dogs really understand us?

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]]> A Voluble Visit with Two Talking Apes Bonobo chimpanzees Kanzi and Panbanisha understand thousands of words. With the help of a keypad, they use sentences, talk on the phone, and gossip. They are challenging the idea that language is unique to humans. Sat, 08 Jul 2006 11:24:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2006/07/08/5503685/a-voluble-visit-with-two-talking-apes?ft=1&f=5541690 http://www.npr.org/2006/07/08/5503685/a-voluble-visit-with-two-talking-apes?ft=1&f=5541690 Bonobo chimpanzees Kanzi and Panbanisha understand thousands of words. With the help of a keypad, they use sentences, talk on the phone, and gossip. They are challenging the idea that language is unique to humans.

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]]> Timeline: Evolution of Human Language Research Human language research has come a long way since philosophers of the 1700s started thinking about communication. But scientists and scholars still pose many questions about the origins of language and how humans acquire speech. Fri, 07 Jul 2006 17:50:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5541370&ft=1&f=5541690 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5541370&ft=1&f=5541690 Human language research has come a long way since philosophers of the 1700s started thinking about communication. But scientists and scholars still pose many questions about the origins of language and how humans acquire speech.

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