John McWhorter
👤 Person
385
total appearances
Appearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
You cannot walk ol across the stage.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
It's long dead.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
Only some ancient Germanic person would have been able to use it.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
So it's dead.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
Now, the analogy to this, I think, with DNA is junk DNA.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
Is it true that there is DNA dragged along like that that used to mean something but didn't?
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
Or is that analogy off?
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
Yes, it would.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
But these genes can be turned back.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
I just thought of an example.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
This truly is spontaneous, and that's not my usual.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
Oh, wordle.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
And so that's not a word, but now it is.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
We're reusing that suffix.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
And so it's a cute little wordy thing.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
And so you can kind of bring it alive.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
And maybe there'll be other things ending in O nowadays, such as your tax assessmental or something like that.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
What's hardle?
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
It's hardler than workable.
TED Talks Daily
The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins
Yes, yes.