How Do You Learn a Language With No Writing System?

5 months ago

Imagine learning a language with no alphabet, no dictionary, and no textbooks. This is the challenge for field linguists who…

The Pitch-Accent Puzzle of Japanese

5 months ago

In Japanese, a single word like `hashi` can mean 'bridge' or 'chopsticks' based on a subtle change in melody. This…

The Haida Language: A World of Its Own

5 months ago

Journey to the coast of British Columbia to discover X̱aad Kíl, the Haida language. A true linguistic isolate with a…

The Unspoken Rules of the Slash (/)

5 months ago

Beyond its formal roles in dates and poetry, the forward slash has become a digital powerhouse, shaping everything from online…

The One-Letter Word: The Story of ‘O’

5 months ago

Did you know one of the most powerful words in the English language is just a single letter? From ancient…

The Anti-Language of Power: What Is Gobbledygook?

5 months ago

This dense, evasive prose, known as gobbledygook, is more than just bad writing; it's a sophisticated "anti-language" designed to obscure…

The Language of De-escalation: How Words Avert Crisis

5 months ago

From hostage negotiation to customer service, specific linguistic choices can calm a volatile situation. This article explores the grammar of…

The Chinook Jargon: Language of the Pacific Fur Trade

5 months ago

For over a century, a unique pidgin language connected Indigenous peoples, Europeans, and Asians along the Pacific Northwest coast. Known…

The Language of the Looms: Jacquard’s Code

5 months ago

Long before Silicon Valley, a different kind of code was being written—not in silicon, but in cardboard and thread. The…

The Grammar of Nothing: Null Subjects

5 months ago

Ever wonder why you can say "Piove" in Italian for "It's raining", but "Is raining" is wrong in English? This…

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