Why Are There So Many Words for Snow in Sámi?
The old "Eskimo words for snow" trope is a well-known but misleading linguistic myth. A far more accurate and fascinating example comes from the Sámi languages of northern Scandinavia, whose…
Unlocking the Universe of Languages
The old "Eskimo words for snow" trope is a well-known but misleading linguistic myth. A far more accurate and fascinating example comes from the Sámi languages of northern Scandinavia, whose…
What happens when a language preserved in a 1,000-year-old time capsule re-encounters its rapidly evolved cousin? The meeting of Icelandic and Norwegian is a story of linguistic shock, mutual incomprehension,…
Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS) is a baffling and rare medical condition where a person, typically after a stroke or brain injury, suddenly begins speaking their native language in what is…
Most people may be surprised to learn that there are two Norwegian languages: Bokmål and Nynorsk. Not dialects, mind you, but officially recognized and taught...