The Double Negatives of Afrikaans
Ever heard an Afrikaans speaker say "Ek praat nie Afrikaans nie" and wondered about that extra "nie"? This seemingly redundant word is actually a grammatical cornerstone known as the double…
Tag: africa colonialism
Papiamento: The Caribbean Creole
Journey to the ABC islands to discover Papiamento, the unique Creole language that sings with the rhythms of its history. Born from the contact between Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and Arawak,…
AI’s Low-Resource Language Crisis
AI models like ChatGPT can write poetry in English, yet they stumble over languages spoken by millions. This 'low-resource' language crisis is creating a new digital divide, silencing entire cultures…
The Vai Script: A Dreamed-Up Alphabet
In the 1830s, an illiterate Vai man in West Africa named Momolu Duwalu Bukele had a vivid dream where he was shown a book of symbols. Inspired by this vision…
10 Endangered Scripts to Watch in 2025
Long before a language falls silent, its unique writing system can fade into obscurity. This post explores ten beautiful and endangered scripts, from the vertical Mongolian alphabet to the Philippines'…
The Politics of Place Names: Why Cities Change
From Bombay to Mumbai, place names are more than just labels on a map; they are battlegrounds for identity, power, and history. This deep dive into toponymy explores why cities…
The Real Language of Pirates
Think pirates all sounded like Long John Silver, shouting "Shiver me timbers"!? The historical reality is far more fascinating. This article explores the real language of the high seas—a complex…
Linguistic Fossils: Spain’s History in Idioms
Ever wondered why Spaniards say "there are no Moors on the coast" to mean the coast is clear? Many Spanish idioms are time capsules, preserving pivotal moments like the Reconquista…
The Alphabet of a Revolution: How N’Ko Is Uniting West Africa’s Languages
While many alphabets are ancient, the N'Ko script was born in 1949 from one man's defiant response to colonial prejudice. Created by Solomana Kante, this ingenious alphabet is perfectly tailored…
English Words of Suprising Origin – Part III
Our linguistic odyssey continues as we venture further into the intriguing world of English loan words. We are constantly reminded of the fluidity of language...
English Words of Suprising Origin – Part II
Our exploration of English loan words continues as we delve deeper into the richness of etymology, taking an engaging linguistic journey across the globe. These...
The Role of Portuguese in the Age of Exploration
From the 15th to the 17th century, a period known as the Age of Exploration, or the Age of Discovery, the world experienced an unprecedented...
Spanish in Africa: The Story of Equatorial Guinea
Among the languages spoken across the vast continent of Africa, Spanish has a unique and intriguing tale. Unlike English, French, and Portuguese, which are commonly...