Babel: The Language Magazine

Babel: The Language Magazine

Babel is the quarterly linguistics magazine for all language lovers. Subscribe at babel.zine.co.uk

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Babel: The origins story!

Babel: The origins story!

Пікірлер

  • @NgariiT
    @NgariiT5 күн бұрын

    Linguistic porn.

  • @dominicbarnard5446
    @dominicbarnard544618 күн бұрын

    What heart in a man, A lexicon of phenomenon, A brain of beauty, I know few who would refute it. His love for language inspires all, Allows others to stand tall, Grow within themselves, And revisit book shelves. This master of words, Helps us look upwards, To reach for the stars in the sky, Oh how I love Steven Fry.

  • @davidbarton6095
    @davidbarton609521 күн бұрын

    Simply fantastic.

  • @TomTom-hj3nq
    @TomTom-hj3nqАй бұрын

    pure eloquence...😊

  • @Gipsi711
    @Gipsi711Ай бұрын

    Sonetimes words CANNOT express what we think or feel.. Stephen Fry is just from another planet😊

  • @jota893
    @jota893Ай бұрын

    I can’t find the words to express my admiration and joy of knowing English and thus marvel at and with Stephen Fry.

  • @user-oo3kh4gb9c
    @user-oo3kh4gb9c2 ай бұрын

    When I am ever asked about my fantasy dinner guests; he is forever just above Ian Hislop, only just but just. I wish that I could have seen, moreover listen to him converse with Spike Milligan.

  • @CEO786
    @CEO7862 ай бұрын

    Why isn’t he talking about the calling of the ceasefire the absolute hypocrite!

  • @babelzine
    @babelzine2 ай бұрын

    This lecture was recorded in 2022, and was on the topic of language and communication.

  • @52Royston
    @52Royston2 ай бұрын

    Like Stephen Fry, I find ‘Haicht’ very annoying as indeed when ‘myself’ etc. is used neither for emphasis nor reflexive. But I will take his advice and try to be more tolerant. I can remember an occasion in Spain when dining in the restaurant of a top flight hotel, the waiter having served our meal, said ‘Bon appetite’. Then as an after-thought, he asked what the English equivalent was. I rather shamefacedly admitted we really did not have a phrase to cover it. Later leaving the restaurant I realised I should have told him ‘There you go’, although ‘Enjoy!’ has now come into universal usage (using a transitive verb in an intransitive fashion).

  • @user-pt3gi5ul2e
    @user-pt3gi5ul2e3 ай бұрын

    I do like Fry's comparison of our living language to the architectural history hodge podge seen in London.

  • @user-pt3gi5ul2e
    @user-pt3gi5ul2e3 ай бұрын

    I only jumped double jump ropes once, to make sure I could; then quit while I was ahead. That's how I felt keeping up with Stephen with my Iowa ears. I toughed it out because he makes my own verbosity seem moderate.

  • @carolclark1406
    @carolclark14063 ай бұрын

    Totally agree, from Queeensland.

  • @Neerajexplains
    @Neerajexplains3 ай бұрын

    He is verbal personification of absolute perfection

  • @odothedoll2738
    @odothedoll27383 ай бұрын

    I never thought anyone felt the same way about fancy language that I did. When I was in middle school (roughly ages 12-15 for my non Americans) I was learning all these words and phrases from the media I was consuming and tried to drop them into conversations. I stopped because whenever I said something like “stately” or “circumambulate” or whatever the other kids would make fun of me. My teachers have told me that I have a “strong voice” in my writing which hasn’t always been used as a complement because I tend to patter on.

  • @JOHN----DOE
    @JOHN----DOE4 ай бұрын

    Love it that when talking about the jumble of English from all periods and cultures, he uses the phrase "mucked in." Bet Americans have no idea where this commonly-used phrase for "pitched in" comes from--mucking out stables! The highest classes use language from the lowest, and preserve past forms of living. NOT like the elitist French, the ultimate virtue-signallers of inclusiveness, who claim all their colonial peoples are "French" and then ban headscarves, while "purifying" the language.

  • @czeshirecat6278
    @czeshirecat62784 ай бұрын

    Couldn’t Huddersfield provide a non wobbly lecturn? Plus I’d adore to have watched a conversation between him and Kenneth Williams. Whatever. I love this wonderful man.

  • @eleftherialogou
    @eleftherialogou4 ай бұрын

    Possible brothel Dutch.

  • @theobserver9131
    @theobserver91314 ай бұрын

    I can see why the universe doesn't send us all that many wonderful people. Wonderful people are in great danger of being deified and ultimately nailed to a cross. I think he's great too, but y'all should settle down.

  • @theobserver9131
    @theobserver91314 ай бұрын

    Being gay has probably saved him from that horrible fate. It's kept him just this side of deification.

  • @Michael-yd5ry
    @Michael-yd5ry4 ай бұрын

    He should get a knighthood.

  • @OscarMikeF150
    @OscarMikeF1504 ай бұрын

    I love Stephen Fry in every situation that I find him in.

  • @Frank5133
    @Frank51334 ай бұрын

    He is at his best when on a panel with Christopher Hitchens although Hitchens is in a league of his own.

  • @heatherdepasquale9803
    @heatherdepasquale98034 ай бұрын

    Always refreshing to hear from Stephen Fry.

  • @eligoitein6499
    @eligoitein64994 ай бұрын

    a whole lot more than 474 Ilm sure; the man propogates,h jnhndates inseminates all, who hear or read hm with the infecytous joy he the professor professes. mtw " has he ever done a bit on James Joyce, anybody know?

  • @sammysouth8372
    @sammysouth83724 ай бұрын

    The diversity of possible human manifestations is truly tragic: Stephen Fry and that SoS Trump are both members of the same species 😢😢😢

  • @Rachaelshaw7
    @Rachaelshaw75 ай бұрын

    "hands to sign" Thank you ❤

  • @malcolmduncan3047
    @malcolmduncan30475 ай бұрын

    Blackadder sends you his contrafibularities...lol.

  • @jillwilson9209
    @jillwilson92095 ай бұрын

    Hi .. texting from Tasmania 😊 you r brilliant

  • @joannaspivey566
    @joannaspivey5665 ай бұрын

  • @JoelHouck
    @JoelHouck5 ай бұрын

    Oh Stephen, you are so magnificent. I wept like a little girl at the suffix of your presentation. What a treasure you are. You are the celebrity, living or dead, that I would most like to have to dinner. You are the perfect guest at a Japanese tea ceremony where the formality of the performance dumbfounds even the host while holding the profound knowledge that the entire purpose of the ritual is paradoxically the honoring of the guests. You are the epitome of the definition of the "true gentleman" as defined at the conclusion of the first act of my one man show Southern Freud Chicken. "boys a true gentleman is simply this, someone who makes everyone else in the room feel more at ease. Thanks for that Mr Fry. Xx

  • @stephenmcguire7342
    @stephenmcguire73425 ай бұрын

    Proof positive why a man shouldn't practice the sin of sodomy.

  • @cpnlsn88
    @cpnlsn885 ай бұрын

    Not going to lie. That's a great speech. Should be printed and published.

  • @aaronsomek
    @aaronsomek5 ай бұрын

    Stephen Fry for World President.

  • @donaldjmccann
    @donaldjmccann5 ай бұрын

    WOW!

  • @richardoldfield6714
    @richardoldfield67145 ай бұрын

    Speaking of language .... “The only people for me are the Mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes 'Awww!'" Jack Kerouac, On the Road.

  • @grantmillard8387
    @grantmillard83875 ай бұрын

    I am certain that there are people who masturbate themselves to wonderful orgasms just listening to this man speak. Not me of course.

  • @RiqCrow
    @RiqCrow5 ай бұрын

    imagine if the world leaders would be like Stephen Fry? Educated, well-mannered, having the big picture in mind, and a concern for human well-being? Compared to fame/money-greedy, short-sighted, stupid people like Trump.

  • @Jason-lw7tk
    @Jason-lw7tk5 ай бұрын

    He is so admirable. So uniquely intelligent, humorous, kind and graceful. We're all the better for his brilliant existence.

  • @RAIN-AGAIN
    @RAIN-AGAIN5 ай бұрын

    IVE READ MANY OF THESE COMMENTS PRAISING THE SHEER GRANDIOSITY OF THIS ONE OF A KIND HUMAN BEING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALL I CAN DO…. OF COURSE…. IS HUMBLY AGREE!!!!!!!!!! AS A JAZZ COMPOSER AND SELF PROCLAIMED SHORT STORY WRITER…. I TOO….. LANGUISH; SUBLIMELY, NIGHT AFTER SOLEMN NIGHT OVER ADEQUATE PROSE FOR MY FICTION OR LYRICAL PERFECTION OF MY BALLADS…… MR. FRY BROUGHT THE LINGUAL QUEST TO LIGHT WITH HIS ELOQUENT SUMMATION AT 32:10….. “ BUT THE KEYS OF COLORS OF WHICH ONE SPEAKS, THE FRAMES OF REFERENCES, THE WORD CHOICES, PRONUNCIATIONS, STRESS TIMINGS, STNTAX, TONES,CADENCES, AND RHYTHMS REVEAL ALL!! …….. AND THAT IS EVEN BEFORE ONE APPROACHES THE QUESTIONS OF ACCENT, BROGUE, OR DIALECT!! …” HEAR….. HEAR… I SHOUT OUT TO THIS BLESSED MAESTRO OF EXPLANATION!!! HOW CAN ONE MAN COVER FROM ADAM AND EVE…… TO STARBUCKS WHILE PONTIFICATING ON THE RISE, FALL, AND FUSION …. OF MANS GIFT OF SPEECH??? IN THE END….. WELCOMING ALL TO THE TABLE OF COMMUNICATION!!! BRAVO SIR, BRAVO INDEED !! EXCUSE MY BLATANT PLAGIARISM OF OSCAR WILDES LINE YOU USED IN YOUR JOURNEY TO DISCOVER YOUR CALLING SIR……. BUT I CANNOT FATHOM ANY WORDS TO BEST DESCRIBE MY AWE OF YOUR HUMBLING PRESENTS……… AND SO, IN CLOSING, ALLOW ME TO REPEAT THE COMPLIMENT AT 15:33……..MEANT SOLELY TO YOU MR. FRY……… “ I HOPE I SHALL NOT OFFEND YOU IF I STATE QUITE FRANKLY AND OPENLY…… THAT…….. YOU SEEM TO BE……TO ME…… IN EVERY WAY….. THE VISIBLE PERSONIFICATION….. OF ……. ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!!!!!! “ your existence and persistence….. has changed mankind….. for the better. Bless you and God speed live and peace to you and family 🕯 🎼RAIN RAIN 🎼

  • @henriettejosephine
    @henriettejosephine5 ай бұрын

    What a pleasure to listen to!

  • @user-xg5yd3vz8w
    @user-xg5yd3vz8w6 ай бұрын

    And if “English” is not our original language? May we still follow this lecture?! Yes, why not? Should be the answer.

  • @djyotta
    @djyotta6 ай бұрын

    haha, he said "Lip to Lip" XD

  • @carlswenson5403
    @carlswenson54036 ай бұрын

    31:13 --- sesquipedalian prolixities ?!

  • @Pants4096
    @Pants40966 ай бұрын

    "A riot of unplanned, asymmetric variegation" is a beautiful description of the English language. ◡̈

  • @reinertl
    @reinertl6 ай бұрын

    Stephen Fry is the British Steve Allen. They're both brilliant in many fields.

  • @rajo741
    @rajo7416 ай бұрын

    Entertaining, engaging, educating and just all round a lovely, kind and playful soul. He makes the world richer.

  • @realistic_delinquent
    @realistic_delinquent6 ай бұрын

    “I was discovering new chords, keys, and rhythms to play on the larynx” Music!!!

  • @bloom8590
    @bloom85906 ай бұрын

    I genuinely love this man more and more every day.

  • @metromoppet
    @metromoppet6 ай бұрын

    Was there ever a point to all this ignoble codswallop

  • @knudsandbknielsen1612
    @knudsandbknielsen16126 ай бұрын

    This excellent lecture gives me the impression, theat the Danish "Jante Law" was imported from England. But then again, England is Anglo-Saxon, and Anglia is not just an old car, but also the southern part of the Jutland peninsula.

  • @rogeratygc7895
    @rogeratygc78955 ай бұрын

    Interesting! Isn't it curious that "Anglia" is there, while "_East_ Anglia" is across the North Sea... many miles to the West!

  • @_Michiel_
    @_Michiel_6 ай бұрын

    Oh, the eloquence and wit of this lovely man! ❤