Original version

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

More or Less

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life

Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life.

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

More or Less: How Many Words Do You Need to Speak a Language?

Magazines & Reviews

Factual

The World surrounded by Flags

23/06/2018 GMT

How Many Words Do You Need to Speak a Language?

BBC World Service - More or Less, How Many Words Do You Need to Speak a Language?

How many words do you need to speak a language and how many do native speakers use?

How many words do you need to speak a language and how many words do native speakers actually use?

Ein Bier bitte? Loyal listener David made a new year's resolution to learn German. Three years later, that's about as far as he's got. 

Keen to have something to aim for, he asked More or Less how many words you really need to know in order to speak a language.

Reporter Beth Sagar-Fenton finds out with help from Professor Stuart Webb, and puts Tim through his paces to find out how big his own English vocabulary is.

Presenter: Tim Harford
Producer: Charlotte McDonald and Lizzy McNeill

(Photo: The World surrounded by Flags. Credit: Shutterstock)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

More or Less

How Many Words Do You Need to Speak a Language?

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

About BBC World Service