Sydney Ideas – Is language power?

Is a language owned by its speakers or is it a public good? Who gets to have a say, lay claim to, and wield a language? What does this all mean for navigating power differentials and public discourse?

John McWhorter has probed these questions and many more in his distinguished career of research on language, especially from historical and social perspectives. In this Sydney Ideas event, John will explore these issues and more in conversation with Nick Enfield, Professor of Linguistics at the University of Sydney.

John is a linguistic and social commentator of world renown. He writes a weekly column for The New York Times and has written for many other outlets including The Atlantic and The New Republic. He is the author of more than 20 books, including Woke Racism, Nine Nasty Words, The Power of Babel, and Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue. He is a member of the Heterodox Academy.

John’s visit to the University of Sydney has been supported by Tom Austen Brown Research. He will deliver this year’s Tom Austen Brown Memorial Lecture on Thursday 13 March at Chau Chak Wing Museum.