Jorge Luis Borges-"invented" in collaboration with virtually everyone, including himself-defies easy identification. In this birthday tribute, which begins with the master reading his classic Borges and I, the then-80-year-old short story writer, poet, essayist, and philosopher joins TV and radio personality Antonio Carrizo in a Borgesian discussion of the multiplicity of existence; the influence of his family, his friends, and writers from the past;...

In late-medieval England, English quietly ousted French in law and government- but the move to make it God's language meant bloodshed. This program looks at the battle for a Bible in English, a struggle with huge impact on the language itself. Dramatic readings from successive English Bibles show the language's evolution. Location footage and original manuscripts illustrate key figures and events, such as John Wycliffe, the Lollards, and the first...

In this program, Robert MacNeil heads to California to take part in meaningful dialogues on Spanglish, Chicano, Ebonics, and "Surfer Dude" before going to Seattle to consider the implications of voice-activation technology. Linguist Carmen Fought, Stanford University's Cliff Nass, screenwriters Amy Heckerling and Winnie Holtzman, and others speak their minds about Spanish in America, why teens create their own language, gay self-empowerment by redefining...

Cultivating an appreciation of the English classics requires studying the mother tongue as it was originally spoken. In this program, Dr. Joseph Gallagher brings language to life by reciting examples of Old, Middle, and Early Modern English in their original dialects. In addition, he discusses the evolution of English syntax and morphology. A dramatization of a portion of Beowulf is also included, along with visits to historic literary sites important...

Written language is arguably humankind's most important invention. This delightfully accessible documentary uses maps, tables, artifacts, and copious examples to trace the progression of communication through its six stages: gestures, picture writing, pictograms, ideograms, phonograms, and acrophonic characters. Through detailed narration, the program explores topics such as the function of tokens, wall paintings, and wampum; the flowering of Egyptian...

As much as 80 percent of the English vocabulary has been borrowed from other languages. Words enter the language when English speakers interact with people—through exploration, trade, empire building, education, the arts, and technology—who speak other languages. This program investigates the wealth of English words and phrases stemming from Indian, Greek, Latin, and Japanese origins, as well as the influence of English on other languages. Packed...

In the late 1800s, Maggie Walker, an African American community leader, helped establish a sanitarium for tuberculosis patients, a community center, and an educational loan fund, among other humanitarian projects. She was also the first woman in the United States to become founder and president of a chartered bank.