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How your language reflects the senses you use Which do you find easier to describe: the colour of grass, or its smell? The answer may depend on where you are from - and, more specifically, which language you grew up speaking.A recent global study suggests that whether we mainly experience the world by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or feeling varies hugely across cultures. And this preference is reflected in our language. Our lifestyle, our environment and even the shape of our houses all can influence how we perceive things - and how easy (or not) we find it to put this perception into words.For example, English speakers were best at talking about shapes and colours. Speakers of Lao and Farsi, on the other hand, excelled at naming tastes. The other participants struggled with certain tasks because their language simply lacked words for what they were shown. Umpila, a language spoken by a hunter-gatherer community in Australia, only has words for black, white and red. However, Umpila speakers found it easiest to describe smells. This tendency towards smell rather than vision is found among hunter gatherers around the world. The reason may have to do with living and hunting in forests that are rich in smells. For those of us who spend more time in front of silent, odourless screens than among fragrant plants and jamming musicians, the study could be an encouragement to seek out new sensory experiences. But it is also a reminder of the value of linguistic diversity.The International Writing Program (IWP) The Summer Institute is a new immersive two-week creative writing and cultural exchange program held in Iowa City, Iowa, U.S., a UNESCO City of Literature, for participants age 18-22 from Pakistan, India, and the U.S.2019 session will be held from July 6 - July 20.This program for students of all academic interests - the arts, humanities, sciences, and everything in between - is free for selected participants, and will focus on creative writing and the power of narrative. Application details: iwp.uiowa.edu/programs/summer-instituteThe Charles Wallace Visiting Fellowship ProgrammeThe Charles Wallace Visiting Fellowship Programme provides assistance to mid-career professionals who wish to undertake short visits to the United Kingdom to broaden their professional knowledge, skills and contacts. Award holders will receive a grant of £1,450 per month, and a contribution of £800 towards international travel costs. The award-holders are responsible to make all arrangements in the UK in consultation with their host university. Eligible disciplines are Social Sciences, Social Development, Humanities, Education, Arts and Creative Industries, Environmental Sciences and Health Sciences.Submission deadline is 14 April 2019.Compiled by SG

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