True immersion: Learning languages from drunks

"Drunks, he explains, "are the world's most underrated language teaching resource.""

Well there's a way to start an interesting article! The LA Times writes a review of linguist Derek Bickerton's new book Bastard Tongues. What could possibly be the context for such a strange claim?

"They speak slowly and with exaggerated care, they often repeat themselves, and they don't mind if you ask them the same questions over and over."

Oh, that. Not to mention the fact that their pronunciation might be a little...slurred perhaps. But that appears to be Bickerton's style, going out in the world more like Anthony Bourdain than Sister Wendy. Bickerton is no braggart, however, drawing closely on Noam Chomsky's theories, and doing field research in places that most linguists fear to tread.  It should make for a very interesting read.