CROSSROADS Language StudioÊs Newsletter November,November , 2023

How often has fantasy predicted reality?
Did the 1902 SF silent movie “A Trip to theMoon” inspire the Apollo moonlandings of the 1960’s and70’s?
Could the 1920 children’s story
about Dr. Dolittle be having thesame effect on current scientificthinking? Could it be that soona trip to the zoo may be as
wondrous an experience asa trip to the moon?
Scientists are now working
on compiling a dictionaryof animal sounds with theeventual goal of understanding
their languages and, in time, actuallytalking with them, à la Dr. Dolittle!
It has already been established that many
species of animals communicate among
themselves. We humans are not normallyaware of this because much of theirElla“verbalization” is generated at frequencies
beyond our range of hearing. But with AI
and other modern, sophisticated equipment,Janis
scientists
are tuning in to many of their“conversations” and documenting the results.
Elephants, whales, dolphins, tigers, bats,and many others are able to hear long, slow
powerful sound waves that can travel many
kilometers, even penetrating solid matter,sounds we are normally ignorant of due toour poor hearing.
But are these sounds actually an
intelligible language? Many scientists
argue that they, although meaningful forthe animals’ survival, may not constitute areal language as we humans understand it.
So, the question is, will we ever be able tohave a conversation with an elephant, a bat
or a fish?

Instead of considering the possibility of us
learning animal languages in order tocommunicate with them, let’s look at this from aninverse perspective. Can animals learn to use ourlanguages to talk with us? No, not just mimicking
words like a parrot, but actually having a two way
conversation with us in our language.
Introducing Noc (pronounced “no-see”) thebeluga whale.
Belugas are very affable, curious andintelligent creatures and normally spend theirlives in pods of about 25 whales in the open
seas, but Noc lived virtually his entire life incaptivity. For more than 20 years from the late1970’s, he worked for the U.S. navy detectingand recovering test torpedoes. He lived andtrained with only 2 or 3 other belugas and theonly “pod” they were able to bond with wastheir surrogate family of human trainers.
One day two navy divers were making someunderwater repairs to the whales’ enclosure
when one of the divers though he heard thecommand “out” through his “wet phone.” Heabruptly surfaced to discover that nobody had
given such an order. It was soon realized thatNoc had issued the “order”! This instance wasfollowed by more “orders” from Noc in what
seemed like English! Studies followed, recordings
were made and the experts were convinced, Noc
spoke in English! Not
too clearly, but inEnglish!! Follow thelink below to hear arecording of Noc’sutterances.

NET LESSONS: Too busy to come to CROSSROADS?
…. Try our lessons on the net!
To hear Noc’s English recording go here:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/story-onewhale-who-tried-bridge-linguistic-divide-between-animalshumans-180951437/

Joshua Says: It is, of course, very helpful to watch and listen to English
recordings, movies and TV shows between lessons. As helpful as this is, onevery important English skill can not be practiced just by listening to English.
Of course, I’m referring to speaking skills. But you can still improve here too,
if you try the following: Turn on the English sub-titles of the movie you arewatching and read the dialogue aloud along with the action! Give it a try….
Junko Says: One of the most influential linguists, Noam Chomsky, suggeststhat all human languages have certain features in common. Sometimes word
order differs but, conceptually, all languages are the same – they have thesame purposes and intentions and they follow similar patterns and similartypes of rules (grammar, etc) which our brains are predisposed to pick up on.
So, it sounds like it should be very easy to learn new languages.
Marek Says: We humans can detect quite a broad spectrum sound andevolution has prepared us to hear a specific, “useful” range of sounds that comefrom our environment. However, when it comes to vision, we can only see anarrow spectrum of electromagnetic waves, namely visible light. We cannot seeother wavelengths such as X-ray, ultraviolet, infrared or radio waves. In fact,visible light constitutes only 1% of the total electromagnetic spectrum.
Mandcy dit: Le beaujolais nouveau est arrivé !! Chaque année, on peut ledéguster la troisième semaine de novembre. Rendez-vous alors le 16 novembrechez votre caviste préféré. Toutefois. Comme les frais d'exportation par avion ontaugmenté. Suntory a annoncé que les bouteilles seront légèrement plus petites
10 ou 20 mL en moins. C'est dommage. Alors je boirai deux bouteilles. Hahaha !
1ACROSS
1 suddenly
without warning
5 increasingly complex or refined
10 audible sounds (not necessarily words)
12 the rate of recurrences
14 putting together
16 put into words
17 create social ties
18 unaware, lacking information
19 almost all, in essence
20 passing throughDOWN
2 a group of sea animals
3 comprise, make up
4 comprehensible, understandable
6 opposite
7 of the present time
8 marvelous, amazing
9 sociable, warm and friendly
11 final, concluding
13 in the place of (often a parent)
15 produced, created(print version here)

23

4

5

6

7891011121314151617192018

Choose the best modal verbs from the box below to add meaning to the mainverb in the following sentences. Some may have more than one correct answer.
can could have to have got to must might should may had better shall
1. I don’t wish to be rude, but ____ I know how old you are?
2. You ____ look good for your interview. You____ wear a tie and suit.
3. We ____ take lots of extra water with us if we’re goinghiking. It ____ be a good idea to use sun-guard also.
4. You ____ take some cash, that restaurant ____
not accept credit cards.
5. You ____ be joking! If you think I’m going to pay for secondhand junk like that, you ____ get your head examined!!
6. John has been working non-stop for 24 hours. He ____
be exhausted. He ____ prefer to sleep-in tomorrow
7. ____ we pull over at the next rest stop? I really ____
use the bathroom
8. Alice, ____ I borrow your mobile for a minute? I____ call my boss to say I’ll be late for work today.
9. Do you ____ sing so loudly in the shower? Even theneighbors half a block away ____ hear you!
10. I’ve misplaced my car keys. They ____ be lying aroundhere somewhere. Where ____ they be?
P E R C E P T I O N
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M A C U L A R
P E R M A N E N T
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A D V E R S E
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M U T A T I O NSIIESEDM
DUSONSSVAILT O N N EIAVTIRVNM E L A N I NA
E S T H E T I C S
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STTIGIIOO P T O M E T R I S TVNY
P A L E T T E

Last Month’s Puzzle Solution
ACROSS
1 insightful observation
5 part of an eye's retina
6 unchanging
9 unfavorable
13 genetic alteration
16 a unit of weight
17 pigments in skin and eyes
18 concerning beauty (especiallyin art)
19 eye doctor
20 a range of colors

DOWN
2 causing annoyance
3 part of the eye
4 malignant skin tissue
7 too much
8 declining in quality or power
10 the final consequence
11 the qualities of colors
12 characteristic, typical
14 having a more favorable
position
15 many different types or kinds

Don’t forget… Our SPECIAL 1+1 Campaign offer! Up to 50% off!!
See our notice board, or ask Junko in our office, for the details.