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Brady: In any way? There was nothing he said that made a dent anywhere? No chink in your armor?
Grey: [laughing] If- well, it's not- it's not- it's not chink in my armor, but- but there are a few- there are a few interesting, uh, interesting kind of things to- to bring up about that. I'm not summarizing Derek's argument, what I'm about to say, but I'm going to say a similar thing that came up on the Reddit and in some of the feedback that I got was comments about the benefits of learning languages. Cognitive benefits that are not necessarily the language themself, but things that you get from learning a second language. And I- I always want to be clear, I don't doubt that there are benefits to learning another language,--
[10:00]
Brady: Yeah.
Grey: [laughing] If- well, it's not- it's not- it's not chink in my armor, but- but there are a few- there are a few interesting, uh, interesting kind of things to- to bring up about that. I'm not summarizing Derek's argument, what I'm about to say, but I'm going to say a similar thing that came up on the Reddit and in some of the feedback that I got was comments about the benefits of learning languages cognitive benefits that are not necessarily the language themself but things that you get from learning a second language. And I always want to be clear I don't doubt that there are benefits to learning another language
Grey: --uh, but my- my point was that I don't think the school system as it currently exists actually produces people who are able to speak another language. So you can talk to me as much as you want about the benefits of learning other languages and I am all on board with that, but the- the current school system just- it doesn't do that. So it's sort of- it's sort of irrelevant how awesome it is to speak a second language, when we're not coming out with kids who actually do speak other languages. So, I would say that that was part of the- part of the feedback that I got.
Brady: yeah
Brady: Yeah but- but, like, you teach people sport and physical education and they don't come out as athletes at the end, but the process of playing the game taught them things- not only did it have a health benefit, it taught them about teamwork, it taught them things- it improved their coordination it did lots of other things, even though they don't come out as a- a major league baseballer at the end. I mean,--
Grey: but my my point was that I don't think the school system as it currently exists actually produces people who are able to speak another language so you can talk to me as much as you want about the benefits of learning other languages and I am all on board with that but the the current school system just it doesn't do that so it's sort of it's sort of irrelevant how awesome it is to speak a second language when we're not coming out with kids who actually do speak other languages so I would say that that was part of the part of the feedback that I got.
Grey: Yes,--
Brady: yeah but but like you teach people sport and physical education and they don't come out as athletes at the end but the process of playing the game taught them thick not only to have a health benefit a taught them about teamwork at taught them things it improved their coordination it did lots of other things even though they come out as a major league baseball or at the end
Brady: --I- I know you realize this, but, you seem to say "I realize this" and then completely ignore it.
Grey: yes
BradyGrey: I know you realize this but you seem to say I realize this and then completely ignore itUh, I guess- I guess I just- my- my thought on this is that the- the- the things that I have seen about the benefits of learning of theanother language are presupposing basic competence in that language, right? when"When a person has basic competence in thethat language, here are the benefits that they also have." andAnd so, uh, my- my position is just that I don't think most language courses, uh, have their students reach basic conversational competence to- to get those benefits. itIt's like a- it's like a threshold effect. anywayAnyway, I just- I did want to mention that, but I also just, again, want to be clear because DerrickDerek will be really angry otherwise andthat that was- that was not the solesoul of his argumentsargument, and he also had a very different language experience than I did. itIt sounded like he actually had quite a- a- a successful schooling experience in general, which included (which by the way, language teachers, I think is a good idea) starting teaching French, I- I forget when he said, but in- in primary school, he was very young when they started doing French, which I think if you're going- if you're going to teach language, you might as well start when kids are very young, right? ifIf we're going to do this, let's do it right, and- and start from the very beginning, but yeah, so he had a- he had a very different experience with me, and I am slightly exhausted, but unmov'dunmoved from our conversation.
Brady: youYou realize likeI've- you realize I've got DerrickDerek Nick'snext, he's coming to me for three days now, and we're like, hanging out for ages. amAm I- am I just gonna be bombarded with language stuff? orOr, I--
Grey: youYou may be. youYou may be. I do have- I do have a personal a piece of advice for you and anyone else who sees Derrick in the next couple of days I have a major regret which is that when I met Derrick we met in the Natural History Museum here in London I I gave Derrick a hug to say hello right like,--
Brady: yeahYeah.
Grey: --and anyone else who sees Derek in the next couple of days. I had a- I have a major regret, which is that when I- I met Derek, we met in the, uh, Natural History Museum here in London, I- I gave Derek a hug, to say hello, right? Like a--
Grey: you know haven't seen you in a while hug and I really shouldn't have because Derrick was was sick but I thought let me let me express my great friendship to Derrick nice big hello hug and now I'm feeling terrible I am feeling very sick Derrick gave me a disease from physical proximity I'm absolutely sure
Brady: oh noYeah
Grey: --you know, "haven't seen you in a while" hug, and I really shouldn't have, because Derek was- was sick, but I thought "let me- let me express my great friendship to Derek" nice big hello hug,--
Grey: he is now on his way to you acting as a typhoid mary of sorts I assume so you and the missus may be shortly experiencing symptoms of not feeling very well so I do also apologize to listeners that my voice doesn't sound absolutely perfect or if you hear me if you hear the sound of like crinkly unwrapping like I'm doing now I have halls and a whole bunch of other medicines that I'm shoving in to my face right now to try to sound a bit more normal so I'm sorry these sounds are terrible but you're gonna have to listen to them for the moment
Brady: Yeah.
Brady: we're going we're sharing a hot tub with Derek so worried for a world we're going to let the like force pie the hot sparrin in Bath
Grey: --and now I'm feeling terrible. I am feeling very sick. Derek gave me a disease from physical proximity, I'm absolutely sure,--
Grey: that's no good you are definitely disease vector Derek that's what's gonna happen to you sorry
Brady: Oh no...
Brady: can I share an email with you I got
Grey: --he is now on his way to you, acting as a Typhoid Mary of sorts, I assume,--
Grey: oh yeah
Brady: [chuckles]
Brady: this is about language it's actually funny there's a bit of a trend I've noticed since we've started the podcast particularly the one we did about email
Grey: --so, you and the missus may be shortly experiencing symptoms of not feeling very well. So I do also apologize to listeners if my voice doesn't sound absolutely perfect, or if you hear me- if you hear the sound of, like, crinkly unwrapping, like I'm doing now,--
aha are you
Brady: [chuckles]
cuz
Grey: --I have Halls, and a whole bunch of other medicines that I'm shoving into my face right now to try to sound a bit more normal, so I'm sorry, these sounds are terrible, but you're gonna have to listen to them for the moment.
I'm worried Mel's
Brady: We're going- we're sharing a hot tub with Derek so we're in for a world of pain.
Brady: yes but it's really funny because I'm getting like short emails like you recommended but because because I think we've made our positions clear that you are pretty ruthless with email in terms of not reading it and deleting it and I was a bit more of a softy and I say that I sometimes read emails in case there's and gem in there I'm getting all these emails that are kind of almost directed at you
Grey: [laughs]
Brady 14:15
yes but it's really funny because I'm getting like short emails like you recommended but because because I think we've made our positions clear that you are pretty ruthless with email in terms of not reading it and deleting it. And I was a bit more of a softy and I say that I sometimes read emails in cases and gentlemen there I'm getting all these emails that are kind of almost directed at you are the director of both of us and they're saying I know grey won't read my emails. I know there's a chance you will Brady So can you tell gray this or can you make my argument for me so So anyway,
Brady: We're going to, like- the- uh, like the spa- the hot spa, in- in Bath here.
Grey 14:49
this is perfect. I like I like this system quite a lot. This way you can filter out the interesting things. So I think this should be a policy right for for any and all the Back in the email form, email, Brady, he will read your message. I think this is great. I really like this. You are basically now a human, Basie and email filter for me for the feedback. So go ahead Tell me what is the interesting thing that made it through?
Grey: Oh, that's no good. That's- you are definitely- disease vector Derek, that's what's gonna happen to you. Sorry.
Unknown Speaker 15:18
I haven't thought this story
Brady: Can 15:22I share an email with you I got?
if anyone decides that they're going to do that, I don't know. I mean, maybe I know, don't email me, you know,
Grey 15:28 Oh yes.
you're still gonna read them.
Brady: Um, this is about language,--
Grey: Uh-huh.
Brady: --it's actually funny, uh, there's a bit of a trend I've noticed since we've started the podcast,--
Grey: Mm-hmm.
Brady: --particularly the one we did about email,--
Grey: Uh-huh.
Brady: --because I've--
Grey: Are you getting more emails?
Brady: Yes, but it's really funny because I'm getting like, short emails like you recommended, but because--
Grey: Mm-hmm.
Brady: --because I think we've made our positions clear that you are pretty ruthless with email--
Grey: Mm-hmm.
Brady: --in terms of not reading it, and deleting it,--
Grey: Mm-hmm.
Brady: --and I was a bit more of a softy, and I say that I sometimes read emails in case--
Grey: Yes, mm-hmm.
Brady: --there's a gem in there I'm getting all these emails that are kind of, almost directed at you,--
Grey: [laughs]
Brady: --or- or they are are directed at both of us and they're saying "I know grey won't read my emails, but I--"
Grey: [laughs]
Brady: "--I know there's a chance you will, Brady, so can you tell Grey this?" Or, you know, "can you make my argument for me?" so- so anyway,--
Grey: This is great, this is perfect!
Brady: [giggles]
Grey: I like- I like this system quite a lot. This way, you can filter out the interesting things, so in- uh, I- I think this should be a policy, right?
Brady: [chuckles]
Grey: For- for any and all feedback, in the email form, email Brady,--
Brady: [chuckles]
Grey: --and he will read your message. I think this is great, I really like this. You are basically now, a- a human, Bayesian email filter for me, for the feedback. So, go ahead, tell me, what is the interesting thing that made it through?
Brady: I, uh,--
Grey: [chuckles]
Brady: --I haven't thought this through. [chuckles] It, uh, if anyone decides that they're going to do that, I don't know, I mean, maybe I've- no, don't email me.
Grey: You know, you're still gonna read 'em.
[15:36]
Brady 15:33
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