The Grammar of “Chit-Chat”: Reduplication

4 weeks ago

From the simple 'bye-bye' in English to the Indonesian *wiku-wiku* (very fast), repeating words is a powerful tool found in…

Apraxia: The Brain’s Broken Speech Plan

4 weeks ago

Apraxia of speech is a mysterious neurological condition where the brain knows the perfect word but can't send the right…

Verner’s Law: The Glitch in the System

4 weeks ago

Grimm's Law neatly explains many sound changes from ancient Proto-Indo-European to Germanic languages, but puzzling exceptions remained a mystery for…

The Wanderwort: Words That Travel the World

4 weeks ago

Explore the fascinating world of "Wanderwörter", or wandering words—terms for tradeable goods like tea, sugar, and silk that crossed entire…

The Verbal Compass: How Rivers Define Direction

4 weeks ago

Forget North and South. For speakers of some languages, the entire world is oriented not by a magnetic pole, but…

Five-Star Lies: The Linguistics of Fake Reviews

4 weeks ago

Ever wondered if that glowing five-star review is too good to be true? This article delves into the fascinating world…

The Language of Avoidance: In-Law Tongues

4 weeks ago

Imagine having to learn a completely separate vocabulary just to be in the same room as your mother-in-law. For speakers…

The Tongue’s Blind Spots: Unmakeable Sounds

4 weeks ago

Your mouth is a remarkable instrument, capable of producing an astonishing range of sounds. But like any instrument, it has…

How to Own Without ‘Have’: The Be-Languages

4 weeks ago

In languages like English, you 'have' a book. But in Russian, Irish, or Turkish, you would say "to me there…

The Dictionary’s Phantom: Hunting for Mountweazels

4 weeks ago

What if some of the words in your dictionary were complete fabrications, planted by clever editors as copyright traps? These…

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