Videos on Literature and Philosophy

Acquiring the human language 1995

Supports the argument that language and the underlying rules of grammar are not acquired by children, but are instead an innate part of the human mind. 1 videocassette (55 min.)

MEDIA 10-5544

 

Against all odds 2004

"Contains original footage from an international conference held in 2000 in Asmara, Eritrea on African languages and linguistics. The conference brought together over 250 writers, scholars, cultural activists, artists and publishers from all regions of Africa, Europe, and North America. It takes up the legacy of the famous African writers conference held at Makerere University in 1962, and culminates with the formulation and ratification of the 'Asmara Declaration on African Languages and Literature,' a declaration of linguistic independence for the continent."--Container. 1 videodisc (55 min.)

MEDIA 10-4501

 

American tongues 1986

Andrew Kolker and Louis Alvarez

Portrays some of the ... regional, social, and ethnic differences in American speech, and the attitudes that people have about these differences. ... Intended to educate viewers about the nature of dialects, but it also challenges them to confront their own attitudes about language variation. 1 videocassette (VHS) (56 min.)

MEDIA 10-3673        2-390

 

The battle for the language of the Bible  The adventure of English 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D:  c2004

David Thomas, Melvyn Bragg, London Weekend Television, ltd, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

"In late medieval England, English quietly ousted French in law and government, but the move to make it God's language meant bloodshed. This enhanced DVD looks at the battle for a Bible in English, a struggle with huge impact on the language itself. Dramatic readings from successive English Bibles show the language's evolution. Location footage and original manuscripts illustrate key figures and events, such as John Wycliffe, the Lollards, and the first English Bible; William Langland's Piers Plowman; Henry V's official letters, the role of the Chancery or the English civil service; William Caxton's printing press; William Tyndale's translation; and the King James Bible."--Container. 1 videodisc (50 min.)

MEDIA 10-630

 

Behavior modification teaching language to psychotic children 1969

Examines the steps involved in teaching psychotic children the functional use of speech, and discusses the need for correction of self-stimulation and destructive behavior before learning can begin. Describes how instruction may proceed through reward and punishment techniques in the imitation of sounds, labeling of objects, discrimination among alternatives, recall of experiences, and the development of a degree of spontaneity. 1 videocassette (43 min.)

MEDIA 10-5126

 

Birth of a language   The adventure of English 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D:  c2004

Robert Bee, Melvyn Bragg, London Weekend Television, ltd, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

"Melvyn Bragg begins the story of English in Holland, finding ancestral echoes in the Frisian dialect. What follows is a chapter on survival as the English language weathers Viking and Norman invasions, vying with and eventually absorbing rival tongues. Lively settings such as village pubs and markets bring home the lasting influence of Anglo-Saxon, Old Norse, and Old French. The connection between Christianity, Latin, and an alphabet is explored, as well as the role of the language's first champion, King Alfred the Great. Nobel prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney reads from and discusses the first epic in English, Beowulf."--Container. 1 videodisc (51 min.)

MEDIA 10-628

 

Discovering the human language 1995

Explores the basic nature and properties common to all human languages, with a focus on the concepts of words, sentences, and Universal Grammar. 1 videocassette (55 min.)

MEDIA 10-5543

 

Do you speak American? c2005

William Cran, Robert MacNeil, Christopher Buchanan, MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, Paladin InVision, Ltd, WNET (Television station : New York, N.Y.), KLRU (Television station : Austin, Tex.), and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

Examines sociolinguistic questions and the dynamic state of American English, a language rich in regional variety, strong in global impact, and steeped in cultural controversy. 3 videocassettes (57 min. each)

MEDIA 10-645, pts. 1-3

 

English goes underground  The adventure of English 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D:  c2004

Robert Bee, Melvyn Bragg, London Weekend Television, ltd, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

"With the Norman invasion, English became a third language in its own country, behind French and Latin. In this program, Melvyn Bragg examines the impact of Old French on the development of English. Manuscripts, tapestries, and dozens of curious etymologies help illustrate a tremendous influx of vocabulary pertaing to romance, chivalry, and, of course, food. The influence of Eleanor of Aquitaine's partronage is heard in works of poets and troubadours as the cult of courtly love flourished in England."--Container. 1 videodisc (50 min.)

MEDIA 10-629

 

English in America  The adventure of English 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D:  c2004

David Thomas, Melvyn Bragg, London Weekend Television, ltd, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

"When Massasoit hailed the Plymouth settlers in their own language, they might have taken it as a sign that English would dominate the New World. Packed with surprising etymologies and intriguing stories, this enhanced DVD traces the dynamic relationship between English and America, exploring the linguistic influence of westward expansion, cowboy culture, slave culture, and encounters with the French and Spanish languages. Key works examined include The New England Primer and Webster's The American Spelling Book."--Container. 1 videodisc (51 min.)

MEDIA 10-632

 

The Human language evolves 1995

Discusses the importance of nonverbal means of communication, inherited from our animal past, in the evolution of human language. 1 videocassette (55 min.)

MEDIA 10-5545

 

The language of empire  The adventure of English 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D:  c2004

Robert Bee, Melvyn Bragg, London Weekend Television, ltd, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

"This enhanced DVD explores how the British Empire exported its language around the globe and how different forms of speech and vocabulary, as well as different attitudes to English, developed out of colonial expansion. Rich variations of dialect, accent, and slang are heard in many samples from India, the Caribbean, and Australia."--Container. 1 videodisc (52 min.)

MEDIA 10-634

 

The linguists c2007

Seth Kramer, Daniel A Miller, Jeremy S Newberger, K. David Harrison, Gregory D. S Anderson, and  Ironbound Films

Scientists estimate that of 7,000 languages in the world, half will be gone by the end of this century.  On average, one language disappears every two weeks.  Scientists David Harrison and Gregory Anderson document world languages on the verge of extinction.  "David and Greg's resolve is tested by the very forces stifling languages: institutionalized racism and violent economic unrest.  The scientists must overcome their own fears and preconceived notions to draw speakers from decades of silence. Their journey takes them deep into the heart of the cultures, knowledge, and communities at stake. (Container). 1 videodisc (65 min.)

MEDIA 10-1516

 

Many tongues called English, one world language  The adventure of English 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D:  c2004

Nigel Wattis, Melvyn Bragg, London Weekend Television, ltd, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

"This menu-powered DVD explores how America's rise as an economic power made it the driving force behind the spread of English in the 20th century. A world tour illustrates how English has mixed with other languages - from "Franglais" in France to "Singlish" in Singapore - and how the dollar's power, coupled with the lure of consumerism, has made English the international trade language. Bringing it full circle, host Melvyn Bragg returns to the British Isles to survey English as it is spoken now, measuring the influence of American slang and vocabulary from other languages."--Container. 1 videodisc (51 min.)

MEDIA 10-635

 

Multilingual Hong Kong 2005

Katharine Chen, Gray Carper, For Yue Films , and Films for the Humanities (Firm)

A case study of code-switching in a bicultural community: Hong Kong. Interviews with residents reveals how and why they intermix Cantonese and English. 1 videodisc (33 min.)

MEDIA 10-1030

 

Nu shu a hidden language of women in China 1999

Yue-Qing Yang, Aedon Young, East-West Film Enterprise, Baton Broadcasting, Clark/Vancouver Television, and Women Make Movies (Firm)

Nu shu is a secret written language used only by women in the Hunan Province of China. Passed down from generation to generation, it was "discovered" in the 1960s and nearly destroyed during the Cultural Revolution and finally was given serious study in the late 1980s. 1 videodisc (59 min.) :

MEDIA 10-2266

 

Pidgin the voice of Hawai`i 2009

Marlene Booth, Kanalu G. Terry Young, Keith Kashiwada, Kent Sakoda, Lee A Tonouchi, Eileen Tamura, William S Richardson, Joseph Evans Grimes, Pacific Islanders in Communications, and New Day Films

"Profiles the language of Hawai`i's working people in its rise from plantation jargon to a source of island identity and pride. Born on sugar plantations and spoken by more than half of Hawai`i's population, Pidgin captures multi-ethnic Hawai`i's heart and soul. Once again under attack by educators and bloggers, will Pidgin survive?"--Container. 1 videodisc (57 min.) :

MEDIA 10-3497

 

Speaking proper  The adventure of English 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D:  c2004

Nigel Wattis, Melvyn Bragg, London Weekend Television, ltd, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

"This menu-driven DVD follows English through the 18th and 19th centuries, from attempts at reforming and standardizing the tongue in the Age of Reason to the soaring verse of Romanticism and the verbal prudishness of the Victorian era. Linguistic milestones are highlighted by original editions of critical texts, including Newton's Opticks, Samuel Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language, Thomas Sheridan's British Education, and George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. Other key figures discussed include Jonathan Swift, Robert Burns, Jane Austen, And William Wordsworth."--Container. 1 videodisc (51 min.)

MEDIA 10-633

 

The story of English 2007

Program 1: Describes the pervasiveness of English, the world's first truly global language. Program 2: Surveys the growth of English from its Anglo-Saxon origins, through the Norman conquest, to the poetry of Geoffrey Chaucer. Program 3: The 16th & 17th centuries saw the full flowering of English in the works of William Shakespeare and the King James Bible. Program 4: Traces the Scottish influence on English, from embattled Northern Ireland to American Appalachia. Program 5: Explores the richness of Black English from its origins in the slave trade to today's Black "rap". Program 6: Traces the evolution of American English from the Revolutionary War through the 1920s. Program 7: During the 19th century the English language spread throughout the British Empire. Today it can be found in such diverse areas as New Zealand, South Africa & the Falkland Islands. Program 8: Investigates the Irish influence on the language. Program 9: What does the future hold for today's most influential global language? 4 videodiscs (ca. 232 min.)

MEDIA. MEDIA 10-5192 discs 1-2 10-5192 discs 3-4

 

The story of human language: Parts I-III c2004

John H McWhorter and  Teaching Company

Presents lectures on the history of language. 6 videodiscs (ca. 1080 min.)

MEDIA 10-686 10-687 10-688

 

This earth, this realm, this England  The adventure of English 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D:  c2004

Nigel Wattis, Melvyn Bragg, London Weekend Television, ltd, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

"No single person has shaped English more than William Shakespeare. This menu-powered DVD uses unparalleled access to some of the greatest English texts, including the first English dictionary and a rare first folio of Shakespeare's plays, to illustrate the great Bard's influence. John Barton, honorary associate director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, discusses the sound and accessibility of Shakespeare's words. His impact is also examined in the larger context of Elizabethan England and the Renaissance."--Container. 1 videodisc (50 min.)

MEDIA 10-631

 

Tu parles!: Les francophones du bout du monde le français dans tous ses états 2004

Frédéric Boilet, Films for the Humanities (Firm), Eva Production (Firm), Piérides (Firm), Mission 2000 en France (Firm), and TV5 (France: Firm)

"Filmed in Madagascar and Mauritius, Cambodia, Japan, and Louisiana, this program looks at how French has been adopted and adapted in many corners of the world where it is not the official language"--Container. 1 videodisc (28 min.)

MEDIA 10-890

 

Voices of North Carolina c2004

"Voices of North  Carolina is a unique journey through the dialects and languages of this diverse Southern state, from hoi toider speech on the Outer Banks to the highland speech of the Smoky Mountains.  Cherokees, Lumbees, rural and urban African Americans, Spanish-speaking immigrants, and the new generation of Southerners in metropolitan areas all reveal how their way with words communicates their identity"--Container. 1 videodisc (56 min.)

MEDIA 10-4689

 

Acquiring the human language 1995

Gene Searchinger

Supports the argument that language and the underlying rules of grammar are not acquired by children, but are instead an innate part of the human mind. 1 videocassette (55 min.)

MEDIA 2-2402

 

American tongues 1986

Andrew Kolker and Louis Alvarez

Portrays some of the ... regional, social, and ethnic differences in American speech, and the attitudes that people have about these differences. ... Intended to educate viewers about the nature of dialects, but it also challenges them to confront their own attitudes about language variation. 1 videocassette (VHS) (56 min.)

MEDIA 2-390

 

Ancestral voices 1994

David Grubin, Bill D Moyers, Joy Harjo, Mary TallMountain, and Garrett Kaoru Hongo

Explores contemporary American poetry and shows how language still has the power to touch the human spirit. Features poets Joy Harjo, Garrett Kaoru Hongo, and Mary TallMountain who turn to the past and to their own cultural heritage to understand the present. 1 videocassette (60 min.)

MEDIA 2-5451

 

The battle for the language of the Bible  The adventure of English 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D:  c2004

David Thomas, Melvyn Bragg, London Weekend Television, ltd, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

"In late medieval England, English quietly ousted French in law and government, but the move to make it God's language meant bloodshed. This enhanced DVD looks at the battle for a Bible in English, a struggle with huge impact on the language itself. Dramatic readings from successive English Bibles show the language's evolution. Location footage and original manuscripts illustrate key figures and events, such as John Wycliffe, the Lollards, and the first English Bible; William Langland's Piers Plowman; Henry V's official letters, the role of the Chancery or the English civil service; William Caxton's printing press; William Tyndale's translation; and the King James Bible."--Container. 1 videodisc (50 min.)

MEDIA 10-630

 

Birth of a language   The adventure of English 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D:  c2004

Robert Bee, Melvyn Bragg, London Weekend Television, ltd, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

"Melvyn Bragg begins the story of English in Holland, finding ancestral echoes in the Frisian dialect. What follows is a chapter on survival as the English language weathers Viking and Norman invasions, vying with and eventually absorbing rival tongues. Lively settings such as village pubs and markets bring home the lasting influence of Anglo-Saxon, Old Norse, and Old French. The connection between Christianity, Latin, and an alphabet is explored, as well as the role of the language's first champion, King Alfred the Great. Nobel prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney reads from and discusses the first epic in English, Beowulf."--Container. 1 videodisc (51 min.)

MEDIA 10-628

 

Black on white 1986

William Cran, Robert MacNeil, and Robert McCrum

Probes the roots of Black English, including the American slave trade, plantation life, the Creole influence, and Harlem's jive talk. Discusses the influence of this variety of English on white American speech and literature. 1 videocassette (VHS) (60 min.)

DANA 26

 

Born talking: Broken English a personal inquiry into language c2001

Jonathan Miller, John McGreevy, John McGreevy Productions, Primedia Productions, British Broadcasting Corporation, Television Service, and TVOntario

Examines how brain damage affects one's ability to use language. 1 videocassette (47 min.)

MEDIA 2-7122

 

Born talking: Doing what comes naturally a personal inquiry into language c2001

Jonathan Miller, John McGreevy, John McGreevy Productions, Primedia Productions, British Broadcasting Corporation, Television Service, Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm), and TVOntario

Discusses whether the ability to use language is inborn, or learned. 1 videocassette (47 min.)

MEDIA 2-7124

 

Born talking: In a manner of speaking a personal inquiry into language 2002

Jonathan Miller, John McGreevy, John McGreevy Productions, Primedia Productions, British Broadcasting Corporation, Television Service, TVOntario, and Films for the Humanities (Firm)

The subject of group talking is addressed with Dr. Jonathan Miller offering his observations. 1 videocassette (47 min.)

MEDIA 2-7121

 

Born talking: Lending a hand a personal inquiry into language c2001

Jonathan Miller, John McGreevy, John McGreevy Productions, Primedia Productions, British Broadcasting Corporation, Television Service, Films for the Humanities (Firm), and TVOntario

Explores the nonverbal aspects of communication, including the use of gestures, signs and the tone of voice. Also looks at sign language, a structured form of nonverbal communication. 1 videocassette (47 min.)

MEDIA 2-7123

 

Deborah Tannen he said, she said : gender, language, communication 2000

Deborah Tannen and Robert DiNozzi

A live presentation of Dr. Tannen's contributions to the understanding of gender, language, and communication. 1 videocassette (55 min.)

DANA. MEDIA 1434 2-6061

 

The Developing child ; Language development 1989

Philip G Zimbardo

Program 5 details the impact of heredity and environment on children's development. Program 6 describes how psychologists search for truths about the mind, society, and culture by studying how children develop complex language skills and use language in social communication. 1 videocassette (60 min.)

MEDIA. MEDIA 2-1659 2-1659

 

Developing language 2001

Geoff Wheeler and Andrew Sachs

Program charts the development of language during early childhood. Basic language acquisition, learned from rudimentary and higher-level child/caregiver interactions, is described. Aspects of competence that go beyond the purpose of simple communication are also considered. 1 videocassette (25 min.)

DANA 1736

 

Discovering the human language 1995

Gene Searchinger

Explores the basic nature and properties common to all human languages, with a focus on the concepts of words, sentences, and Universal Grammar. 1 videocassette (55 min.)

MEDIA 2-2401

 

Do you speak American? c2005

William Cran, Robert MacNeil, Christopher Buchanan, MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, Paladin InVision, Ltd, WNET (Television station : New York, N.Y.), KLRU (Television station : Austin, Tex.), and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

Examines sociolinguistic questions and the dynamic state of American English, a language rich in regional variety, strong in global impact, and steeped in cultural controversy. 3 videocassettes (57 min. each)

MEDIA 10-645, pts. 1-3

 

Ebonics and language 1994

Ernest Smith, Khallid Muhammad, Slave Theatre (Brooklyn, N.Y.), and Trans Atlantic Productions

Dr. Ernest Smith discusses how languages are related when the same though process is used [i.e.]  the importance of sound configuration and the order of words. 1 videocassette (120 min.)

DANA 2067

 

English goes underground  The adventure of English 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D:  c2004

Robert Bee, Melvyn Bragg, London Weekend Television, ltd, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

"With the Norman invasion, English became a third language in its own country, behind French and Latin. In this program, Melvyn Bragg examines the impact of Old French on the development of English. Manuscripts, tapestries, and dozens of curious etymologies help illustrate a tremendous influx of vocabulary pertaing to romance, chivalry, and, of course, food. The influence of Eleanor of Aquitaine's partronage is heard in works of poets and troubadours as the cult of courtly love flourished in England."--Container. 1 videodisc (50 min.)

MEDIA 10-629

 

English in America  The adventure of English 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D:  c2004

David Thomas, Melvyn Bragg, London Weekend Television, ltd, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

"When Massasoit hailed the Plymouth settlers in their own language, they might have taken it as a sign that English would dominate the New World. Packed with surprising etymologies and intriguing stories, this enhanced DVD traces the dynamic relationship between English and America, exploring the linguistic influence of westward expansion, cowboy culture, slave culture, and encounters with the French and Spanish languages. Key works examined include The New England Primer and Webster's The American Spelling Book."--Container. 1 videodisc (51 min.)

MEDIA 10-632

 

An English speaking world 1986

William Cran, Robert McCrum, David South, Anthony Wornum, Richard Spurway, Peter Dale, Vivian Ducat, Howard Reid, and Robert MacNeil

Explores the development of the English language, and how it became the language of choice for technology, diplomacy, business, and popular culture for many nations. 1 videocassette (VHS) (60 min.)

DANA 33

 

Gender & communication male-female differences in language & nonverbal behavior c2001

Dane Archer, Jon Silver, Nonverbal Workshop, University of California (System) , and Extension Media Center

This video explores the impact that gender has on both verbal messages including speech, language, and vocabulary, as well as on nonverbal channels of communication such as touch, movement, and gesture. 1 videocassette (42 min.)

MEDIA 2-6411

 

The Guid Scots tongue 1986

William Cran, Robert McCrum, David South, Anthony Wornum, Richard Spurway, and Robert MacNeil

Traces the influence of Scottish and Irish Gaelic on the English language. Discusses the English spoken in the Appalachian region of the U.S. 1 videocassette (VHS) (60 min.)

DANA 35

 

The Human language evolves 1995

Gene Searchinger

Discusses the importance of nonverbal means of communication, inherited from our animal past, in the evolution of human language. 1 videocassette (55 min.)

MEDIA 2-2403

 

The Human voice exploring vocal paralanguage 1993

Dane Archer and Jon Silver

Explores the voice as an extrordinary human instrument.  When we speak, our voice reveals our gender, age, geographic background, level of education, emotional state, and our relationship with the person spoken to. All these clues (and many more) are contained in even small fragments of speech, because our voices can be interpreted with remarkable accuracy.  This video, explores the power, dimensions, and facets of this uniquely human instrument. 1 videocassette (30 min.)

MEDIA 2-2695

 

Jorvik the Vikings return 1988

Derek Goodall

Presents a fascinating chapter in the history of the English language illustrated by the 10th-century Norse village excavated in present-day York.  A careful, scholarly reconstruction of the site demonstrates life in England around the time of the Doomsday Book--roughly equidistant between Beowulf and the Canterbury tales.  The program also explains the Norse element in the English language. 1 videocassette (26 min.)

DANA 163

 

Language 1988

Peter Bull and Vivian Ducat

Seeks to understand a uniquely human phenomenon, and explores how biology and environment interact to enable us to communicate. 1 videocassette (60 min.)

MEDIA 2-768

 

Language and character 1990

John Carlaw

Presenter/director John Barton guides members of the Royal Shakespeare Company in a discussion and dramatization of Shakespeare's use of language to define character, and his characters' use of heightened language to achieve their intentions. Explores the Elizabethan relish of words and the use of Elizabethan English in the development of Shakespeare's characters. 1 videocassette (51 min.)

MEDIA 2-1013

 

Language in action 1956

Richard Moore, S. I Hayakawa, KQED-TV (Television station : San Francisco, Calif.), National Educational Television and Radio Center, and W.A. Palmer Films

Discusses communication as man's primary means of survival. Explains the stages of organization through which human society has evolved, and stresses the organization of society around a physical meeting place, verbal symbols, shared perceptions, and intercultural communications. Features Dr. S.I. Hayakawa of San Francisco State College. 1 videocassette (ca. 30 min.)

MEDIA D-236

 

Language & mind 1997

Noam Chomsky and Robert DiNozzi

Noam Chomsky, noted professor of linguistics, presents a 50-minute lecture on the nature of language, the acquisition of language, the study of language and the inner complex mechanisms of the mind and brain. 1 videocassette (71 minutes)

DANA 1727

 

The language of empire  The adventure of English 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D:  c2004

Robert Bee, Melvyn Bragg, London Weekend Television, ltd, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

"This enhanced DVD explores how the British Empire exported its language around the globe and how different forms of speech and vocabulary, as well as different attitudes to English, developed out of colonial expansion. Rich variations of dialect, accent, and slang are heard in many samples from India, the Caribbean, and Australia."--Container. 1 videodisc (52 min.)

MEDIA 10-634

 

The linguists c2007

Seth Kramer, Daniel A Miller, Jeremy S Newberger, K. David Harrison, Gregory D. S Anderson, and  Ironbound Films

Scientists estimate that of 7,000 languages in the world, half will be gone by the end of this century.  On average, one language disappears every two weeks.  Scientists David Harrison and Gregory Anderson document world languages on the verge of extinction.  "David and Greg's resolve is tested by the very forces stifling languages: institutionalized racism and violent economic unrest.  The scientists must overcome their own fears and preconceived notions to draw speakers from decades of silence. Their journey takes them deep into the heart of the cultures, knowledge, and communities at stake. (Container). 1 videodisc (65 min.)

MEDIA 10-1516

 

The Loaded weapon 1986

Peter Dale, Robert MacNeil, David South, Stephen Oliver, William Cran, Anthony Wornum, and Susan New

Discusses the influence of Irish Gaelic on the English language in Ireland and describes how these linguistic differences produce the cultural and political differences with England. 1 videocassette (VHS) (60 min.)

DANA 34

 

Many tongues called English, one world language  The adventure of English 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D:  c2004

Nigel Wattis, Melvyn Bragg, London Weekend Television, ltd, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm)

"This menu-powered DVD explores how America's rise as an economic power made it the driving force behind the spread of English in the 20th century. A world tour illustrates how English has mixed with other languages - from "Franglais" in France to "Singlish" in Singapore - and how the dollar's power, coupled with the lure of consumerism, has made English the international trade language. Bringing it full circle, host Melvyn Bragg returns to the British Isles to survey English as it is spoken now, measuring the influence of American slang and vocabulary from other languages."--Container. 1 videodisc (51 min.)

MEDIA 10-635

 

Misafa lesafa From language to language 2004

Nurith Aviv, Frédéric Luzy, Swan Productions, Transfax Film Production, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen, and First Run/Icarus Films

For centuries, Hebrew was a sacred language, a written language of prayer and scripture. But today it is also the language of everyday life in Israel. Nurith Aviv, Israeli writers, musicians, actors and a Rabbi/philosopher from varying countries and ethnic backgrounds discuss the relationship between their mother tongues and Hebrew. Aviv introduces the theme by relating her childhood confusion over which was her true language - the German spoken at home by her immigrant parents, or the Hebrew spoken on the street and at school. Most of these authors, poets, songwriters, and scholars came to Israel decades ago with their families, and as immigrants they lived with at least two languages. 1 videocassette (55 min.)

MEDIA 2-7771

 

Mother tongue 1986

Vivian Ducat, Howard Reid, William Cran, Robert MacNeil, David South, Robert McCrum, and Richard Spurway

Surveys the history of the English language from the Anglo-Saxon invasion and its impact on the language to the Norman French influence on Chaucer. 1 videocassette (VHS) (60 min.)

DANA 30

 

Multilingual Hong Kong 2005

Katharine Chen, Gray Carper, For Yue Films , and Films for the Humanities (Firm)

A case study of code-switching in a bicultural community: Hong Kong. Interviews with residents reveals how and why they intermix Cantonese and English. 1 videodisc (33 min.)

MEDIA 10-1030

 

A Muse of fire 1986

John Pett, William Cran, Robert MacNeil, and Robert McCrum

Focuses on the emergence of the English nation in the 1500's during the reigns of Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, and James I. Describes the spread of the English language into the New World and examines the lifestyle of the colonists who came to America in the 1600's. 1 videocassette  (VHS) (60 min.)

DANA 31

 

Muvver tongue 1986

William Cran, Vivian Ducat, Robert MacNeil , Robert McCrum, David South, Anthony Wornum, and Richard Spurway

Discusses the development of Cockney English and its influence on Australian and New Zealand English. 1 videocassette (VHS) (60 min.)

DANA 29

 

Next year's words 1986

William Cran, Vivian Ducat, Robert MacNeil , Robert McCrum, David South, and Richard Spurway

Explores the usage of English in the languages of other countries and illustrates how Pidgin English, patois and other dialects have altered and enriched the English language. 1 videocassette (VHS) (60 min.)

DANA 25

 

Nonverbal communication and culture 2005

Odyssey Productions and Insight Media (Firm)

This program examines nonverbal communication in different cultures. It looks at personal space; body language including gestures, inflection, eye contact, smiling and other facial expressions; and posture. It demonstrates how the same gesture can be interpreted in different ways. 1 videocassette (22 min.)

MEDIA 2-7149

 

Normal speech articulation 1997?

Richard Y Blum and Charles W Lindemann

Demonstrates through extensive use of X-ray motion pictures some of the characteristics of speech sound articulation in normal speakers. 1 videocassette (25 min.)

MEDIA 2-3429

 

Out of the mouths of babes 1973

Jill G De Villiers, Peter A De Villiers, and Heather Cook

Describes the stages of language acquisition from infancy to six years of age. Scenes show children in normal everyday circumstances and in testing situations. 1 videocassette (28 min.)

MEDIA 2-2089

 

Peter Elbow on writing 1995

Sut Jhally, Patricia H Mangan, and Peter Elbow

Professor Elbow provides insight into how one works through problems in writing.  He explains the role of feedback and the importance of readers and listeners to good writing. 1 videocassette (43 min.)

MEDIA 2-2724

 

Pioneers, o pioneers! 1986

William Cran, Robert McCrum, and Robert MacNeil

Describes the evolution of American English from the Revolutionary War through the 1920's and the contribution of slang terms from segments of the population (riverboat men, gamblers, cowboys, etc.) along with the foreign influence of the 1900's immigrants. Points out differences between American and Canadian English. 1 videocassette (VHS) (60 min.)

DANA 32

 

Reading people the unwritten language of the body c1998

Jeffrey Schrank, Learning Seed Company, and Stage Fright Productions

Explores how we communicate through body movements, gestures and through our use of personal space. 1 videocassette (22 min.)

MEDIA 2-7152

 

See what I say 1981

Linda Chapman, Pam LeBlanc, Freddi Stevens , Holly Near, Michigan Women Filmmakers (Firm), and Filmakers Library, inc

Designed to promote a positive attitude about American sign language and encourage the interpretation of events. Interviews with hearing impaired individuals reveal the frustration they feel about having limited access to cultural events. 1 videocassette (24 min.)

MEDIA D-108

 

Sexism in language thief of honor, shaper of lies : a lecture