Linguistics

The African Tongue with Asian Roots

Journey to the great island of Madagascar, a biodiversity hotspot floating off the coast of Mozambique. You might assume its…

2 weeks ago

Censored by Code: Our Digital Taboos

Ever wondered why TikTokkers are talking about becoming an "accountant" or avoiding the "panini"? You're witnessing "algospeak", a creative new…

2 weeks ago

Voicing the Gods: A Lost Celtic World

We often encounter Celtic myths in English, but this is like seeing a vibrant world in black and white. The…

2 weeks ago

Brain Candy: The Science of Word Games

Why does finding the perfect word in Scrabble or solving a tough crossword clue feel so deeply satisfying? We move…

2 weeks ago

From Pidgin to Power: Nigeria’s Voice

Often dismissed as "broken English", Nigerian Pidgin is in fact a dynamic creole language spoken by over 75 million people.…

2 weeks ago

Slavic False Friends: Words That Deceive

Ever tried to use your knowledge of one Slavic language in another, only to be met with a confused stare?…

2 weeks ago

Type on the Brain: Font Psychology

Ever wondered why some fonts just feel trustworthy while others seem playful or aggressive? This isn't just a matter of…

2 weeks ago

The People Who Became Words: A Guide to Eponyms

From 'boycott' to 'sandwich', our language is full of words that were once people's names. This fascinating guide to eponyms…

2 weeks ago

The Two-Faced Word: Janus and ‘January’

The first month of the year is named after Janus, the two-faced Roman god of beginnings and transitions. More than…

2 weeks ago

‘Sinister’: The Left-Handed Insult

The word 'sinister' conjures images of evil, but its origins are far more mundane: it's simply the Latin word for…

2 weeks ago

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