A Web Of Words
Professor Jean Aitchison examines the word-learning ability inbuilt in humans, and explains how we manage to recall words at speed when we need them.
This year's Reith Lecturer is Jean Aitchison, a Professor of Language and Communication in the Faculty of English Language and Literature at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford.
In her fourth lecture, Professor Jean Aitchison examines words themselves. An educated native speaker of English knows at least 50,000 words and word-learning ability is inbuilt in humans. Professor Aitchison explains how we manage to recall these words at speed when we need them, and how meaning and sound are interwoven.
Last on
Broadcast
- Tue 27 Feb 1996 09:00麻豆社 Radio 4
Featured in...
Archive 1976-2012—The Reith Lectures
Annual radio lectures on significant issues, delivered by leading figures.
New to the Reith Lectures? Here鈥檚 where to start
Four lectures recommended by the series producer.
Podcast
-
The Reith Lectures
Significant international thinkers deliver the 麻豆社's flagship annual lecture series.