Language Chats

Researching language to make society better: A chat with Dr Howie Manns

In this episode, we’re chatting with Dr Howard (Howie) Manns, Senior Lecturer in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics at Monash University.
We were so excited to have the chance to speak with Howie, because we are fascinated by his language story and his academic work - from growing up in a monolingual environment and then (unexpectedly) becoming a linguist through joining the US Navy, to working as a researcher who now studies Australian English, Indonesian, tactile (deafblind) Auslan and intercultural communication.
We hope you enjoy this great Language Chat - we could have spoken with Howie for hours (but have made sure that we didn’t take up more than an hour of his precious time)!
Have any questions for Howie or for us? Get in touch or join our Facebook group, Language Lovers AU Community, to connect with us and other like-minded language lovers in Australia and abroad.
Episode Links
Howie has kindly provided us with an excellent set of notes and additional links for those interested in finding out more! We have included these below in addition to any relevant links/work referenced in the episode.
US Defense Language Institute, Monterey, Ca
Howie’s plane in the US Navy (ES-3A Shadow)
Howie discusses language and idioms and how they impact our view of the world on Episode 1 of the SBS Audio podcast The Idiom, hosted by Rune Pedersen
Our interview with Rune Pedersen: Language Chats Ep #098 - Hit the nail on the head: A chat with Rune Pedersen, host of The Idiom podcast
An open-access book Howie co-wrote about language in post-Suharto Indonesia: Style and Intersubjectivity in Youth Interaction by Dwi Noverini Djenar , Michael C. Ewing and Howard Manns
Some downloadable papers Howie has written on language in Indonesia: https://monash.academia.edu/HowieManns
Howie and colleagues reviews the decline of Indonesian, what Australia gets wrong about language and what we can do about it: https://theconversation.com/the-number-of-australian-students-learning-indonesian-keeps-dropping-how-do-we-fix-this-worrying-decline-216348
Howie and colleagues report on discussions with Victorian Indonesian educators and argues for more collaboration in the second language space. He also points to successful second language efforts in other parts of the world and how these might hold some answers for Australia: https://www.melbourneasiareview.edu.au/invigorating-indonesian-studies-in-australia-through-collaborative-online-education-practices/
Howie promotes multilingualism and community language-learning on ABC Radio National with Hoang Tran Nguyen, project manager, community advocate, co-founder, ViệtSpeak: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/lifematters/languages-of-our-community/103163890
ViệtSpeak - a community-based, non-profit advocacy organisation situated in Melbourne's west
An Auslan-interpreted introduction to Howie’s Deafblind communication project (led by Louisa Willoughby): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIu7ltZ51R4
Here’s a written introduction to Australian Deafblind communication (behind a paywall but get in touch with Howie for a pre-print version): https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-15-6430-7_15
This is a 30-minute lifestyle documentary about the amazing Heather Lawson, who Howie mentions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjFOtIqjmxg
These are a pair Auslan signs Howie referenced, which sometimes cause confusion for Heather:
“pub” https://auslan.org.au/dictionary/words/pub-1.html
“know” https://auslan.org.au/dictionary/words/know-1.html *Errata: in the podcast, Howie said it was “pub” and “think”. This is incorrect. It is “pub” and “know” that cause confusion. “Pub” and “know” are clearly differentiated in visual Auslan, but this distinction is not always clear in tactile Auslan.
Howie presenting on the hidden power of language and misconceptions about English “errors”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjC39sfgbrY&t=376s
Howie reviews the history of Standard English and how the collective grammar of World Englishes may be challenging the standard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUry0z_BVU4
Howie, Kate Burridge and Simon Musgrave present on “Truth, truthiness and public science discourse”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktsFxREFZU8
Howie’s articles on Australian language and society for The Conversation (many co-written with Kate Burridge):
https://theconversation.com/profiles/howard-manns-111255/articles
Howie and colleagues introduce their project on Australian slang: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPhb-_52XGc
Howie and colleagues write about their project on Australian slang: https://auslanguage.net/slanguage/
Howie appears on the ABC Kids podcast “Imagine This” to answer the question, “Where do words come from?”: https://www.abc.net.au/kidslisten/programs/imagine-this/how-people-make-words/13929010
A few Indonesian language articles from Howie:
Howie menulis tentang menurun Bahasa Indonesia di Australia dan bagaimana bisa diatasinya: https://theconversation.com/jumlah-pelajar-australia-yang-belajar-bahasa-indonesia-terus-menurun-bagaimana-mengatasinya-217444
Howie menjelaskan mengapa orang-orang di negara lain berbicara dalam bahasa yang beda: https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-mengapa-orang-orang-di-negara-lain-berbicara-bahasa-yang-berbeda-133940
Find Howie at Monash University | The Conversation

When passions for language, tourism & Asia combine: A chat with Andrea Plawutsky

About this Language Chat
In this episode, we’re chatting with Canadian-Australian Andrea Plawutsky - currently based in NSW - who has brought her interest in tourism, China and Asia together across her career. From teaching English in north-eastern China, living and working in Thailand and then working in the travel & tourism industry in Australia, we loved hearing about Andrea’s experiences with learning and enjoying language around the world, in both professional and personal contexts.
Have any questions for Andrea or for us? Get in touch or join our Facebook group, Language Lovers AU Community, to connect with us and other like-minded language lovers in Australia and abroad.
Episode Links
Haymarket HQ
Find Andrea on LinkedIn | andrea@amplifyme.com.au

More meaningful travel experiences through culture & language

Penny is a long-time travel lover and in this episode, she tells us about her most recent international trip which was actually a bit of a reconnaissance mission… As she will soon be helping others to discover new cultures, languages and adventures through her new venture, Pip & Co Travel.
We chat about Penny’s history of embracing language and culture through travel, how we can all enrich our travel experiences with even the most basic openness and interest in the language and culture of your destination, the challenge of getting locals to engage with you as a traveller, the beauty of people-to-people connections, as well as the upcoming trips in Asia and the Pacific that Penny has planned for small groups later in 2024 and in early 2025.
Do you love mixing language, culture and travel? Have a question for Penny? Get in touch or join our Facebook group, Language Lovers AU Community, to connect with other like-minded language lovers in Australia and abroad.
Episode Links
Language Chats Ep #016 - Language Travel - What is it and how to get the most from it
Pip & Co Travel
Pip & Co Travel - Việt Nam - FAMILY Southern Vietnam Explorer Trip

Our favourite Language Chats so far

100 EPISODES of Language Chats have now made it out into the world! To celebrate this exciting occasion (and the start of a new year, hello 2024), we’re going back through our archive to reminisce about some of our favourite episodes. We’ve had so many great chats over the last five years, it wasn’t easy narrowing down our top eps! But it has given us an opportunity to think about some of the great discussions we’ve had between the two of us and with many others across the last 99 episodes.
If you’re a long-time listener of this podcast, then this may prompt you to go back and re-listen to some of these great chats! Alternatively, if you’ve joined us recently, then consider this a hitlist of episodes to scroll down to and enjoy :)
What’s been your favourite episode of Language Chats so far? What would you like to hear more of on this podcast? Get in touch or join our Facebook group, Language Lovers AU Community, to connect with us and other like-minded language lovers in Australia and abroad.
(PS: Bec apologises for her somewhat grainy audio quality in this episode… Sadly, at-home podcast recording setups are not always foolproof. Coming back to you with cleaner audio in Ep #101!)
Episode Links
Language Chats Ep #047 - The power of podcasts for language learning: A chat with Pete from Aussie English
Language Chats Ep #006 - From Third Culture Kid in France, to teaching French in Australia: Interview with Devy Baseley
Language Chats Ep #003 - Foreign Language TV Series - What We’re Watching
Language Chats Ep #077 - A fresh approach to PD for languages teachers: A chat with Kelly Harrison from Languages Roadshow
Language Chats Ep #024 - The Language Learning Landscape in Australia: Our observations
Language Chats Ep #025 - The Language Learning Landscape in Australia: how it’s changed for adults and independent learners
Language Chats Ep #085 - Creating Australia’s first comprehensive language policy: A chat with Prof Joseph Lo Bianco
Language Chats Ep #039 - Enthusiastic about linguistics: A chat with Gretchen & Lauren from Lingthusiasm
Language Chats Ep #020 - Bite-sized language podcasts for busy people: A chat with Mark from Coffee Break Languages
Language Chats Ep #050 - It’s language trivia time! Celebrating our 50th episode
Language Chats Ep #055 - Leading a bilingual school: A chat with Stanley Wang, Principal of Abbotsford Primary School
Language Chats Ep #093 - Informing and entertaining Australians in over 60 languages: A chat with David Hua from SBS Australia
Language Chats Ep #060 - Low pressure, low commitment: Let’s dabble together in March (2022)!

Working as a Community Linguist in the Northern Territory: A chat with Karla Zuluaga

In this episode, we're welcoming linguist Karla Zuluaga back to Language Chats to hear more about the interesting work she is involved in as a Community Linguist on Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory.
Born in the Philippines and having grown up in NSW, a couple of years ago Karla made the big move to the Northern Territory to work with the Groote Eylandt Language Centre. She tells us more about her role as a Community Linguist, the work the centre does to promote, maintain and preserve the language of the island  - Amamalya Ayakwa (Anindilyakwa) - and her experience of the beautiful language, culture and environment of this island in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Have a question for Karla or for us? Get in touch or join our Facebook group, Language Lovers AU Community, to connect with other like-minded language lovers in Australia and abroad.
Episode Links
Language Chats Ep #042 - Introduction to Australian indigenous languages: A chat with Karla Zuluaga (Part 1)
Language Chats Ep #043 - Introduction to Australian indigenous languages: A chat with Karla Zuluaga (Part 2)
Anindilyakwa Land Council & Groote Eylandt Language Centre
Groote Eylandt Language Centre - YouTube | Facebook
NT Mob Sharing Stories in Language
Groote Eylandt - Northern Territory Travel
 

Hit the nail on the head: A chat with Rune Pedersen, host of The Idiom podcast

Feeling a bit ‘under the weather’ because it’s been ‘raining cats and dogs’? Maybe you’ve found yourself ‘in a pickle’! But if a Danish person said to you that ‘there’s no cow on the ice’ (det er ingen ko på isen), would you know what they mean?
Idiomatic expressions are a really interesting part of language and in this episode, we’re chatting with Rune Pedersen, host of The Idiom, a podcast co-produced Think HQ CultureVerse and SBS Audio which explores culture through weird and wonderful idioms from Australia and around the world.
Danish native Rune speaks with us about his background and interest in language, his own experiences living, studying and working with different languages across multiple countries, how The Idiom came to be and what inspired the creation of this podcast, and what captures his curiosity at the moment.
Have a question for Rune or for us? Get in touch or join our Facebook group, Language Lovers AU Community, to connect with other like-minded language lovers in Australia and abroad.
Episode Links
The Idiom podcast, co-produced Think HQ CultureVerse and SBS Audio
Monolingual vs multilingual: The key to communications that will resonate with Australians today - Mumbrella
Find Rune on LinkedIn | Think HQ

Penny’s Epic Trip Around Australia!

In this episode, we’re chatting with our intrepid traveller Penny, who is on the trip of a lifetime around Australia with her family!
After setting off in August 2023 for a 5-month road trip around the country, Penny and her family are discovering parts of Australia that they’ve never been to before, encountering different languages and cultures, and experiencing all the fun, challenges and practical considerations of travelling with a camper trailer in tow.
Have a question for Penny about her trip? Get in touch or join our Facebook group, Language Lovers AU Community, to connect with other like-minded language lovers in Australia and abroad.
Episode Links
About Kungarakan country - Kungarakan Culture and Education Association (NT)
Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park - National Parks and Wildlife Service (SA)
Wilpena Pound (SA)
Coober Pedy (SA)
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park - Parks Australia (NT)
Language | Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (NT) - palya means ‘hello’ (and can also be used for ‘goodbye’, ‘thank you’ and ‘finish’) in Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara
Watarrka National Park (NT)
Bush Food of Australia aka Bush Tucker - Welcome to Country
10 ways Aboriginal Australians made English their own - The Conversation
What is the Indigenous voice to parliament, how would it work, and what happens next? - The Guardian
Kakadu National Park (NT)
Royal Flying Doctor Service
Country kids return to online classrooms as School of the Air starts new year - ABC News
Follow Penny’s trip on Instagram: @lingo_mama | @wandering_wilstones

A chat with Language Lovers AU Community members, Han-Yu Ong & Ingrid Botha

In this episode, we’re again chatting with two members of the Language Lovers AU Community based in Australia - Han-Yu Ong and Ingrid Botha - who both kindly took the time to tell us (and you!) about their respective experiences of learning other languages, the part that language plays in their lives, and what has motivated and inspired them.
Have a question for Han-Yu, Ingrid or us? Get in touch or join our Facebook group, Language Lovers AU Community, to connect with other like-minded language lovers in Australia and abroad.
Episode Links
My Bilingual Family Podcast - SBS Audio
Language Lovers AU Community on Facebook

A chat with Language Lovers AU Community members, Lily Cerôn-Fernández & Deb McLeod

In this episode, we’re chatting with two Melbourne-based members of the Language Lovers AU Community - Lily Cerôn-Fernández and Deb McLeod - who both kindly took the time to tell us (and you!) about their respective experiences of learning other languages, what has motivated and inspired them, and where languages have taken them in their lives.
Have a question for Lily, Deb or us? Get in touch or join our Facebook group, Language Lovers AU Community, to connect with other like-minded language lovers in Australia and abroad.
Episode Links
Victorian Curriculum - Languages - VCAA
Alliance Française de Melbourne
Lily’s website - Spanish Gym Language Training | Instagram: @spanishgymlanguagetraining
Coffee Break Languages
Language Lovers AU Community on Facebook

Teaching AI to speak: A chat with Conversation Designer, Grace Frances

AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a hot topic at the moment, and in this episode of Language Chats we’re speaking with Melbourne-based conversation designer Grace Frances, whose work involves training AI assistants to interact with people and the creative aspect of conversational AI.
We chat with Grace about what conversation design is and what it entails, how she found herself working in this exciting new field from a background in linguistics and copywriting, the ethics of working in this space, and the potential opportunities that AI could provide from a language and accessibility perspective.
We hope you enjoy listening (and learning!) from this chat as much as we did! Have a question for Grace or for us? Get in touch or join our Facebook group, Language Lovers AU Community, to connect with other like-minded language lovers in Australia and abroad.
Episode Links
A guide to conversation design: why, what and how - Conversation Design Institute
What is Natural Language Understanding & How Does it Work? - Simplilearn
The Power of Tech for Good: Why AI Needs a Moral Compass - Grace Frances on Medium
The Evolution of Etiquette: Why Language Matters in Conversational AI - Grace Frances on Medium
Find Grace on LinkedIn