Language as a Window Into Human Nature

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• Professor Steven Pinker, Dept of Psychology Harvard
• Tuesday 10 June 2008, 17:00-18:30
• The Cambridge Union.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Andrew Caines.

OPEN TO ALL: guest sign-in at the door

Language is the main channel in which human beings share the contents of their consciousness. It thereby offers a window into human nature, revealing the hidden workings of our thoughts, our emotions, and our social relationships. I explore an example of each: everyday metaphor as a window into human cognition; swearing and taboo words as a window into human emotion; and indirect speech-veiled threats and bribes, polite requests, and sexual come-ons-as a window into human relationships.

This talk is part of the Cambridge University Linguistic Society (LingSoc) series.

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