Accent Expert Breaks Down 4 Amazing Things About Languages | WIRED

Ever wonder why we pronounce words differently than we did 100 years ago? Dialect coach Erik Singer breaks down four of the most mind-blowing facts we know about human language.

CORRECTION: The scan shown at 4:44 is an ultrasound image, not an MRI. We regret the error.


Pirahã language footage courtesy of Daniel Everett

MRI recordings courtesy of the Seeing Speech project, University of Glasgow, Xhosa footage courtesy of Khaya Dlanga, & William Henry Egerton Tilley photo courtesy of the Tilley Family


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[cuchelo]

Erik Singer: Would anyone like to know ab-


World: Yes.

[jenniferhiemstra]

I appreciate WIRED for paying attention to the fact that somehow his videos just clicked with the masses, we all love him, and continue to make videos with him.

[crustaceandroolcube]

since erik's last name is literally singer, a video about how languages or accents change when singing vs speaking would be fire

[graceandglamor]

WIRED you know we need at least 40 mins of this guy. PAY THE MAN!

[jepark]

I wouldn't be mad if y'all posted an Erik Singer dialect video EVERY DAY.

[christianvasbinder]

Erik Singers shoulders must hurt, single handedly carrying Wired like this.

[LangTheBigWang]

Can we please get a video of him doing accents?

[camilogarciaylasaari]

Two Erik Singer videos in the span of a couple of days? This is a greater gift than we deserve

[m_a_k_e_n_n_a]

when the disembodied female voice said "iɪeɛæaəɑɒɔʌoʊu" I felt that

[FiveFire]

Y’all KNOW we love this man. Thank you.

[Gumbocinno]

Yeah just keep him. This dude is great. Have him back as often as possible.

[bugzzz]

The fact that one dude just invented that "old hollywood" accent is crazy to me, I really thought that's how everyone spoke before. Thanks

[airinghouse]

I want this guy to have a million videos talking about language. I'd make the popcorn.

[seonaelizabethcoster]

Ok. People at WIRED, you absolutely need to make more of these videos. We all need more Erik Singer in our lives...

[noseofsauron]

Next episode: Erik Singer reads thirst comments...in 17 different accents.

[shannonoreilly]

That trans-Atlantic accent explanation is something I never knew I wanted but now am so happy I learned.

[АнтонЛогунов-ыт]

Coming soon: "Accent Expert Just Speaks about How Awesome Linguistics Is In General, and the Audience Listens Completely Entrhralled, becuse This Accent Expert Is Erik Singer".

[jono_jpg]

When are we going to get a compilation of Erik Singer nailing 100 different accents?

[jo]

If this became Erik's personal channel I think everyone would be okay with that

[abigaildrake]

me: has taken multiple language and phonetics courses
also me: says wow every time erik says a basic fact about language