Pragmatics

The Diplomacy of ‘You’: T-V Distinction Beyond French

The difference between France’s tu and vous is a classic challenge for language learners, but this formal and informal 'you'…

3 months ago

The Great ‘Um’ Debate: Are Filler Words a Flaw?

We're often told to eliminate words like 'um' and 'uh' from our speech, but are they really a sign of…

3 months ago

Linguistic Implicature: What We Mean, Not What We Say

Have you ever understood someone's "no" even when they didn't say the word? This is linguistic implicature, the art of…

3 months ago

The Logic of ‘Doch’: Germany’s Magic Word

German learners are often baffled by tiny words like 'doch'. This post unpacks the world of German modal particles, the…

3 months ago

Can AI Detect Irony? The Sarcasm Problem

Teaching a machine that "Oh, great" can mean the exact opposite is one of the toughest challenges in artificial intelligence.…

3 months ago

The Four ‘You’s of Mandarin Chinese

Think "you" is simple? In English, it is, but Mandarin Chinese requires a more nuanced approach. The choice between the…

3 months ago

Speaking Up, Speaking Down: Java’s Speech Levels

In the Javanese language, 'please' and 'thank you' are just the beginning. The entire vocabulary—from pronouns to verbs—changes based on…

3 months ago

The Non-Apology: A Grammatical Breakdown

"I'm sorry if you were offended". This familiar phrase feels hollow for a reason: it's a non-apology, an illusion of…

3 months ago

Why Do We Call Partners ‘Baby’?

Ever wondered why grown adults call each other "baby"? This common pet name is more than just a habit; it's…

3 months ago

The Logic of Autocorrect

Why does your phone insist on changing "well" to "we'll", yet hilariously fumbles simple words? The answer lies not in…

3 months ago

This website uses cookies.