identity politics

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…

3 weeks ago

Isolate vs. Dialect Continuum

While language isolates like Basque stand as mysterious linguistic islands with no living relatives, dialect continuums show us how languages…

3 weeks ago

When Did We Agree on Place Names?

Ever wondered why Bombay became Mumbai, or why The Netherlands is no longer called Holland? The names on our maps…

3 weeks ago

Grammatical Viruses: The Spread of ‘-gate’

The suffix '-gate' has become a linguistic shorthand for scandal, but where did it come from? We trace its journey…

3 weeks ago

Anti-Languages: The Grammar of the Underworld

Ever wonder how marginalized groups create secret worlds right under our noses? This post explores "anti-languages"—the cunning linguistic codes of…

4 weeks ago

Language, Purity, and Power

This post explores the often-overlooked link between linguistic purism and exclusionary politics. We move beyond simple vocabulary debates to investigate…

4 weeks ago

OCS: The First Slavic Literary Language

Before there was Russian, Polish, or Bulgarian, there was their common literary ancestor: Old Church Slavonic. Discover the story of…

4 weeks ago

The Australian Kriol Language

** Did you know Australia's largest Indigenous language, by number of speakers, is an English-based creole? Move beyond pidgins to…

4 weeks ago

Endangered Slavic Languages You Can Help Save

Beyond the major Slavic languages like Russian and Polish lie hidden linguistic gems on the brink of extinction. Discover the…

4 weeks ago

The Surprising Slavic Words in English

Did you know that when you talk about 'vampires' or 'robots', you're actually speaking Slavic? English is full of surprising…

4 weeks ago

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