When you ask, "Do you speak English?", what is the word 'do' really doing? This seemingly simple word is actually…
A Lithuanian and a Pole can't understand each other, so why do linguists insist their languages are close relatives? We…
Latin once expressed complex passive ideas with a single word, like amor for "I am loved". This post explores how…
Journey to the highlands of Ecuador to discover Media Lengua, a remarkable "split-brain" language that combines the grammar of indigenous…
Beyond simple barks, prairie dogs possess a stunningly complex communication system that functions like a dictionary of the plains. Groundbreaking…
Have you ever wondered why the star Betelgeuse has an Arabic name but sits in a Greek constellation? The night…
Before established sign languages, how did deaf children in isolation communicate? This post explores "home sign," the remarkable gestural systems…
How can a single sound shift the course of a civilization? This article explores Latin rhotacism, the fascinating process where…
Before it was the linchpin of your email address, the @ symbol was a character without a sound, a silent…
Why did "silly" once mean "blessed," and "villain" just mean "farmhand"? This post explores pejoration, the fascinating linguistic process where…
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