Speaking of Psychology

Why can some people speak dozens of languages? with Ev Fedorenko, PhD

06.22.2022 - By American Psychological AssociationPlay

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

For those of us who speak only one language, the idea of learning twenty or thirty sounds impossible. But there are “hyperpolyglots” who have managed this remarkable feat. Evelina Fedorenko, PhD, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, discusses what sets polyglots apart and what scientists might learn from studying them. She also discusses how language is processed in the brain, why it’s so much easier for kids to learn languages than adults, the relationship between language and thought and how we can think without language, and more. Links Ev Fedorenko, PhD Speaking of Psychology Home Page Sponsor Newport Health

More episodes from Speaking of Psychology