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When Anxiety Takes Away Your Words: The Science of Language & Communication
What happens to our ability to communicate when we feel anxious or unsafe? Why can someone who is normally articulate suddenly struggle to find their words under pressure? In this fascinating conversation, Jeremy de Tolly sits down with philosopher and linguist Ryan Nefdt, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cape Town and the University of Bristol and a member of the UCT Neuroscience Institute. Jeremy and Ryan explore what language actually is, whether it shapes the way we experience reality, how language is organised in the brain, bilingualism and code-switching, and why humans may have developed language in the first place. The conversation then turns to anxiety and communication. Why do we sometimes lose access to our words, creativity and spontaneity when we feel threatened? Ryan offers a cognitive science perspective on what may be happening when anxiety changes the priorities of the brain. They also explore how the internet and AI are changing language, and what increasingly sophisticated AI-generated language might mean for human communication. Perhaps what makes human communication valuable is not perfection, but the fact that our words reveal a real person behind them. Our humour, emotion, spontaneity and even our mistakes can create a connection that goes beyond simply communicating information. You will Learn: • Does language shape the way we experience reality? • Why do we sometimes lose our words when we become anxious? • What happens to creativity and spontaneity under pressure? • What can bilingualism and code-switching tell us about language? • Why might humans have developed language? • How is the internet changing the way we communicate? • How might AI change human language? • What makes human communication different from AI-generated language? • Could our imperfections be part of what makes our communication uniquely human? More about Ryan: https://humanities.uct.ac.za/department-philosophy/contacts/ryan-nefdt https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-nefdt-8b0a208a/ If you’d like to explore Jeremy’s work further: → Free resources and guides https://www.jeremydetolly.com/resources → Private coaching with Jeremy Personalized support to help you move through vocal anxiety and speak with clarity and confidence. https://www.jeremydetolly.com/coaching Stay connected → Subscribe on YouTube to watch future video episodes https://www.youtube.com/@JeremydeTolly → Join the newsletter for reflections, tools, and updates https://www.jeremydetolly.com/newsletter-subscribe Follow Jeremy: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremydetolly/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremydetolly/ 00:00 Introduction to Ryan Nefdt and the nature of language 01:20 What is language? 02:45 Does language shape our experience of reality? 04:15 Can we experience reality without language? 05:30 The inner monologue and raw perception 06:50 How language is processed in the brain 09:10 Why language is structured differently in every brain 10:30 Universal grammar explained 12:15 Bilingualism and code-switching 14:00 The “poverty of stimulus” and how children acquire language 16:20 Do all languages have the same level of complexity? 18:45 How language comes together spontaneously when we speak 20:50 What language models can teach us about human language 23:20 Anxiety, creativity and the “temperature” of language 25:40 What happens to language when we feel threatened? 28:10 The brain, anxiety and access to language 30:30 System One and System Two thinking 33:00 Why humans developed language 37:35 How the internet is changing language 39:50 How AI is changing the way we use language 42:10 What makes human language different from AI-generated language? 44:35 The importance of human creativity and individuality 46:50 Why anxiety and imperfection may be uniquely human 49:10 What linguistic “mistakes” can teach us about language 51:30 AI, humanity and the future of communication 53:00 Closing thoughts Support the Radiant Foundation Providing free trauma tools and support to underprivileged communities in South Africa https://www.radiantfoundation.org.za/
