Main content

Language

Matthew Sweet discusses words, understanding and literary experimentation with psychologist and language expert Steven Pinker and novelist Will Self.

Steven Pinker's research at Harvard is into language and cognition. His new book The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century explores the links between syntax and ideas.

Will Self experiments with language and literary form. Will Self's new book Shark links an incident in World War II with an American resident in a therapeutic community in London overseen by psychiatrist Zack Busner.

They join Matthew Sweet for a Free Thinking programme about language.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Tue 23 Sep 2014 22:00

Will Self

Shark written by Will Self is out now, published by Viking.

Steven Pinker

The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century written by Steven Pinker is out now, published by Allen Lane.

Credits

Role Contributor
Interviewed Guest Steven Pinker
Interviewed Guest Will Self
Presenter Matthew Sweet
Producer Jacqueline Smith

Broadcast

  • Tue 23 Sep 2014 22:00

The Arts & Ideas Podcast

The Arts & Ideas Podcast

You can download all the past episodes of Radio 3's Free Thinking

Discussions and talks from the Free Thinking Festival 2019

Discussions and talks from the Free Thinking Festival 2019

Angry politics, what we can鈥檛 say, being diplomatic, weeping, emotion in music, film & TV

Click to listen to discussions, talks and music as the Free Thinking Festival 2019 Gets Emotional

Click to listen to discussions, talks and music as the Free Thinking Festival 2019 Gets Emotional

Angry politics, what we can鈥檛 say, being diplomatic, weeping, emotion in music, film & TV

CLICK to LISTEN & SEE programmes from the Free Thinking Festival 2018: The One & the Many

CLICK to LISTEN & SEE programmes from the Free Thinking Festival 2018: The One & the Many

We examine the fast-changing relationship between the individual & the crowd

CLICK to LISTEN & SEE all programmes, images, clips & features from 2017's festival

Free Thinking Festival 2017: The Speed of Life