Logophoricity: The Grammar of Point of View
How do we know who "he" is in the sentence "John said he was tired"? While English leaves it ambiguous, many languages have a secret weapon: logophoricity. This fascinating grammatical…
Unlocking the Universe of Languages
How do we know who "he" is in the sentence "John said he was tired"? While English leaves it ambiguous, many languages have a secret weapon: logophoricity. This fascinating grammatical…
In many languages, pronouns are simple stand-ins like 'I' or 'they'. But in Wolof, a major language of West Africa, pronouns are powerhouses that also tell you *when* an action…
Most languages count one and many, but what about a number for precisely two? Discover the "grammatical dual", a lost feature of Old English that survives in languages like Slovene…
Ever notice how a simple shift from "You make me angry" to "I feel angry when..." can change a whole conversation? Thatβs not just a communication trick; it's a profound…
Ever wonder who decides when a word like 'rizz' is official? This post delves into the surprisingly political world of dictionaries, exploring how lexicographers navigate cultural debates, from internet slang…