Linguistics

The loss of certain muscles in the human larynx may have helped give our species a voice, a new study suggests.

In Israel, a linguistic revolution is underway in the quest for more gender-neutral language for Hebrew, whose modern form adopted grammatical norms from 3,000 years ago. Not everybody is on board.

En un ambicioso estudio intercultural, los investigadores descubrieron que los adultos de todo el mundo les hablan y les cantan a los bebés de forma similar.

Ubiquitous video technology and social media have given deaf people a new way to communicate. They’re using it to transform American Sign Language.

Whither our aspirational Esperanto.

In an ambitious cross-cultural study, researchers found that adults around the world speak and sing to babies in similar ways.

La capital de Argentina prohibió el uso de lenguaje neutro respecto al género, reavivando un debate que vibra en todo el mundo.

The city of Buenos Aires banned gender-neutral language in schools, reigniting off a debate that is reverberating across the world.

No one likes to be scolded for using the “wrong” language. But we must be willing to change our habits as attitudes and language change.

The Times critic at large tells us why Ukrainian culture plays an outsized role in the war.

It’s the readers’ turn to judge ... the Supreme Court’s recently ended term. Also: Anti-abortion activists; banning AR-15s; Australian slang.

Culture has shaped perceptions of words.

We are honoring the Top 11 winners of our Student Editorial Contest by publishing their essays. This one is by Zoe Yu, age 17.

Contractions can be frowned upon. We’re gonna wanna rethink that.

En teoría, una persona joven podría dominar una amplia gama de idiomas, pero los expertos afirman que existen algunos límites inherentes.

The Irish budget airline had imposed a test in Afrikaans, a language with a racist legacy and that many South Africans don’t speak, to weed out fake documents.

In theory, a young person could master a broad array of tongues. But there are some inherent limits.

Ganesh Devy has spent decades documenting India’s hundreds of distinct languages. Up next: a 12,000-year history of India he hopes will help counter the government’s Hindu-first campaign.

El vocabulario de organizaciones progresistas, médicas y públicas ha cambiado en favor de términos como “personas gestantes” o “leche humana”. Algunos expertos consideran que esto podría desconcertar a muchas personas.

Progressive groups and medical organizations have adopted inclusive language, which has led to terms like “pregnant people” and “chestfeeding.”

The choice of a language that had been imposed by the apartheid government and is not even spoken by many South Africans today has set off complaints.

The Turkish government wants the rest of the world to use the country’s own name for itself, and lose the association with a certain bird.

The bloody battle for Ukraine’s east.

La incorporación de una de las lenguas indígenas más habladas en América podría ayudar a los funcionarios públicos y a los trabajadores de la salud a conectarse con sus comunidades. (Por cierto, “allinllachu” significa hola).

The addition of one of the most widely spoken Indigenous languages in the Americas could help public servants and health workers connect with their communities. (And by the way, “allinllachu” means hello.)

A child in danger cannot find safety if the language we use to define abuse is diluted.

Many Ukraine citizens speak Russian as their first language. Volunteer organizations are helping them improve their Ukrainian and abandon “the occupiers’ language.”

Haitian Creole is a national language, but Creole speakers can encounter prejudice, so some were thrilled to see “The Ransom” offered in Creole.

An acclaimed author traces a journey away from her native language and discovers new selves in the process.

Leaving room for disagreement is gracious, not timid.