On today’s episode of Modern Notion Daily, our guest is Carmel O’Shannessy, a linguist at the University of Michigan. For more than a decade, O’Shannessy has been researching the genesis of a new language, Light Warlpiri, in Australia’s Northern Territory. We talk with her about why the language is unique, and we even hear a clip of some spoken Light Warlpiri. Later in the hour, contributing editor Emma Bryce joins us to talk about vulture restaurants, an effort to save Asia’s vultures from a harmful drug.

Music this hour:

• “Elle va au Japon” by Nic Bommarito, from the album A Quiet Age
• “Soldiertype (militarised)” by Ketsa, from the album What’s Without’s Within
• “Backed Vibes Clean” by Kevin MacLeod, from the album Jazz Sampler
• “Á Minuit, le 31 Décembre” by Monroeville Music Center, from the album Le Progrés
• “It’s Always Too Late to Start Over” by Chris Zabriskie, from the album Direct to Video