Pratique du Shadowing: Why don't our maps show the true size of Africa? - What in the World podcast, BBC World Service - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec YouTube
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Hey, it's Hannah here. Welcome back to What in the World, your favorite podcast for all your news, trends and talking points from the BBC World Service. So I got a question for you.
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Hey, it's Hannah here. Welcome back to What in the World, your favorite podcast for all your news, trends and talking points from the BBC World Service. So I got a question for you.
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Which do you think is bigger Africa or North America?
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If you use the map that most of us were taught about in school, you'd probably get it wrong.
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And that's because the Mercator projection, which has been around for about 450 years, distorts size.
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It makes Europe and Greenland look loads bigger while shrinking Africa and South America. And now campaigners are asking for a new map to be used instead, the Equal Earth map.
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And you can see how much bigger Africa looks in comparison.
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And they've got the support of the African Union, which represents all 55 states on the continent.
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So today we're asking, could a new world map change how we see the world?
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Let's hear more about this now from BBC Africa reporter Makuochi Okafor.
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Hey Makuochi. Hi, Hannah.
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So this really taps into some big sentiments and big feelings at the moment. A push for equality.
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Equal representation. Equality on a world stage.
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And there's this big campaign called correct the map.
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And and it's been backed by the African Union.
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So that's pretty big isn't it. Mhm. You're right.
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Um so this campaign, the Correct The Map campaign, this is not the first time um they started it. It's been happening for quite a bit.
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I do know that there are two organizations, two advocacy groups that have been very loud and have been more like at the forefront of this campaign.
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And that is the Africa No Filter and the Speak Up Africa group.
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Uh, both are advocacy groups, both are advocacy groups who have sort of always fought for everything Africa, you know.
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So now that they've sort of pushed enough for the Africa Union, which represents all 55 states, uh, countries in Africa, to sort of hear their voice and adopt this, Correct The Map, um, you know, campaign or the map itself.
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It actually seems like they have made a mark.
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In fact, I remember, um, the founder and lead of the Africa No Filter, spoke with a BBC team recently, and she said she felt like the world has heard them, but, um, she doesn't want that to be where it will stop.
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They want schools, global organisations and even countries to start and government to start adopting the use of the equal earth beyond just, um, the African Union saying that they would like for it to be adopted.
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Yeah. We actually heard, um, from Moky Makura, the executive director of Africa No Filter about why this campaign is so important to her.
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I think the most important part of this is that we're actually showing something that is incorrect.
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I've referred to this as the world's longest misinformation campaign because it's just wrong.
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And I think the one example people use is the size of Greenland, which is depicted on current projections as 14 times larger than it actually is.
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The point is that Africa is made to look smaller than it really is.
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Um, the distortion matters because it literally shrinks Africa's power and our place in the world.
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You know, the size being smaller than European countries, when in reality you can fit all of Europe, China, India, America and other countries into the continent.
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It makes the continent look less important, less powerful, and less full of potential.
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I'd like to see the Equal Earth projection used everywhere.
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So in school textbooks, online, on Google Maps, in PowerPoint templates, in Canva templates, you know, the Mercator projection has been the default for 450 years.
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And we need Equal Earth to become just as ubiquitous.
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Everywhere I turn, I should see Africa depicted in the right way.
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And that way everyone, everywhere sees the world to the real scale.
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I want to get into the geography here.
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So the map that we've mentioned that we've been talking about, the Mercator projection, it was designed in 1569, but it was originally designed for sea navigation.
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So why does it depict Africa and South America smaller than they actually are?
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We got in touch with YouTuber Geodiode, who's also known as Edwin Rijkaart, to get a better idea.
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The Mercator projection is probably the best known world map.
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It was created in the 16th century by Gerardus Mercator.
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His real name was Geert de Kremer.
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Mercator was just his Latin name.
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He was Flemish cartographer and one of the pioneers in modern mapmaking.
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And his idea was to make a map where compass courses show up as straight lines on the map.
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That was a huge advantage for sailors in the 16th century because it made navigation much easier for them.
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On Mercator maps, one could easily navigate with a compass.
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Back in the days, all the lines on the map pointed north, east, south or west, and all the distances on the lines on the map were the same everywhere.
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No one ever paid attention to the maps, because only a small group of people, uh, used the maps like sailors, for example. But then came the mobile phone, and we all started using Google Maps or another navigation app.
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And Google uses the Mercator format because it's easy to navigate.
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It's impossible to create a perfect map because the Earth is a three dimensional sphere and the map is flat.
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So when you try to flatten a sphere, something always gets distorted.
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That's why there are so many different map projections.
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Each one emphasizes something different and is used for a different purpose.
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So Makuochi. Criticism of the Mercator map isn't new.
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I mean, it is impossible to get something that is round in 3D to lie flat, right?
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You just you can't squish an orange down.
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But why is this issue being raised again now do you think?
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Well, the truth is, with the current use and rise of social media and even more like media advancement, it seems like subjects that were sort of little whispers in silos are getting louder and louder, and more people are converging to have these conversations.
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It just seems like things that are felt in smaller groups are now being collected, and voices are sort of being put together globally.
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So, um, Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa and even other organizations sort of have utilized social media and the use of new media and even older traditional media models to push, um, and to push for their, their agenda or what they want.
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And that has totally worked for them.
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Yeah. So there are all these small conversations taking place, but the Correct The Map campaign actually has some really big intentions.
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I mean, they want schools, governments and even major international organizations to change the map that they use.
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Yes, that's exactly what they are asking for.
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Um, interestingly, I think they have really done quite well in the sense that this campaign has been a bit successful in the sense that, for example, the AU, by the way, Africa is the second biggest continent.
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And if the huge governing body is saying they want this, then that's actually a huge thing.
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But even beyond that, um, organizations like the world Bank say they have stopped using the Mercator projection.
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They have adopted the Winkel tripel map, which is not entirely the correct, the, uh, the Equal Earth map, but it sort of addresses most of the concerns that people have used when criticizing the Mercator projection.
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Um, so the world, the World Bank is huge.
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It's an international organization. Um, and even something like what's it called, National Geographic Society say they also no more use, uh, the Mercator projection.
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They now use the Winkel tripel map And, you know, Google, which most people use, uh, Google on desktop now uses a 3D model of a map, and they have dropped the Mercator projection.
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However, users can still switch back to that.
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And also, um, on on mobile they're still using Mercator projection.
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But it seems like the more the conversation is happening, global organizations, global societies, and even countries might actually eventually, um, get to adopt, uh, the maybe Equal Earth or other variations of it.
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What are some of the wider implications of this?
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What are the wider implications of not using accurate maps or showing Africa as smaller than it really is?
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Well, I'll give an example. For example, I have heard people say, oh, this tiny country from a specific place.
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You know, I'm just giving you an example when people say that both the people who live in those countries, or even those who want to either offer aid or even do projects on the country, sort of start thinking of minimizing what they would have offered, or even people who are from those places sort of feel tiny.
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So you see that it not only affects people's identity and how they feel about themselves, but it actually affects policies that are being made because, you know, visual representation sort of affects perception.
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So it has this huge boot, um, physical, economic and even psychological impact on the people who are being represented that way.
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And that has been seen to by most of the campaigners say it has affected most of the policies made towards Africa and even how Africans feel about themselves.
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Makuochi, thank you so much for explaining that to us.
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Thank you Hannah. That's it for today.
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And wherever you are in the world and whatever map you might be using.
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Thank you for joining us.
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Don't forget to follow like, subscribe, share if you enjoyed this episode and if you have ideas for stories that you think we should be covering, please do get in touch. I'm Hannah, this is what in the world from the BBC World Service and we'll see you next time.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will practice English listening and speaking skills by exploring the topic of world map projections and their implications. You will learn about the Mercator projection and its distortions, particularly regarding the representation of Africa's size compared to other continents. Through engaging with the content of the podcast, you will enhance your vocabulary, improve your English pronunciation, and gain insights into geographical discussions that are relevant and important. This exercise will not only help you learn English with YouTube but also enable you to participate in conversations about geography and global awareness.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Mercator projection: A widely used map projection that distorts size, making certain regions appear larger or smaller than they are.
- Equal Earth map: An alternative map projection that depicts the true size of landmasses more accurately.
- Advocacy groups: Organizations that promote and support particular causes or issues.
- Correct The Map campaign: A movement aimed at using more accurate cartographic representations, particularly of Africa.
- Distortion: The alteration of the true appearance or size of something.
- Misinformation: Incorrect or misleading information, especially in a long-standing context.
- Global representation: The way in which countries and regions are depicted and acknowledged on a global scale.
Practice Tips
To effectively use the shadowing technique with this podcast episode, follow these tips:
- Start by listening to short segments of the transcript. Pause after each sentence to repeat it aloud, mimicking the speaker's tone, intonation, and speed.
- Since the content addresses complex themes, ensure you understand the context before shadowing. This will help you follow along with the nuances of the conversation.
- Practice recording yourself while shadowing. Listen to your recordings to identify areas where you can improve your English pronunciation and fluency.
- Engage with the vocabulary by creating sentences of your own using the key phrases listed. This will reinforce your learning and help you feel more confident discussing the topic.
- Utilize the shadowspeaks approach: focus on conveying emotions and attitudes as well as content, as this will help improve your overall speaking skills.
By consistently practicing with this shadowing site, you will not only enhance your speaking abilities but also gain a deeper understanding of important global issues, making your English learning experience both enriching and practical.
Qu'est-ce que la technique du Shadowing ?
Le Shadowing est une technique d'apprentissage des langues fondée sur la science, développée à l'origine pour la formation des interprètes professionnels. Le principe est simple mais puissant : vous écoutez de l'anglais natif et le répétez immédiatement à voix haute — comme une ombre suivant le locuteur avec un décalage de 1 à 2 secondes. Les recherches montrent une amélioration significative de la précision de la prononciation, de l'intonation, du rythme, des liaisons, de la compréhension orale et de la fluidité.
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