Linguistics

A language scientist explains that talking was never invented but has evolved over hundreds of thousands of years.

Created in Europe during a time of intercultural struggle and strife, Esperanto was meant as a communication tool to spread peace among the people of the world. Its speakers are still at it.

New research shows there is still a lot of love for rhyming slang – but mostly among older Australians.

Deaf people from different parts of the world can have different accents, whether they speak, sign or both.

While many people rely on written signage to find their way around, oral language plays a significant role in giving directions in rural areas.

Increasingly, parents are realising that flexibility is key to navigating multiple languages, and cultures, within family life.

Fluent expression is not always evidence of a mind at work, but the human brain is primed to believe so. A pair of cognitive linguistics experts explain why language is not a good test of sentience.

A linguist explores the origin of the word ‘father’ – and why derivatives are common in languages across the globe.

Dialects can unlock secrets of history, culture, class and movements of people. An expert explains what they are and why they matter.

Many of the coinages fail to differentiate the mundane from the momentous. Has the suffix’s overuse rendered it essentially meaningless?

It’s common for people to live near others who speak a different – but similar – language. But generally, they handle their differences without violence.

We often imitate styles of speech we hear – what’s known as ‘linguistic convergence.’ But a researcher wanted to see if we alter our speech based on the mere expectation of how someone will sound.

There’s a long history of communities speaking Romany in the UK, so it’s hardly surprising that some of its words have found their way into everyday English.

The difference between a language and dialect is just as much about politics as it is linguistics.

The words that doctors choose during a consultation – and even the verb tense – can help or hurt a patient dealing with a difficult diagnosis.

Metaphors, analogies and comparisons abound when talking about the war in Ukraine, but are they helpful? An expert in peace and conflict resolution explains.

Linguicism sees people penalised for speaking in non-standard forms of English.

To Russian nationalists, if the Ukrainian language is classified as a derivative of the Russian language, the invasion looks less like an act of aggression and more like reintegration.

Putin has suggested Ukrainians and Russians share one language, but there are many differences that are important to understand.

Is there a connection between sound and meaning?

Everyone has words they struggle to pronounce – and that’s no bad thing.

Certain letters appear more frequently in words so starting with this one increases your chances of getting more correct letters on your first go.

Wordle has become an obsession online, with over 3 million daily players around the world. But the game has more in common with code-breaking than it does with crosswords.

Could bringing back words with positive meanings make us happier?

The Downing Street party scandals have presented numerous linguistic puzzles to explore.

You can only properly translate French scatological swear words if you consider who is using them. In this case, the most powerful person in France.

The Australian summer has provided its own colourful vocabulary over the years, from Spooners to speedos and bush walks to hikes.

Technology has brought significant changes to the way we use language.

As you make your yuletide preparations, ever wonder where some of the season’s strange words come from? Well, our linguistic experts have the answers.

It appears that the rhythms of your brain waves get in sync with the speech patterns of the person you’re conversing with. Videoconferencing throws off that syncing process.