S1E3: How are our languages influenced by others?

In this episode, join hosts Clara Thea and Michael for an English conversation about language contamination, influences, bilingualism, and more.

Listen right here in your browser, on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts!

 

Vocabulary and expressions from the episode

• language contamination (noun): the foreign external influences from one language on another
• visa run (noun): a short trip across a border to apply for a new visa
• to sap [energy] (verb): to drain energy rapidly
• root words (noun): the foundational "building blocks" of a language
• Beowulf: an Old English epic poem considered to be one of the earliest pieces of English writing
• Norman Conquest: 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by France
• nobility (noun): the group of people belonging to the highest social class in a country; the aristocracy
• juicy [news] (adjective): when referring to news - interesting or scandalous; ripe for gossip
• to displace (verb): to take the position or role of; to remove and replace
• lingua franca (noun): any language used for communication between people who do not share a native language; a bridge language

Get in touch

Join our conversation by sending your comments and questions to englishspeakeasypodcast@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you, and we might just read your message in a future episode! Ask us anything about learning English or share your thoughts about this week's topic. 

Our discussion questions from this episode are:

How have other languages influenced your own?

If you could speak any other language fluently, what would it be and why?

Do you think that "language contamination" is a positive or negative thing? Why?

More English practice with the hosts of the English Speak Easy Podcast

Listen to Clara Thea's other podcast The British Whisperer (https://www.thebritishwhisperer.com), where you can practice your English skills by listening to the news and staying up to date.

Join Michael for free online English conversation practice sessions at LangClub, a social English community (https://langclub.live).