Language Families

When Did English Lose Its Grammatical Gender?

Old English once had a complex system of masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns, much like modern German. This all changed…

3 months ago

The Sound of Old English: How Was Beowulf Spoken?

We can read the words of Beowulf, but what did this ancient ancestor of English actually sound like? By using…

3 months ago

The Invisible Plural: Zero-Marking in Language

One sheep, two sheep. One fish, two fish. Ever wonder why some English nouns refuse to add an '-s' for…

3 months ago

Why Are There So Many Words for Snow in Sámi?

The old "Eskimo words for snow" trope is a well-known but misleading linguistic myth. A far more accurate and fascinating…

3 months ago

“Correcting” a Language: A Brief History

Ever wonder why we have "correct" spelling and grammar? These rules aren't timeless truths but were forged by powerful forces…

3 months ago

A Guide to Sino-Tibetan Languages

Journey into the Sino-Tibetan language family, a vast linguistic world of over 400 languages spoken by 1.4 billion people. From…

3 months ago

A Guide to Slavic Languages

** Dive into the fascinating world of Slavic languages, a family that connects over 300 million speakers from Prague to…

3 months ago

The Gaelic Languages Explained

Ever wondered about the difference between Irish and Scottish Gaelic? This guide introduces the three living Gaelic languages—Irish, Scottish Gaelic,…

3 months ago

How ‘V’ and ‘B’ Became One in Spanish

Ever wondered why 'vaca' and 'boca' sound identical in Spanish, despite the different spellings? This isn't a mistake but a…

3 months ago

The Birth Certificate of French

The Oaths of Strasbourg, a 9th-century military pact, are often called the "birth certificate" of the French language. Sworn in…

3 months ago

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