How can an ancient language be used as a vital tool of contemporary research? Can it serve as a form of time travel? What is the value of studying Classical Armenian - the oldest attested form of the Armenian language? Join Professor Peter Cowe, Narekatsi Professor of Armenian Studies at UCLA, and Dr. K as they reflect on learning, teaching, and living in multiple classical and modern languages. Listen as they locate Armenian in the larger Indo-European language family, dispel prevalent misconceptions, and reinforce language as a crucial lens for understanding the past and the present.

Why are certain dialects stigmatized? Which factors are pivotal in transforming societal attitudes and validating the legitimacy of a dialect? How can rigorous academic studies and scholarly attention alter perceptions of a language variety? What processes and methodologies are involved in constructing a grammar? Join Dr. K and Hossep Dolatian, linguist and author of the first published grammar of Persian Armenian, as they unpack the linguistic variations of this important dialect of the Armenian language. Learn about the importance of linguistic documentation and its role in elevating the status of a language within the global community.

How can a dialect be given new life after the loss of its homeland? Do dialects always need to compete with standard languages? What does it feel like to be a refugee in a shared homeland that is not one’s home? Join Dr. K and Lika Zakaryan, journalist and author of 44 Days: Diary from an Invisible War, a book later adapted into a movie, that documented Lika’s experience as an Artsakh native during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War. She is currently the host of the Muklimandil Podcast, recorded in Yerevan, Armenia and conducted entirely in Artsakh dialects. Join Dr. K and Lika as they discuss the pressures of language conformity, the impact of transmitting language through stories, and the multifaceted challenges and efforts to sustain the vitality of dialects in exile.