Ig Nobel Prize
Germans speak better Dutch when they drink
Photo: Pixabay
The 35th edition of the Ig Nobel Prizes took place last night in Boston. These satirical 'Nobel Prizes' are aimed at research that first makes you laugh and then makes you think.
Fritz Renner, Inge Kersbergen, Matt Field, and Jessica Werthmann, from Maastricht University, conducted research among fifty German students who had not spoken Dutch for a while. Twenty-five of them were given a little alcohol, while the rest were not. Then, they had to engage in a conversation in Dutch. The results were published in an article titled 'Dutch Courage?'
Observers who did not know that some of the participants had been drinking noticed that their pronunciation had improved. The slightly tipsy Germans did not feel that they were doing any better, however.
Bar
The idea originated at a bar, during a scientific conference. The researchers warn that alcohol impairs memory when consumed in higher doses, so those looking to learn another language shouldn't drink too much.
The award ceremony for the Ig Nobel Prizes is always festive and silly. The audience throws paper aeroplanes, opera singers sing about scientific themes, and the hosts wear crazy hats. The winners often attend the ceremony in person, though the Maastricht researchers did not do that. Their acceptance speech was read out by Nobel Prize winners Robert Merton and Svante Pääbo.
Nails
This is not the only research involving alcohol to win an Ig Nobel Prize. The award for aviation went to scientists who investigated whether bats can still fly and navigate properly after consuming a small amount of alcohol. The answer: no.
Another winner of this edition kept track of the growth of his own nails for 35 years. He received the Ig Nobel Prize for Literature for his efforts. The prize for nutritional science went to researchers who discovered that a certain colourful lizard has a strong preference for quattro formaggi (four cheeses) when it comes to pizza. Another interesting finding honoured last night: if you paint cows black and white, like zebras, they are less bothered by horseflies.
The Ig Nobel Prize ceremony happens in September, one month before the Nobel Prizes.
Comments
We appreciate relevant and respectful responses. Responding to DUB can be done by logging into the site. You can do so by creating a DUB account or by using your Solis ID. Comments that do not comply with our game rules will be deleted. Please read our response policy before responding.