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In Search of the First Language

Viewing Ideas

Before Watching

1. Read to your class the story of Babel from the Bible. Then have them consider the following questions:

   1. What are the possible interpretations of this story?

   2. What are some of the consequences, both negative and positive, of people speaking in different tongues today?

2. In this program, the linguistic academicians fall into two basic groups: those who believe that a mother tongue can be discovered, and those who do not. Have students list the arguments forwarded by each group as they watch.

3. Many of the words that we use in everyday English originated from other languages. To emphasize this point, photocopy a page at random from the dictionary and distribute it to the class. Ask students to make a list of the origins of the words on the page.

After Watching

1. How well did this program establish for your students the possibility that a single mother language can be discovered?

2. What obstacles might prevent adoption of a single language, such as Esperanto? What does the language study in Philadelphia suggest about the probability of establishing a single, world-wide language?

3. Why is it important to preserve native languages? What can be lost when a native language becomes extinct?