In This Edition

Language and Literature

Part 1: Literature and Writing

Part 2: The Medium of Language

Part 3: Language Sciences and Science Languages

Questions & Answers

Prof. Isabelle de Courtivron Head of Foreign Languages and Literatures

Prof. Steven Pinker Author of The Language Instinct and Words and Rules

Prof. Anita Desai Award-winning novelist and writing instructor

Geoffrey A. Landis '80 NASA scientist and science fiction writer

Jade Wang '01 President of the MIT Science Fiction Society

Kelly Clancy '03 Prize winning short story author

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Engagement in language and literature at MIT does more than sharpen student communication skills. Acclaimed writers like Anita Desai and B.D. Colen expand the thinking and the options for students in scientific and creative fields. The Science Fiction Society draws imaginative students who think broadly about the future. Alumni such as Geoffrey A. Landis thrive in NASA jobs while publishing science fiction novels.

Language as a medium of knowledge exchange is central to Foreign Language and Literature's interactive learning tools like Cultura. The MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives send over 100 students a year to research settings in China, Japan, France, Germany, India, and Italy--armed with both language and science/technology tools.

The study of how language works opens up doors to human behavior and evolution. Steven Pinker's cognitive science approach answers questions like how do new words occur? Linking human and machine language is the work of Gesture and Narrative Language group. The Artificial Intelligence Laboratory's Dynamic Languages group is building the programming dialects of the future.

This month, openDOOR explores these MIT engagements in language and literature:

• Literature and Writing: Writing and Humanistic Studies, Anita Desai, Graduate Program in Science Writing, Knight Science Journalism Fellowship, Shakespeare Electronic Archive, Media in Transition, Science Fiction Society, Rune to VooDoo, Books Every Science Writer Should Read.
• The Medium of Language: StarFestival, Cultura, No recuerdo, Berliner sehen, MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives, Center for Bilingual/Bicultural Studies, Endangered Languages, Societo por Esperanto.
• Language Sciences and Science Languages: Steven Pinker's Words and Rules, Noam Chomsky's transformational grammar, Gesture and Narrative Language, LISP, Artificial Intelligence Dynamic Languages, Lightweight Languages, START Natural Language System, W3C language protocols.

Poll: What is your favorite genre of literature? Mystery Science fiction Classics Romance Historical fiction Poetry Biography Contemporary fiction