Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global, with Laura Spinney

Intelligence Squared

Arts, News, Society & Culture, News Commentary

4.2 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 21 April 2025

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What if a single ancient language lay at the root of nearly half of the world’s spoken tongues? In today’s episode, acclaimed science writer and journalist Laura Spinney joins us to discuss her new book Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global. In Proto, Spinney takes us deep into the mystery of Proto-Indo-European (PIE) - a prehistoric language that no one alive has heard, yet whose echoes can still be found in words spoken from Ireland to India. From the English word star, to Icelandic stjarna, to the Iranic stare - Spinney reveals how echoes of a prehistoric language still ripple across continents and centuries. Along the way, she meets the archaeologists, linguists, and geneticists working to uncover the origins of this linguistic Big Bang - and what it tells us about human history, identity, and movement. Joining Spinney in discussion is global historian Caroline Dodds Pennock, to retrace the paths of nomads, monks, warriors, and kings across the Eurasian steppe, the Caucasus, the Silk Roads, and beyond. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.8	Amazon offers term time working to their employees, like Anton,
0:07.4	who's home to look after his daughters during their holidays.
0:10.0	Hello!
0:10.8	To him, this is the best sound in the world.
0:17.2	Actually, maybe that's the best sound of all.
0:23.1	Now that's term time working.
0:24.5	Offered at Amazon.
0:26.8	Ten weeks off guaranteed per year.
0:29.0	Mix of paid holiday and unpaid time off.
0:29.8	Conditions apply.
0:32.5	The new £5 meal deal from McDonald's.
0:34.4	Get a cheeseburger or mayo chicken,
0:38.3	medium fries, four McNuggets and a medium soft drink for guess what? That's right, five pounds.
0:40.3	It's not called the five pound meal deal for nothing.
0:43.3	From 11 AM, not available on delivery.
0:46.3	Carbonated soft drink upgrade fees apply.
0:48.3	Participating restaurants, subjects of availability.
0:50.3	Welcome to Intelligence Squared, where great minds meet.
0:55.0	I'm producer Mia Serenti.
0:58.0	What if a single ancient language lay at the root of nearly half of the world's spoken tongues?
1:04.0	In today's episode, acclaimed science writer and journalist Laura Spinney joins us to discuss her new book, Proto, how one ancient
1:12.6	language went global.
	...

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