morphology

Grammatical Evaporation

Have you ever wondered why English grammar seems simpler than Latin or German? This phenomenon, known as grammatical evaporation, is…

3 weeks ago

Writing Silence: The Quest for a Sign Language Script

How do you write a language that isn't spoken, but seen? This post explores the fascinating quest to create a…

4 months ago

The Fluid Verb: Tense and Aspect in Swahili

Swahili verbs are masterpieces of modular design, built by "gluing" prefixes for tense, person, and more onto a single root.…

4 months ago

The Grammar of Respect: Navigating Honorifics

While English speakers use 'sir' or 'ma'am', many languages embed respect directly into their grammar. This post explores the fascinating…

4 months ago

The Siberian-American Language Bridge

Could a nearly extinct language from Siberia be related to Navajo and other Native American languages? The fascinating Dené-Yeniseian hypothesis…

4 months ago

The Root of the Word: Arabic’s 3-Letter System

Discover the secret behind Arabic's vast vocabulary: the triliteral root system. This elegant 'word skeleton' method allows a single 3-letter…

4 months ago

Know Your Type: A Language Learning Hack

Is your target language a "Lego" language or a "sculpture" language? This practical framework introduces language typology (isolating, agglutinative, fusional)…

4 months ago

Lost in the Supermarket: Brand Name Linguistics

Why did the Chevy Nova supposedly fail in Spanish-speaking markets? This cautionary tale, though likely a myth, highlights the high-stakes…

4 months ago

The Grammar of Nicknames

Ever wonder why William becomes Bill, but not Willam? Or how a Russian Aleksandr affectionately becomes Sashenka? Nicknames follow a…

4 months ago

The Language of Two Souls: Michif

Discover Michif, one of the world's most unique mixed languages, spoken by the Métis people. A fascinating blend of French…

4 months ago

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