There are some 6,000 languages scattered around the globe. When we consider this fascinating multiplicity, several big questions present themselves for our consideration: Can we see any universals or at least widespread tendencies in the structures of human languages? What is the origin of human language and what might early language have been like? Does language reallyset us apart from other species? How did these languages spread around the world; where is the greatest diversity of languages to be found, and why are some languages dying out? Is diversity a good thing or is it an obstacle to human communication?
Professor Emeritus George Thomas is former Chair of the Department of Slavic Studies and Chair of the Department of Modern Languages. He has resided in the United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Croatia and Slovenia and has a good knowledge of Italy, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Slovakia, the United States, and South Africa, withexperience of and interest in Estonia, Latvia, Greece, Turkey, Serbia & Montenegro, Bosnia Herzegovina, the Caribbean, Kenya, and Tanzania. Recently Dr. Thomas has circumnavigated the globe with Semester at Sea teaching Linguistics under the auspices of the University of Virginia.
Wednesday, October 6th
7:00pm – 8:30pm
Parks Canada Discovery Centre, Hamilton Harbour
Free!
SOLD OUT - If you'd like to be added to our waiting list, please email alumni@mcmaster.ca