Main content

The language that changed the world

Michael Rosen hears the fascinating story of the origin of all Indo-European languages from author Laura Spinney. Today, nearly half of humanity speaks an Indo-European language.

Michael Rosen hears the fascinating story of the origin of all Indo-European languages from Laura Spinney, the author of Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global. Today, nearly half of humanity speaks an Indo-European language and Laura has been investigating how that came to be.
Produced for 蜜芽传媒 Audio Bristol by Beth O'Dea, in partnership with the Open University.
Subscribe to the Word of Mouth podcast and never miss an episode: /sounds/brand/b006qtnz

Available now

28 minutes

Featured

  • .

Broadcasts

  • Thu 22 May 2025 15:30
  • Sun 25 May 2025 20:00

Explore the OU鈥檚 Cultural Idioms Guide

Explore how some cultural idioms entered the English Language.

Idioms Quiz

Explore why languages have idioms with The Open University鈥檚 quiz.

From blunk to brickfielder: our wonderful words for weather

From blunk to brickfielder: our wonderful words for weather

Exploring creative descriptions for wind, rainfall and sunny spells from around the world

Digital body language 鈥 how to communicate better online

Digital body language 鈥 how to communicate better online

We need to find new ways of talking to each other 鈥渧irtually鈥.

Coinages that changed the world 鈥 and some that tried to...

Coinages that changed the world 鈥 and some that tried to...

Exploring the hidden histories of obscure words, and common buzz phrases.

Ittibitium, borborygmus, and Ba humbugi 鈥 14 wonderful science words you鈥檝e never heard of

Ittibitium, borborygmus, and Ba humbugi 鈥 14 wonderful science words you鈥檝e never heard of

Michael Rosen puts the language of science under the microscope.

Download this programme

Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.

Keywords for Our Time

Series of programmes examining key phrases in public debate.

Smiley face: Seven things you didn't know about emoji

Some facts about emoji - possibly the world's first truly global form of communication.

The funny words that kids invent

Have a look at some of the fantastic words that children invent and reimagine.

Podcast