What is language actually good for?
Linguist Nick Enfield has come to the conclusion that language is good for lawyers but bad for scientists, for accurately representing reality. Michael Rosen explores the subject.
Acclaimed Australian linguist Professor Nick Enfield has come to the conclusion that language is good for lawyers, for the purposes of persuasion, but bad for scientists who seek to accurately represent reality. It's a fascinating idea he explores in his new book Language vs Reality. What can language describe and where does it fail? Presenter Michael Rosen explores this with him in an in-depth conversation.
Producer Beth O'Dea
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- Tue 10 May 202216:00BBC Radio 4
- Mon 16 May 202223:00BBC Radio 4
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