by BIRD GEI | Consultoria e Gestão de Idiomas

Neither men nor women: they are more creative TOGETHER

Abstract An experiment is reported in which the effect of sex composition on the creativity of brainstorming groups is investigated. It was hypothesized that mixed sex groups would be more creative than either homogeneous male or homogeneous female groups. Fifteen groups, consisting of four members each two males and two females; four females; four males,… Read More

by BIRD GEI | Consultoria e Gestão de Idiomas

Fun with words: 16 words that are much older than they seem

Every generation likes to think it invented slang anew, but often the latest words are actually very old. Here are 16 words that are much older than they seem. (The example quotes all come from the Oxford English Dictionary.) 1. FRIEND, AS A VERB A common lament in pieces about “kids these days and their… Read More

by BIRD GEI | Consultoria e Gestão de Idiomas

Pirahã People: carpe-diem culture doesn’t allow for abstract thought or complicated connections to the past — limiting the language accordingly

The Pirahã people (pronounced [piɾaˈhã]) are an indigenous hunter-gatherer tribe of Amazon natives, who mainly live on the banks of the Maici River in Brazil’s Amazonas state, in the territory of Humaitá and Manicoré municipality. As of 2004, they number about 360, which is sharply reduced from the numbers recorded in previous decades, and the… Read More

by BIRD GEI | Consultoria e Gestão de Idiomas

Top 10 Signs You’re Broke, and It’s Friday…

1. You wish you could go back in time and tell your kid self that being an adult isn’t as awesome as you were once told. 2. Your idea of a 7 course meal is taking a deep breath outside a restaurant. 3. You think of a lottery ticket as an investment. 4. You give blood… Read More

by BIRD GEI | Consultoria e Gestão de Idiomas

Interaction Is Critical for the Evolution of the Language

ScienceDaily  — An international research group, including of the Department of Artificial Intelligence of the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid’s Facultad de Informatica, has concluded that collaboration and interaction are essential elements in the evolution of language. They also have shown that the most effective forms of communication can propagate in a community in a similar… Read More