A linguistic island experiment

The World

Derek Bickerton is a linguist who had a wild idea for a linguistic experiment. He dreamed of placing six families that spoke six different languages on an uninhabited island for three years, in an attempt to create new Creole language. And he almost got the funding for it. The World’s Patrick Cox tells the story.

Help keep The World going strong!

The article you just read is free because dedicated readers and listeners like you chose to support our nonprofit newsroom. Our team works tirelessly to ensure you hear the latest in international, human-centered reporting every weekday. But our work would not be possible without you. We need your help.

Make a gift today to help us reach our $25,000 goal and keep The World going strong. Every gift will get us one step closer.