The Secret Life of Language School of Languages and Linguistics - The University of Melbourne

“It takes courage … to switch a language.”
In this bonus episode, we delve deeper into the topic of language shift in present-day Ukraine. Through the lens of two young Ukrainians, Amina and Volodymyr, who found themselves relocating to Australia after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we gain firsthand insights into language practices and views among Ukrainian youth.
In conversation with Olga Maxwell, Amina and Volodymyr share their personal experiences of growing up with two languages – Ukrainian and Russian – and how things have changed in the context of the war. Their narratives reveal the complexities of navigating dual linguistic identities and the interplay between language, identity, and belonging.
The Secret Life of Language is a podcast from the University of Melbourne’s School of Languages and Linguistics. This episode was produced by Eric van Bemmel and Kelvin Param of Profactual, Gavin Nebauer, and Olga Maxwell, and was recorded and mixed by Gavin Nebauer at The Horwood recording Studio University of Melbourne.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, many Ukrainians who grew up speaking Russian are now making the shift to Ukrainian. But what’s motivating this shift? How does language feature more largely in Russia’s war against Ukraine? And what’s been the impact of centuries of Russification, and the suppression of the Ukrainian language and identity, on present-day Ukraine?
In this episode of The Secret Life of Language, we delve into these questions with the insights of historian Dr Iryna Skubii and linguist Dr Natalia Kudriavtseva, exploring the complexities of the language question in Ukraine. We also talk to two young Ukrainians, Amina and Volodymyr, about their lived experiences between the two languages. Presented by Dr Olga Maxwell.
The Secret Life of Language is a podcast from the University of Melbourne’s School of Languages and Linguistics. This episode was produced by Eric van Bemmel and Kelvin Param of Profactual, Gavin Nebauer, and Olga Maxwell.

First Nation knowledge surrounding sustainable food systems has largely been ignored in Australia. In this episode we consider how all of us can acknowledge and learn from the historical denial of this ancient wisdom to build common ground for the future. Host Adrian Hearn and co-host Lara Anderson are joined by Zena Cumpston, a Barkandji Woman from Western New South Wales and Research Fellow in Urban Environments, and Chris Williams, a board member at the Collingwood Children's Farm with a passion for growing sweet potatoes.

A podcast from the University of Melbourne's School of Languages and Linguistics. Produced and edited by Adrian Hearn and Gavin Nebauer.

Keywords - Nothing

In this episode of The Secret Life of Language, we explore a keyword, nothing.

A keyword is a word or concept of great significance. Our Keywords project follows ever-changing words for an ever-changing world. In this episode of The Secret Life of Language, we explore the word nothing, it's history and its relevance today. Our guests talk about the etymology of nothing, its meaning and importance for their own work. Will we discover that nothing actually means something and can be very productive of materials, activities and thoughts?

A podcast from the University of Melbourne's School of Languages and Linguistics. Produced by Véronique Duché and Craig Jeffrey.

Mawng Dictionary can be found here: https://shop.aiatsis.gov.au/products/mawng-dictionary#productid

Keywords - Nothing

In this episode of The Secret Life of Language, we explore a keyword, nothing.

A keyword is a word or concept of great significance. Our Keywords project follows ever-changing words for an ever-changing world. In this episode of The Secret Life of Language, we explore the word nothing, it's history and its relevance today. Our guests talk about the etymology of nothing, its meaning and importance for their own work. Will we discover that nothing actually means something and can be very productive of materials, activities and thoughts?

A podcast from the University of Melbourne's School of Languages and Linguistics. Produced by Véronique Duché and Craig Jeffrey.

Living in a foreign land can be challenging enough, but often made worse by not having access to the traditional foods and family dishes of your formative years. In this episode of The Secret Life of Language, we explore the growing role of food in empowering refugees and recent migrants. Our guests talk about the different food businesses and initiatives that help recent migrants and refugees to not only learn from, but to also teach the local and broader community, with the aim of making refugees and migrants more economically independent and employable, as well as supporting their health and wellbeing. A podcast from the University of Melbourne's School of Languages and Linguistics. Produced by Lara Anderson and Gavin Nebauer with assistance from Profactual.com. Recorded and mixed at The Horwood Recording Studio University of Melbourne by Gavin Nebauer