School of Communication

Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics Research Laboratory

Colbertian Language Study

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Colbertian
koʊl’bɛəriən, cole-bear-ee-un [1]
Anthem (YouTube)
Capital Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics Research Lab
Language Colbertian [2]
Language Region Continents: 6
Countries: 45
Map [png]
Number of Colbertian Speakers Current: 467
Potential: 7 billion
Frances Searle Building
Colbertian Speakers Worldwide
Government Democracy
Principal Investigator & Benevolent Ruler Dr. Viorica Marian
Colbertian Creators Dr. James Bartolotti,
Natalia L. Daniel, MS SLL-SLP
Colbertian Congressional Council Dr. Viorica Marian
Dr. Anthony Shook,
Dr. Scott Schroeder,
Dr. Sarah Chabal,
Marilyn Hall
Colbertian Language Creation May 12, 2009
Currency Dollar (USD)
Time zone CST (UTC -6)
Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
Drives on the Right
1 Origin of pronunciation: Colbert decided to drop the “t” on his flight to Chicago to attend Northwestern University (interview at Northwestern University).
2 The Colbertian language was first created by Northwestern University’s Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics Research Group for a research experiment studying language learning.

Stephen Colbert has his own nation – and now his own language![1]

Ever wonder how your language knowledge affects your understanding of a second language? To answer this question, we have assembled a team of Colbertian language researchers to study how the words and languages you already know affect your ability to listen and learn new Colbertian words.

The Colbertian researchers found that bilinguals have an advantage over monolinguals in learning a new language and in keeping their languages from interfering with one another. This means if you are bilingual it will be easier for you to switch to your newly acquired Colbertian language. Your knowledge of English words will interfere less while listening to words in Colbertian than it would if you were monolingual. Read more in our Colbertian research paper. [pdf]

 

“We speak Colbertian (and so can you!)”

Are you a novice Colbertian speaker, or have you mastered the language? See the different levels of Colbertian proficiency.

Examples of Colbertian translations are now available online.

 

Colbertian in the news!

Original Press Release from Northwestern News Center. Colbert helps open doors to bilingual research. July 9, 2012.

NBC Chicago. Researchers name invented language after Stephen Colbert. July 11, 2012.

See our media coverage page for more news.

 

Footnotes:

1. Colbertian is an invented language. Colbertian is not authorized, sanctioned, or supported by Stephen Colbert.

2. Lincolnish: possessing the qualities of truthiness[3] and justice, word created by Stephen Colbert.

3. Truthiness: the quality of stating concepts one wishes or believes to be true, rather than the facts, word created by Stephen Colbert.

Questions? Contact the lab manager at bilingualismlabnu@gmail.com.