Unlocking the Universe of Languages
Colonial-era dictionaries and grammars, once crafted as tools of control to convert and assimilate Indigenous peoples, carry a profound irony. Today, these same historical documents are being reclaimed by Indigenous…
Journey beyond the familiar and discover languages that defy expectations, from a whistled language that echoes through Canary Island valleys to a Dagestani tongue where a single verb can have…
Ever wondered about the difference between Irish and Scottish Gaelic? This guide introduces the three living Gaelic languages—Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx—exploring their shared history, unique sounds, and vibrant modern…
Deep in the Siberian wilderness, the Ket language is the last of its kind, a linguistic island with a mind-bendingly complex grammar. More than a curiosity, it holds the key…
Imagine learning a language with no alphabet, no dictionary, and no textbooks. This is the challenge for field linguists who document the world's unwritten tongues, relying on pure auditory skill…
Journey to the coast of British Columbia to discover X̱aad Kíl, the Haida language. A true linguistic isolate with a symphony of unique consonants and verbs that paint entire pictures,…
Deep within modern Germany, a Slavic language called Sorbian holds onto a grammatical feature lost by almost all others: the rare dual number. This unique way of speaking, which distinguishes…
Belgium's linguistic landscape is famously divided, but beyond French and Dutch lies Walloon, a distinct Romance language with deep historical roots. This post explores its unique features that separate it…
What happens when a language’s last fluent speaker passes away? For the Myaamia people, this was not an ending but the beginning of an extraordinary journey. This is the story…