Witnessing the birth of a new language - a podcast by BBC World Service
from 2020-02-05T09:58
::
::
In the early 1980s deaf children in Nicaragua invented a completely new sign language of their own. It was a remarkable achievement, which allowed experts a unique insight into how human communication develops. Mike Lanchin has been speaking to American linguist Judy Shepard-Kegl, who documented this process and says "our belief is that you are born with a language-ready brain".
(Photo credit should read INTI OCON/AFP via Getty Images)
Further episodes of Witness History
Further podcasts by BBC World Service
Website of BBC World Service