The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit Varma Ep 232: Understanding India Through Its Languages
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Jul 4, 2021 AI Snips
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A Chomsky Moment Led To Field Linguistics
- Mohan decided on linguistics at age 12 after reading Noam Chomsky and pursued Sanskrit, Creoles and language death in academia.
- Her training combined formal linguistics with field study of hybrid and dying languages.
Punctuated Change In Languages
- Cross-disciplinary frames (evolutionary biology, genetics, archaeology) help explain sudden language shifts and deaths.
- Mohan borrows punctuated equilibria to model rapid language emergence and extinction linked to environmental shocks.
Retroflexion Marks South Asia
- Retroflex consonants are a South Asian hallmark and likely entered Sanskrit after arrival, reflecting local substratum influence.
- Mohan follows Madhav Deshpande's argument that Rigvedic Sanskrit acquired retroflexion over time via oral transmission and local contact.