François Grosjean on Myths and Realities of Bilingualism Pt. 1

How did a historian and political scientist become the force behind the largest institutional revitalization of Western Armenian in our time? What does it mean for a language to be endangered? How can a grant making institution foster the environments and resources to promote a diasporic language? Join Dr. K and Dr. Razmik Panossian, director of the Department of Armenian Communities for the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, as they explore the role of institutional vision and support as a means of cultivating contemporary cultural production and creating meaningful opportunities for Western Armenian to be utilized today.

What does a museum dedicated to words and language look like? What does it feel like in terms of experience? How can a museum bring “language to life” and convey its power, joy, and beauty? Join Dr. K and Ann Friedman, founder and CEO of Planet Word, a first-of-its-kind interactive museum in Washington DC devoted to exploring and celebrating language in all its facets. Together, they delve into Ann's background in education, the inception of Planet Word, its dynamic evolution, and her aspirations for those who visit.

What is the nature of translation? Does it hinge on precision or is it inherently a creative process? Is it possible to live in a perpetual state of translation, both personally and professionally? And are some things simply untranslatable? Join Dr. K and Karén Karslyan - award winning poet, artist, and translator, as they discuss the cultural, social, philosophical, and linguistic underpinnings behind all kinds of translations. In response to Karen’s self-characterization as a medical examiner of language, they explore the multifaceted language dynamics and policies in Karen’s personal life, the drama behind his role as a medical interpreter, the nuances of translating his own literary works, and so much more. 

What’s in a name? What is the impact of standing firmly alongside one’s Armenian heritage? And in a profession where speech is essential, what is the motivation behind using one’s personal voice for the benefit of the Armenian community? Join Dr. K and Araksya Karapetyan, Emmy Award winning television personality and anchor woman for KTTV Fox11’s Good Day L.A., as they discuss everything from unapologetic Armenianness in the workplace, language insecurities and anxieties, assimilation, all the way to their perspectives as mothers teaching Armenian as a heritage language. Listen in to discover another side to a public figure who has become a household name in Los Angeles.

What is (an) Amerikatsi? How can a film endeavor to capture the Armenian spirit? And why are inclusivity and accessibility in the arts not only relevant, but necessary, in this day and age? Join Dr. K and Emmy Award winner Michael Goorjian - writer, director, and lead actor of the film Amerikatsi, as they discuss the inspiration and purpose behind the story, the ways in which it intersects with Goorjian’s personal life experiences, and the journey to rediscovering cultural heritage. Through their discussion about the film, they unpack questions about language dynamics, notions of home and homeland, hope within Armenian media, and the importance of uplifting Armenian stories.

Why is language ever changing? How do these shifts influence cultural dynamics and attitudes? And how have these phenomena manifested within the Armenian context? Join Dr. K and Lilit Ghazaryan, PhD Candidate in Linguistic Anthropology at UCLA, as they discuss everything from language purity, code mixing and switching in the diaspora, to language dynamics in classrooms in Armenia. By focusing on the language of children, the group most affected by current sociolinguistic changes, they follow the present-day trends and patterns of its most youthful speakers.

What does it mean to write with spelling freedoms? How do language purity and language anxiety hinder literary innovation? And how do unconventional ways of thinking and being encourage creativity within the Armenian language? Join Dr. K and Hrayr Varaz Khanjian, MIT trained linguist and author of #Ճիվճիվ, a bilingual collection of twitter poems, as they discuss the influences of his queerness on both the inventive format of his work and his views on language’s malleability. They explore and consider the capabilities of Armenian as a language of freedom that invites playful engagement with all its expressions and the modern world. 

What is Armenian mother guilt in the diaspora? How can a pandemic impact language dynamics in the home? Why is it that our professional expertise, competence, and training often disappear when it comes to things Armenian, our families, and our own children? Join Dr. K and Dr. Lori Mesrobian, USC professor of Spanish, as they discuss the extra complications of transmitting Armenian during the pandemic, the intense grief, disappointment, and shame associated with fears of loss, and the need for local and global language resources.

For more: visit armenian.usc.edu 

Are you up for a game of Belote? How did a French trick-taking card game gain such ubiquitous popularity both in Armenia and the diaspora? What is the special Armenian twist (hint: the bazar element) with its own language dynamics and social hierarchy? Though full of French, Turkish, and Russian words, why is it perceived as such an Armenian domain by players? Join Dr. K with research assistant and USC student Sarkis Tricha as they explore the roots and origins of Belote, the various game-specific terms used by speakers of Eastern and Western Armenian, the social dynamics and implications of the game, and the importance of using language as a means to play!

How do immigrants navigate integrating into host societies while still maintaining an orientation toward the homeland? What is the role of language in that process? What if they live in a society with a colonial/imperial legacy? Dr. K is joined by UCLA PhD candidate Anatolii Tokmantcev as they discuss the formation of Armenian communities in Russia, how Armenians are conceptualized in the Russian imagination, the factors that contribute to the quick loss of the Armenian language, and so much more. Join them for a fascinating discussion on the salience of language in particular sociolinguistic contexts.

For more, visit armenian.usc.edu.