Geoffrey Nunberg

Language Commentator Geoffrey Nunberg will discuss the misleading nature of words, or when a "direct flight" isn't direct at all.

Language Commentator Geoffrey Nunberg discusses the centennial of Esperanto, a movement devoted to establishing a world language.

Language Commentator Geoffrey Nunberg discusses the overuse of the superlatives "world-class" and "serious."

Language Commentator Geoffrey Nunberg will discuss the effects of Minitel, the computer distributed by the telephone system in France that has brought a word processor to every home with a phone.

Language commentator Geoffrey Nunberg on the efforts of France's culture guardians to keep American expressions out of the language.

While vacationing in France, linguist Geoff Nunberg visited a museum exhibit showcasing an early edition of the Grand Larousse dictionary. He considers the cultural significance of this text, and what it says about how the French view language.

Language commentator recalls how he learned Italian by watching dubbed American movies while studying abroad, and considers why Italian filmgoers prefer dubbing over subtitles.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg considers the history and criticism of nouns becoming verbs. He takes issue not with the trend itself, but the often bombastic and bureaucratic reasons why people alter language.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg says that, regardless of the language they're written in, newspaper headlines demand a mastery of colloquialisms and pre-existing knowledge of current events--making them difficult for non-native speakers to comprehend.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg explains what people in his field actually study. It all boils down to the rules of language.