From Babble to Babel: Children’s Language Around the World
| When | Tuesday, February 24, 2026 from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Where | Hybrid: Join the event in ZoomHatcher Gallery Event Space Hatcher Library North, First Floor, Room 100 View building informationView floor plan |
| Event type | Reception/Open House |
Join us to hear native speakers share their selections of playful language from around the globe in celebration of International Mother Language Day! We're offering international treats and the option to participate in the event. Join us in the Hatcher Gallery or via Zoom.
Nursery rhymes, tongue twisters, and gibberish; Mother Goose and Dr. Seuss. Children’s language can be silly, but it’s not just fun and games. Complex verbal exercises purposely play up a given language’s nuances of sound, syntax, and semantics, and so become a wonderful way to hear the voices of the world. The same lingual hijinks are equally important as conveyors of culture.
An image of the Tower of Babel from William Wiesner's eponymous picture book in U-M Library's Lee Walp Family Collection.
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Library contact
Brendan James Nieubuurt · bnieubuu@umich.edu
Library events are free and open to the public, and we are committed to making them accessible to attendees. If you anticipate needing accommodations to participate, please notify the listed contact with as much notice as possible.