VATupdate Newsletter Week 17 2023

Minions

Do you know Kevin, Bob and Stuart? They are the three most famous Minions, a species of tiny yellow henchmen, who look like unusually dressed candies. They communicate using a gibberish language that’s understandable to them and a few people who have longstanding relationships with them.

What happens in the brain when you learn a language? Click HERE

Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and written forms, and may also be conveyed through sign languages. It is estimated that there are between 5.000 and 7.000 human languages in the world, including many dialects.

Some children create their own language, that only they understand. And some twins may communicate with each other in a language that no one comprehends. And yet, there are some basics rules that every language follows, although some of these rules may slightly differ due to cultural and social circumstances.

Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and the rest of the Minions speak “Minionese,’ a language that was specifically created for them. Minionese is made up of words from multiple languages, expressed not only vocally, but through the Minions’ physical comedy. What that means is that you understand what they are saying, not so much as through the words they’re saying, but just by looking at them. It’s like watching a silent movie with Charlie Chaplin, who could express feelings, emotions and ‘words,’ without you actually hearing the sounds.

With Kevin, Bob and Stuart, you do hear them talking. But although the words themselves may be gibberish, their speech is understandable via the melody of the words, in combination with their expressions. It’s almost like listening to music in a foreign language: you may not understand the words, but you get the emotion from the sound.

It’s the same with VAT. To some people it may sound like the chirping of birds, or the growling of a death metal singer. But everyone gets the melody. It’s up to us to add the physical performance. But of course for you, the visitors of VATupdate.com, that’s not necessary: you already speak VAT!

If you have any comments, questions, or ideas that you want to share with us, please send us an email at [email protected] or leave a comment under the posts of this newsletter on LinkedIn.

To go to the specific region of your interest, follow the link below.