How does our choice of language shape our understanding of history? What power do words hold in defining our past and current events? Join Dr. K and Dr. Vartan Matiossian, author of The Politics of Naming the Armenian Genocide, as they delve in

Polyglot Passports: Navigating Little Armenias

Mar 20th, 2024 1h 44m

What experiences and motivations inspire someone to learn multiple languages? How do polyglots use language to connect with various cultures? How can the Armenian language serve as a gateway to explore vibrant Armenian communities across the gl

It takes a village to raise a language: The Case of Western Armenian

Jan 29th, 2024 1h 15m

How did a historian and political scientist become the force behind the largest institutional revitalization of Western Armenian in our time? What does it mean for a language to be endangered? How can a grant making institution foster the envir

Planet Word: The Vision(ary) Behind a Language Museum

Jan 11th, 2024 55m 49s

What does a museum dedicated to words and language look like? What does it feel like in terms of experience? How can a museum bring “language to life” and convey its power, joy, and beauty? Join Dr. K and Ann Friedman, founder and CEO of Planet

Translation: The Anatomy of Language

Dec 15th, 2023 1h 20m

What is the nature of translation? Does it hinge on precision or is it inherently a creative process? Is it possible to live in a perpetual state of translation, both personally and professionally? And are some things simply untranslatable? Joi

Broadcasting Across Boundaries

Oct 12th, 2023 55m 49s

What’s in a name? What is the impact of standing firmly alongside one’s Armenian heritage? And in a profession where speech is essential, what is the motivation behind using one’s personal voice for the benefit of the Armenian community? Join D

Amerikatsi: The Language of Film

Sep 1st, 2023 1h 6m

What is (an) Amerikatsi? How can a film endeavor to capture the Armenian spirit? And why are inclusivity and accessibility in the arts not only relevant, but necessary, in this day and age? Join Dr. K and Emmy Award winner Michael Goorjian - wr

Speak Beautifully: Language Dynamics in Armenia from an Anthropological Lens

Jul 6th, 2023 1h 24m

Why is language ever changing? How do these shifts influence cultural dynamics and attitudes? And how have these phenomena manifested within the Armenian context? Join Dr. K and Lilit Ghazaryan, PhD Candidate in Linguistic Anthropology at UCLA,

Language and Freedom: Outside the Binary

May 1st, 2023 1h 8m

What does it mean to write with spelling freedoms? How do language purity and language anxiety hinder literary innovation? And how do unconventional ways of thinking and being encourage creativity within the Armenian language? Join Dr. K and Hr

The Toll of the Pandemic on Armenian Mother Guilt

Apr 17th, 2023 58m 46s

What is Armenian mother guilt in the diaspora? How can a pandemic impact language dynamics in the home? Why is it that our professional expertise, competence, and training often disappear when it comes to things Armenian, our families, and our

From Bazar to Belote: Language as Means to Play

Apr 17th, 2023 54m 42s

Are you up for a game of Belote? How did a French trick-taking card game gain such ubiquitous popularity both in Armenia and the diaspora? What is the special Armenian twist (hint: the bazar element) with its own language dynamics and social hi

Armenian(s) in Russia: A Case of Linguistic Plastic Surgery

Apr 17th, 2023 1h 6m

How do immigrants navigate integrating into host societies while still maintaining an orientation toward the homeland? What is the role of language in that process? What if they live in a society with a colonial/imperial legacy? Dr. K is joined

Failures of Language & Curious Hybrids

Apr 17th, 2023 57m 33s

How do colonial and diasporic histories impact language dynamics? How do these forces manifest themselves in the case of curious hybrids or third-culture kids, the characterization author Nadia Owusu uses to encapsulate her Ghanian and Armenian

¡Ask a Mexican!

Apr 17th, 2023 59m 41s

What happens when an alternative weekly in Orange County starts a column called ¡Ask a Mexican!, in which journalist Gustavo Arellano responds to reader questions about Mexican-American stereotypes in a satirical, wonderfully witty and informat

Systems of Language

Apr 17th, 2023 50m 23s

How can the cultural influences and language dynamics of an immigrant household make its way to heavy metal and some of the most transformational music of its time? Going from an Armenian private school to sold out arenas around the world, Shav

Language(s) in Therapy

Apr 17th, 2023 45m 59s

How can a psychologist use language as a tool for healing, and as a method of traveling to times and locations often buried and distant in the past? If both therapist and patient are bilingual, how are language dynamics negotiated and experienc

CHEERIOS

Apr 17th, 2023 26m 39s

While Cheerios are commonly known as a popular breakfast food, the term has taken on a life of its own in the Armenian American context, referring to a specific way a person speaks or behaves. In this episode, Dr. K talks to a number of young A

The Language of Priesthood in the Armenian Apostolic Church

Apr 17th, 2023 44m 33s

What does it take to become a priest in the Armenian Apostolic Church and what role does language play in the process? In this episode, Dr. K is joined by the Parish Priest of St. John Armenian Apostolic Church, Father Mesrop Ash, to explore th

Sounds of Multilingualism: The Case of Western Armenian

Apr 17th, 2023 29m 37s

What kind of influence can a dominant language have on a minority language? In this episode, Dr. K sits with linguist Dr. Niamh Kelly from the American University of Beirut to discuss why knowledge of one language, such as Arabic or English, ca

Vernaculars of Armenian Dance

Apr 17th, 2023 47m 16s

Whether dancing at Armenian celebrations or watching Armenian dance companies perform on stage, it’s evident that the practice of Armenian dance is rich and diverse. In this episode, Dr. K sits with PhD student and dance practitioner Natalie Ka

Western Armenian in Armenia

Apr 17th, 2023 48m 13s

If the official language of the Republic of Armenia is Armenian, but the commonly spoken standard is Eastern Armenian, where does that leave Western Armenian speakers? In this episode, Dr. K is joined by Vahakn Keshishian, co-founder of Aghvor

Calligraphy and Art in Time of Crisis

Apr 17th, 2023 33m 26s

In this episode, Dr. K sits with renowned Armenian calligrapher Ruben Malayan, three weeks into the 2020 Artsakh War, to discuss the breadth and impact of his work, as it relates to Armenian culture and society. They also unpack the crucial rol

Comedy in a Time of War

Apr 13th, 2023 35m 37s

Vulgar vocabulary and cursing in a time of war? Hand-in-hand with an increased interest in learning and teaching Armenian? In this episode, Dr. K is joined by comedian Mary Basmadjian as they discuss her ability to break all kinds of gender and

A Day in the Life of an Interpreter

Apr 13th, 2023 42m 10s

In this episode of Language Therapy, Dr. K is joined by Khachatur Adumyan, one of Armenia’s most sought-after interpreters, who has interpreted for every Armenian prime minister since independence. They talk about the linguistic, cognitive, and

Karabakh: What's in a name?

Apr 13th, 2023 41m 34s

Karabakh or Artsakh? Where do all the different names for this region come from? In this episode of Language Therapy, Dr. K talks to historian George Bournoutian, an expert on the history of Armenia and the Caucasus, to discuss the historical,