Why Is English Spelling So Weird?
Ever wonder why 'knight' has a 'k' or 'island' has an 's'? The answer isn't that English is illogical, but that its spelling is a fossil record of its turbulent…
Unlocking the Universe of Languages
Ever wonder why 'knight' has a 'k' or 'island' has an 's'? The answer isn't that English is illogical, but that its spelling is a fossil record of its turbulent…
Once officially declared extinct after the death of its last native speaker in the 18th century, the Cornish language (Kernewek) has experienced a remarkable revival against all odds. This is…
How can a single sound shift the course of a civilization? This article explores Latin rhotacism, the fascinating process where an 's' sound between vowels transformed into an 'r'. Discover…
Before the printing press, scribes used a secret code of symbols and shortcuts to write faster and save precious parchment. This lost art of scribal abbreviations, a kind of medieval…
An alphabet is more than just a tool for writing; it's a flag, a declaration of identity. In Central Asia, nations like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are embroiled in "alphabet wars,"…
Imagine a language that can express every human thought with only 12 letters. Discover the world of Rotokas, a language from Papua New Guinea with the smallest alphabet on Earth.…
At first glance, the Georgian alphabet, Mkhedruli, appears less like a set of letters and more like a collection of elegant, dancing vines. This beautiful script is the modern face…
Why does French have so many letters that aren't pronounced? Far from being useless spelling relics, these "ghost" letters are the secret architects of the language's sound. This post reveals…
Beyond the cute misspellings of "doggo" and "pupper," the internet phenomenon of DoggoLingo has developed its own surprisingly consistent grammatical rules. From its distinct morphology to its unique syntax, this…
Have you ever wondered why an 'A' looks the way it does? The answer lies not in linguistics, but in the physical tools that shaped it. This article explores how…
HervΓ© Bazin (1911-1996), a famous French writer and essayist, is known not only for his literary contributions but also for his intriguing proposals concerning French...
The French language, renowned for its fluidity and musicality, is adorned with a variety of diacritical marks that contribute to its phonetic, etymological, and aesthetic...
When we think about dyslexia, we often only consider its impact on reading and writing. But for individuals with this common learning disorder, its effects...