Virtual Round Table Web Conference

This page will be used to discuss the 5 questions we wish to ask Noam Chomsky during our learning conversation.

Below reposted discussion is copied from the original wiki http://chomsky.pbwiki.com

For more information about Noam Chomsky's work check the following links.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_Chomsky

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Kitty Loewenstein, Spidi Spracheninstitut, Vienna asks:

1. Do you think that there are going to be any big breakthroughs regarding language acquisition in the near future? If so, in which direction will these be?

2. From what you know about Obama's attitiude to, and views on the Israeli/Palastinian conflict, do you think that we could see a fundamental change in American foreign policy in this area? If so, in what direction you think this will go?
Victoria Sheppard, Merle & Sheppard Language Consulting asks:

3. The new social media are changing the way people use English - so how can we, as language providers (trainers, teachers, coaches etc.) ensure that our approach and methodology is effective?
Heike Philp asks

1) (a question to him as a linguist) The earliest confrontation with written language for a child is when stories are read to him/ her by the parents. Children want to hear the stories over and over again and at times even learn to recite them completely by heart. Difficult concepts like an invisible God who has a personality are understood by the child hearing the stories of how God deals with his people Israel and stories like the 10 plagues, crossing the Red Sea, the promised land, the manna and many other stories are powerful lessons for a child. Lateron, as soon as children join school, language acquisition is replaced by text based material that often or not does not actually have a story to it any other than perhaps a dialogue. What would you recommend teachers (in our case language teachers) in how to use the power of story telling to learn a second language?

2. (a question to him as an libertarian socialist) Does he think 9-11 was an inside job (or a false flag operation)?

3. In the light of your views on media propaganda, what do you think is behind the fact that most of the media in the US was in favour of the election of Barack Obama to President of the United States? (Sue Norris, Vienna)
Anna Linthe, Cambridge University Press asks:

My first language is English and I started learning German at school when I was 13. I have continued to learn German since then, including spending 2 years in Germany, and I speak German with my husband at home. I find now that my German affects my English in different ways – for example, sometimes German words ‘slip’ into my English speech, and these often seem to be discourse markers (e.g. ‘also’, which is like ‘well’). At other times I seem to directly translate a ‘chunk’ which I have learned in German into English (e.g. ‘What’s that for an animal?’ meaning ‘What kind of animal is that?’). At other times I can remember the German word and the direct translation of it but not the English (e.g. ‘cake slice’ is ‘Kuchenheber’ in German, and sometimes I will only be able to think of the literal ‘cake lifter’ in English and not be able to get past this to the actual English word). What cognitive processes do you think are behind this? Do you think this would happen if I had acquired both languages at a very young age?
Mary Gillespie, At Home with English asks:

Do you think the current economic crisis could be seen as opportunity to reduce the trend toward globalization?
Neil McMahon, IH Buenos Aires, Argentina asks:

How far away do you think we are from the key moment in human history, when the majority of the world's population, and perhaps more influentially, the majority of the world's power holders, realise that human survival would be better served by putting society (including non-acquaintances) before the self, thereby making us a mature enough world to live in democracy?

Or perhaps a simpler question:

Would you agree that one of the major weaknesses of democracy, just like communism before it, is that it will only work on a global scale? And does this imply that global government is a worthwhile endeavour?
Robert Dickey, University in Korea asks:

Based on the history of scientific investigations, we can expect that the perspectives of UG will be refined and/or rejected in the years to come. It is, after all, the nature of scientific inquiry, and the benefit of improved research equipment. At best, one hopes to have added clarity and interest in the field, drawing in future great thinkers.

In which ways do you hope UG will be used in future research? Is there one kernal you hope will be particularly useful as new/refined views come along?
Neil McMahon responds to Robert's question.....

Great question Rob - wanted to ask about UG myself but couldn't think of how :).

Thought of another one myself though:

Is it realistic to think that introducing more Intercultural Communicative Competence into English as a Foreign/Second Language classrooms will contribute to a bottom up change in attitudes towards globalisation and other cultures and societies and will strengthen democratic values throughout the world.
Heike Philp asks:

A personal question we would like to ask you, Prof Chomsky, which does not need to be answered during the upcoming event is this.
If you had the chance of meeting a great author/ professor/ teacher or public speaker for a learning conversation, who would it be? Is this an author of a book you read that impressed you greatly? Or a public speaker at a conference or on TV?
You probably know many authors, speakers, professors or great teachers personally, yet is there someone whom you haven’t met as of yet and whom you would like to ask some questions?
Could you say yes to the following five questions: 1) Is this person still alive? (Sadly Peter Drucker or Randy Pausch are no longer with us) 2) Is the person online/ connected to the Internet? 3) Could you sign up 50 other people to join this learning conversation (who perhaps equally appreciate this authors, professors or speakers work?) (For a reason why so many, please consult the following FAQs) and lastly, 5) Could you think of 5 questions what you would like to ask this person?
We would be very happy to arrange a learning conversation for you as a great way of saying thank you to you spending your time with us today.
Holly Longstroth, CWC, Finland asks:

May I ask Professor Chomsky, how you manage to deal with all the many people that you are dealing with?

What is really impressive is that you have been teaching at MIT for 53years and that you have been married for 59years. You are a man of great integrity and loyalty and one can imagine that you keep contact with quite a number of your students.

Then all the many journalists and media attention and many, many people from various political groups.

How do you as a teacher and as a person keep up with all of these many different people and how is it that you are still open for something like this event? Many others in your position and (forgive me for mentioning this) at your age would have turned this down outright.

What made you accept this request?

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