Language and Rhythm - University of Cambridge

Chapter 3 - Rhythm and Poetry

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 19:45:39 GMT

Thanks to the British Academy and to the Schröder Fund, University of Cambridge, for the financial support which made the podcast possible.

In this episode, we think about the relationship between poetic rhythm and movement. To test Tim’s theory that rhythm can convey the movement

of rowing a boat, Hannah tries being the cox for a rowing team!

Presented by Hannah Morrison, produced by Carl Homer for Cambridge TV.

Linguists: Dr Charlotte Lee and Dr Timothy Chesters from the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, University of Cambridge

Guests:

Jan Wagner

Kirsty Sherwood

The Isle of Ely Rowing Club

Link to ‘Versuch über Mücken’, by Jan Wagner:

https://www.poet-magazin.de/poet16-texte.htm

Regentonnenvariationen, the collection in which ‘Versuch über Mücken’ first appeared, is available to purchase here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Regentonnenvariationen-Jan-Wagner/dp/359603597X

A bilingual edition of works by Jan Wagner, with English versions by Iain Galbraith (including ‘Versuch über Mücken’ / ‘Essay on Midges’) is available to buy here:

https://www.arcpublications.co.uk/books/jan-wagner-self-portrait-with-a-swarm-of-bees-532

For more poems by Jan Wagner, with recordings by the poet, see here:

https://www.lyrikline.org/en/authors/jan-wagner

‘Versuch über Mücken’ and ‘Essay on Midges’ performed in this recording by kind permission of Hanser Berlin im Carl Hanser Verlag GmbH & Co. KG and Arc Publications.

Joachim Du Bellay, Les Regrets; Les Antiquités de Rome; Le Songe, ed. by François Roudaut (Paris: Le Livre de Poche, 2002), sonnet 12. Here is a translation of the last six lines by Timothy Chesters:

So sings the workman striving at his work

So the labourer busy at his labour

So the pilgrim missing his home

So the adventurer dreaming of his lady,

So the mariner pulling at the oar,

So the prisoner cursing his prison.

Verse extracts:

German

‘Erlkönig’ (Erl King), by Johann Wolfgang Goethe; read by Melina Mandelbaum.

Thai

‘Song of Mercy and Compassion’, by His Majesty King Vajiravudh (King Rama VI), Than Phuying La-ead Phibunsongkhram,; read by Rapee Makeprasertrasamee.

Italian

‘Il passero solitario’ (The Lonely Sparrow), by Giacomo Leopardi; read by Rodrigo Cacho.

French

‘Le Lac’ (The Lake), by Alphonse de Lamartine; read by Clément Courouve. [20:03]

Watch the accompanying film, "Language and Rhythm": https://www.youtube.com/@mmllcambridge

For more information about languages in Cambridge: mmll.cam.ac.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter 2 - Rhythm and the Social

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 19:41:01 GMT

Thanks to the British Academy and to the Schröder Fund, University of Cambridge, for the financial support which made the podcast possible.

In this episode, we look at how patterns make us engage with our environment and how it applies to language. Rhythmic patterns can convey a lot of meaning – and breaking the pattern can be as pleasurable as following it. We try out some limericks and by using examples in other languages, we hear how the rhythm can create meaning, even when we don’t understand the words.

Presented by Hannah Morrison, produced by Carl Homer for Cambridge TV.

Linguists: Dr Charlotte Lee and Dr Timothy Chesters from the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, University of Cambridge

Guest:

Kelly Hunter, Flute Theatre: https://www.flutetheatre.co.uk/

Link to ‘Sie saßen und tranken am Teetisch’ (‘They talked of love and devotion’), by Heinrich Heine:

http://www.zeno.org/Literatur/M/Heine,+Heinrich/Gedichte/Buch+der+Lieder/Lyrisches+Intermezzo/50.+%5BSie+sa%C3%9Fen+und+tranken+am+Teetisch%5D

Here is a translation of the first verse (quoted in the podcast) by Hal Draper:

They talked of love and devotion

Over the tea and the sweets –

The ladies, of tender emotion;

The men talked like aesthetes.

Verse extracts:

English

‘Sonnet 73’, by William Shakespeare; read by Charlotte Lee.

Arabic

‘Bewildered’, by Abu Ala Al Ma'arri; read by Elmi Elmi.

Spanish

‘Pronuncia con sus nombres los trastos y miserias de la vida’ (Names life’s bits and bobs and misfortunes), by Francisco de Quevedo; read by Rodrigo Cacho.

English

‘Pat-a-Cake’ (Anon.); read by Elena Cicuta.

Watch the accompanying film, "Language and Rhythm": https://www.youtube.com/@mmllcambridge

For more information about languages in Cambridge: mmll.cam.ac.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter 1 - Rhythm and Language

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 19:36:22 GMT

Thanks to the British Academy and to the Schröder Fund, University of Cambridge, for the financial support which made the podcast possible.

In this episode, we explore the power of rhythmic language to stick on our minds and how, as children, rhythm helps us learn to speak.

Presented by Hannah Morrison, produced by Carl Homer for Cambridge TV.

Linguists: Dr Charlotte Lee and Dr Timothy Chesters from the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, University of Cambridge

Guests:

Dr David Crilly, Cambridge Shakespeare Festival

Becky Wilson, University of Cambridge Primary School

Dr Usha Goswami, University of Cambridge

Usha Goswami’s BabyRhythm project:

https://www.cne.psychol.cam.ac.uk/babyrhythm-project

Verse extracts:

English

The Merchant of Venice, Act 5, Scene 1, lines 98-100, by William Shakespeare; read by Timothy Chesters.

Mandarin

‘To One Unnamed’, by Li Shangyin; read by Jingyi Han.

Hindi

‘Jhansi ki Rani’ (‘The Queen of Jhansi’), by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan; read by Abhimanyu Sharma.

Watch the accompanying film, "Language and Rhythm": https://www.youtube.com/@mmllcambridge

For more information about languages in Cambridge: mmll.cam.ac.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.