Surpassing Tagalog: The Massive Reach of Cebuano
For most of the 20th century, Cebuano, not Tagalog, held the title for the most native speakers in the Philippines, dominating the Visayas and Mindanao. We explore the history of…
Unlocking the Universe of Languages
For most of the 20th century, Cebuano, not Tagalog, held the title for the most native speakers in the Philippines, dominating the Visayas and Mindanao. We explore the history of…
While Spanish often gets the global spotlight, a look at the demographics reveals that Portuguese is actually the dominant language of the Southern Hemisphere. This post explores the historical "butterfly…
Does the landscape dictate how we speak? The "Acoustic Adaptation Hypothesis" suggests that languages in hot, leafy jungles favor vowels to cut through the humidity, while dry, open terrains allow…
Journey to the great island of Madagascar, a biodiversity hotspot floating off the coast of Mozambique. You might assume its native language, Malagasy, shares its roots with the Bantu languages…