Back to topics

Will humanity ever run out of names?

There are only so many short strings you can make from a fixed alphabet. But people do not need globally unique names, and naming traditions are not restricted to one alphabet or one fixed length. “Running out” therefore depends on the rules. Comparing a deliberately limited naming system with actual name records reveals how much the counting assumptions matter.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • What would change if names had to be unique worldwide instead of merely useful in context?

Start reading

Ready to try your ideas aloud?

Your topic carries over. Record up to 2½ minutes, depending on your plan.

Language

How much can six braille dots say?

A braille cell has only six positions, but its meaning depends on more than which dots are raised. In Unified English Braille, letters, indicators, and context work together to represent written language.

3–5 min

How much can six braille dots say?

Language3–5 minA braille cell has only six positions, but its meaning depends on more than which dots are raised. In Unified English Braille, letters, indicators, and context work together to represent written language.

Language

ASL has its own grammar

American Sign Language is a complete language with grammar of its own. Hands, facial expression, and body movement contribute to meaning, so describing it as English transferred into gestures misses how it works.

3–5 min

ASL has its own grammar

Language3–5 minAmerican Sign Language is a complete language with grammar of its own. Hands, facial expression, and body movement contribute to meaning, so describing it as English transferred into gestures misses how it works.

Why is a newly spotted word not automatically a dictionary entry?

Language3–5 minA new expression can attract attention before there is enough evidence to include it in a dictionary. Cambridge's New Words posts and Merriam-Webster's account of editorial selection show different stages of observing language in use.

Will humanity ever run out of names? | Speech Topic | speaking.app