Multilinguish

What are the cutest English words? We have some thoughts. Plus, we tell you why Elon Musk's wild predictions about language are probably wrong, and share some of your submissions on how you're using language during quarantine.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.

Which foreign-language shows should you stream? We've got some recommendations, plus the surprising reason we call those big, growling animals "bears," and other fun language trivia. Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.

What were Ben Franklin's least favorite letters in the alphabet? Can HBO's 'My Brilliant Friend' help you learn Italian? We discuss these questions and more language trivia and tips. We're stuck at home and you probably are too, so let's learn something new.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.

Call 315-273-4200 and leave a message with your language story for a chance to be featured on a future episode of the podcast! What does language mean to you during this new and strange time? Tell us about how you've used language during a crisis, your strategies for learning a language alone, how you're communicating with people while social distancing, or any other language story you'd like to share. Leave us a voicemail at 315-273-4200. We're excited to hear your stories!

Switching between languages is a natural part of being bilingual — but why? How does the bilingual brain work, is it difficult to keep your languages separated, and what does code-switching say about us as language learners and social beings? We answer these questions together with experts from Babbel's team of linguists and a bilingual panel.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-code-switching-decoded Special thanks to Jennifer Dorman, Michela Mosca and Todd Ehresmann.

77% of language learners find speaking (and listening) to be the most challenging part of learning a language. We talk about the anxiety that comes with having conversations in a foreign language and offer some tips, tricks and strategies for not giving up when the going gets tough.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-foreign-language-anxietySpecial thanks to Áine Gallagher for her contributions to this episode.

Throughout our lives, people try to affect the way we talk, whether it be elementary school teachers or inclusive-language activists. We look at how people have tried to change language historically, and what the impacts of so-called "verbal hygiene" are on our everyday lives.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-verbal-hygiene

From Dothraki in 'Game Of Thrones' to Esperanto, we explore the universe of constructed languages, or conlangs. Whether they're crafted for pop culture and entertainment, or designed as a tool for global unity, why would someone want to make up a language in the first place?Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-conlangsSpecial thanks to Ben Wood, Thomas Alexander of the Esperanto Variety Show, and David J. Peterson for their contributions to this episode.

Choosing a single word to represent an entire year seems like an impossible task, but that hasn't stopped many people from trying. We discuss some of 2019's words of the year, both in English and in other languages, and look for themes that emerged when organizations reflected on the year that was.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-words-of-the-year-2019

What's the deal with the way Gen Z is talking? And why have young people been "ruining" (a.k.a. creating) language since the dawn of time? We brought in an intergenerational panel to talk growing up, learning slang, and speaking the code of our peers.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine: babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-language-is-for-the-youngSpecial thanks to Yulia Laricheva for taking the time to talk to us.

Are polyglots born or made? Believe it or not, these elusive creatures are just like us. We ask two polyglots — one who speaks 5 languages and another who speaks 21 — how and why they learned multiple languages, and what obstacles they had to overcome along the way.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine:babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-secrets-of-the-polyglots/‎Special thanks to Bruno Beidacki and Steve Kaufmann. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCez-2shYlHQY3LfILBuDYqQ

Is comedy the same everywhere? If you've ever tried to tell a joke in another language and had it fall flat, you may say "no." We talk about how comedy in translation is complex, and we have multilingual comedian Eddie Izzard explain how and why he's learned to perform standup comedy in multiple languages.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine:babbel.com/en/magazine/multilinguish-how-to-be-funny/Special thanks to Eddie Izzard for taking the time to talk to us.

ASMR, hypnosis, healing crystals, learning in your sleep. Can any of these "alternative" language-learning methods actually work? Or are you wasting your time and money? We bust some myths about these unconventional techniques and discuss how they could potentially supplement your studies.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine:babbel.com/magazine/multilinguish-asmr-hypnosis-crystalsSpecial thanks to Elise ASMR and Dr. Steve G. Jones. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChCV973VxXQjLXmDo2Ufqzw/featured

One language dies approximately every 14 days, and we're on track for half of the world's languages to go extinct by the end of this century. We spoke with the director and co-founder of Wikitongues about why we should be hopeful about language revitalization anyway.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.Special thanks to Daniel Bögre Udell for taking the time to talk to us for this episode.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine:babbel.com/magazine/multilinguish-dead-and-endangered-languages/

Why does it seem like Europeans are better at learning languages than Americans and Brits? The team talks to language experts about how geography, education and motivation drive this divide, and what we can do to close the gap.Get 50% off a 3-month Babbel subscription by visiting babbel.com/podcast and using the code MULTI.Special thanks to Markus Witte, Caroline Paboeuf, Jenny Dorman and Sophie Harwood.For more info about what we discussed in this episode, visit Babbel Magazine:babbel.com/magazine/multilinguish-european-american-language-learning/