Come learn the secrets of how languages evolve and relate to each other! All the world's languages are the product of systematic historical changes, and understanding those changes can reveal incredible connections. "Piano" and "flat"? Kyoto's "kyo" and Beijing's "jing"? "Factory" and "do"?? Yes, all these pairs are cognates! In this class we'll zip through the basics of phonetics, talk about the most common sound changes you'll see in the world's languages, and cover a basic history of sound changes in some of the biggest European (and maybe East Asian!) languages — including English, of course!