TED-Ed: What makes a language... a language? | Martin Hilpert

The video explores the complex relationship between dialects and languages, highlighting that mutual intelligibility is not the sole factor in distinguishing them. It delves into the political influences on language classification, particularly in the context of European nation-states and colonization. The video also examines the role of language standardization in shaping national identity and acting as a gatekeeper in society. It concludes by discussing the concept of language varieties, emphasizing the fluid and evolving nature of human communication.

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