Language Science Resources

Check out the sources below for info on different language science topics. These are great for students, teachers, and everyday language scientists.

Crash Course Linguistics

Crash Course series on the science of linguistics. Over 16 episodes, Taylor Behnke will teach you all about language, from its structure, to the relationship between language and our identity, the brain, and computers, to writing, language acquisition, and the diversity of human languages. This is a great place to start learning about language science!

Linguistics | Britannica Kids 

An adolescent-friendly introduction to language science – also known as linguistics – from Britannica Kids. 

How Language Shapes the Way We Think | Lera Boroditsky

TED Talk by cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky on the power of language to shape how we think. “The beauty of linguistic diversity is that it reveals to us just how ingenious and how flexible the human mind is,” Boroditsky says. “Human minds have invented not one cognitive universe, but 7,000.”

 The Significance of Linguistic Profiling | John Baugh

TED Talk by renowned linguist John Baugh on the sociolinguistic phenomenon of linguistic profiling. Dr. Baugh explains dialects, accents, and our linguistic heritages, and then delves into the ways linguistic bias can impact individuals and communities.

Their Eyes Were Watching God: The Impact of Language

A lesson plan for high school students from the PBS Great American Read series that incorporates principles and tools of language science. In this lesson, students investigate the preconcieved notions people have about accents and dialects, and how Zora Neale Hurston uses language in Their Eyes Were Watching God.

The ‘ax’ versus ‘ask’ question | John McWhorter

A historical and sociolinguistic analysis by linguist John McWhorter detailing the history, social context, and controversies surrounding the coexisting forms “ask” and “aks,” which have both been in use in English since the days of the Anglo-Saxons.

Celebrating many meanings: Language comprehension and the importance of Black English, with Jasmine Rogers

Reading specialist and researcher Dr. Jasmine Rogers discusses Black Language and how it connects with the language comprehension strand of Scarborough’s Reading Rope. She offers recommendations for classroom teachers who have bidialectal students. Science of Reading: The Podcast, season 6 episode 12. 

North Carolina Language & Life Project

A sociolinguistics-focused media library produced by the language scientists at North Carolina State University. Includes videos and other resources showcasing the diverse languages and cultures of North Carolina, from the Appalachians to the Outer Banks.