Fry's Planet Word
Fry's Planet Word is a five-part BBC documentary series written and presented by Stephen Fry, exploring various aspects of human language including its origins, how we use and abuse it, and the history of written language. The first episode "Babel" uncovers the origins of human language; the second episode "Identity" focuses on how one identifies through language; the third episode "Uses and Abuses" shows that swearing plays an important part in human communication; the fourth episode "Spreading the Word" looks at the history of written language; and the fifth and final episode "The Power and the Glory" celebrates storytelling and its influence on language.
Fry's Planet Word: Episode 1 - Babel
In this episode, Stephen Fry seeks to uncover the origins of human language and how and why we are the only species on the planet to have this gift.
Fry's Planet Word: Episode 2 - Identity
Focusing on how one identifies through language, Stephen Fry charts the shifting patterns of lingua franca and the inexorable spread of Globish (Global English).
Fry's Planet Word: Episode 3 - Uses and Abuses
Looking at the ways language is used and abused, Stephen Fry learns that swearing plays an important part in human communication.
Fry's Planet Word: Episode 4 - Spreading the Word
In this episode, Stephen Fry looks at the history of written language, from the earliest writing to blogging and tweeting.
Fry's Planet Word: Episode 5 - The Power and the Glory
Stephen Fry celebrates storytelling and its influence on language. Storytelling has been with us as long as language itself and as a species, we love to tell our stories.