I knew some of this about the origin of language. Very effectively presented. The presenter has a lovely, attractive English accent with perfect pronunciation. A pleasure to listen to him.
I have been studying Chinese (Mandarin). Chinese combines the earliest form of writing, pictograms. diagrams of natural objects, with signs representing sounds.
He shows how the modern Roman alphabet was derived over time.
What he does not explain is how the Cyrillic alphabet was constructed at one point in time by Cyril and his borther. Just like Korean was invented by one person.
He has another video exaplining how German is easy to read if you can see how some letters in German are equivalent to others in English.
Useing the existing Roman alphabet, the language Esperanto was devised to help Europeans who spoke several langagues, to speak to each other in a commong language which combines parts of each of the main languages, but kept to a regular structure with only 14 rules, quick to learn.
If you are interested in languages you might be interested in these places:
SINGAPORE
In Singapore the four major official langauges and English Chinese (Mandarin), Malay (which is mostly the same as Indonesian) and Tamil.
Go on the MRT (underground railway) and you will hear announcements in four languages and see signs in four languages.
CANADA
You will hear English in Toronto and French in Montreal but in the capital all government empolyees are required to speak both languages. Most hotel and restaurant staff are also bilingual.
BELGIUM
You will see signs in two languages, French and Flemish (Dutch).
SWITZERLAND
A chance to practice three languages, French, German and Italian.
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