Tag: phonology

Categories
Linguistics Arabic Writing Hebrew

The Alphabet That Isn’t: Unpacking the Logic of Abugidas and Abjads

Estimated read time 6 min read

Most of us learn the ABCs and assume all writing works this way, but that’s just one piece of the linguistic puzzle. From Arabic’s consonant-only script to Hindi’s consonant-vowel units, the world’s writing systems are elegant solutions tailored to the languages they represent. This article explores the fascinating logic behind abjads and abugidas, revealing the diverse and brilliant ways humanity has put sound to paper.

Categories
History Linguistics Psycholinguistics

The “Wug” Test: How a Fake Bird Revealed the Secrets of Child Language Acquisition

Estimated read time 5 min read

In 1958, a fictional bird called a “wug” helped solve one of the biggest mysteries of the human mind: how children learn language. The groundbreaking “Wug Test” revealed that kids aren’t just mimicking their parents; they are unconsciously deciphering the complex grammatical code of their native tongue. This simple experiment proved that an innate capacity for language is woven into our very biology.

Categories
Linguistics Sign Language Phonetics

The Grammar of Silence: Why Sign Languages Are as Complex as Spoken Languages

Estimated read time 6 min read

Far from being simple pantomime, sign languages are a testament to the human brain’s linguistic ingenuity. These visual-gestural systems possess all the grammatical complexity of spoken languages, from their unique “phonology” of handshape and movement to their sophisticated spatial syntax. This post explores the rich grammar of American Sign Language, revealing a world of communication as deep and nuanced as any on Earth.