The Adlam Script: A Modern Alphabet for an Ancient People
For centuries, the Fula language, spoken by over 40 million people, lacked its own native script. In the 1980s, two teenage brothers in Guinea decided to change that, inventing a…
Unlocking the Universe of Languages
For centuries, the Fula language, spoken by over 40 million people, lacked its own native script. In the 1980s, two teenage brothers in Guinea decided to change that, inventing a…
Ever wondered why your French friend says "email" but calls a skyscraper a "gratte-ciel"? Languages borrow from each other in two fascinating ways: by taking the word itself (a loanword)…
When a shaman or ritualist speaks in a 'spirit language', it isn't random babbling but a fascinating sociolinguistic performance. Even the most chaotic-sounding glossolalia follows unspoken rules based on the…
Ever wondered why Bombay became Mumbai, or why The Netherlands is no longer called Holland? The names on our maps aren't set in stone; they're the product of a fascinating…
Ever wonder why people in isolated places like an Appalachian hollow develop such a unique way of speaking? It's not just about preserving old language; it's about creating something new…
The suffix '-gate' has become a linguistic shorthand for scandal, but where did it come from? We trace its journey from a specific Washington D.C. hotel to a 'grammatical virus'…
In Japanese communication, silence is rarely an empty space. This post delves into the "grammar" of ζ²ι» (chinmoku), exploring how a pause can express everything from deep respect and empathy…
Ever wonder how marginalized groups create secret worlds right under our noses? This post explores "anti-languages"βthe cunning linguistic codes of thieves, prisoners, and other subcultures. Discover how these systems systematically…
Ever heard a bilingual child say something that isn't quite one language or the other? This isn't a mistake, but a "kitchen-table creole"βa unique, rule-governed hybrid language they've created themselves.…
This post explores the often-overlooked link between linguistic purism and exclusionary politics. We move beyond simple vocabulary debates to investigate how the drive to "purify" a language of foreign influences…
Forget stuffy royal decrees. Ancient graffiti offers an unfiltered glimpse into the lives of everyday people, from lovelorn Romans to gossiping soldiers. These candid messages, scrawled on the walls of…
From the intricate vibrations of Sanskrit mantras to the linguistic inimitability of the Quran, a language can become more than a tool for communicationβit can be seen as the very…
Before there was Russian, Polish, or Bulgarian, there was their common literary ancestor: Old Church Slavonic. Discover the story of the language crafted by two missionary brothers, Saints Cyril and…
While most of China uses Chinese characters, the Yi people of the southwest have their own unique writing system with a history spanning centuries. Once a complex logographic script used…
The guttural French "R" is one of the most iconic sounds in the world, but it's a surprisingly recent development. Discover how this sound may have started as an affectation…
H-dropping, the act of saying "'ouse" instead of "house", is far more than a simple pronunciation quirk. This feature of many English dialects became a powerful marker of social class…
** Did you know Australia's largest Indigenous language, by number of speakers, is an English-based creole? Move beyond pidgins to discover Australian Kriol, a complex and vibrant language spoken by…
Ever wondered why some people say "mojito" with a French 'zh' sound or put on a fake accent for "foyer"? This phenomenon is called hyperforeignism, where our attempts to sound…
Beyond the major Slavic languages like Russian and Polish lie hidden linguistic gems on the brink of extinction. Discover the unique beauty of tongues like Kashubian, Sorbian, and Rusyn, each…
Once considered a single language called Serbo-Croatian, the languages of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro are now actively drifting apart. This linguistic divergence isn't a natural evolution but a conscious,…