When was talking invented? A language scientist explains how this unique feature of human beings may have evolved
A language scientist explains that talking was never invented but has evolved over hundreds of thousands of years.
The Conversation > Linguistics
A brief history of Esperanto, the 135-year-old language of peace hated by Hitler and Stalin alike
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.
The Conversation > Linguistics
Love Island's Tasha is the show's first deaf contestant – here's what you should know about deaf accents
Deaf people from different parts of the world can have different accents, whether they speak, sign or both.
The Conversation > Linguistics
Google's powerful AI spotlights a human cognitive glitch: Mistaking fluent speech for fluent thought
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.
The Conversation > Linguistics
How 'gate' became the syllable of scandal
Many of the coinages fail to differentiate the mundane from the momentous. Has the suffix’s overuse rendered it essentially meaningless?
The Conversation > Linguistics
Conflicts over language stretch far beyond Russia and Ukraine
It’s common for people to live near others who speak a different – but similar – language. But generally, they handle their differences without violence.
The Conversation > Linguistics
What makes us subconsciously mimic the accents of others in conversation
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.
The Conversation > Linguistics
Six English words borrowed from the Romany language
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 Conversation > Linguistics
'Putin is Hitler': why we use analogies to talk about the Ukraine war, and how they can lead to peace
Metaphors, analogies and comparisons abound when talking about the war in Ukraine, but are they helpful? An expert in peace and conflict resolution explains.
The Conversation > Linguistics
Ask or aks? How linguistic prejudice perpetuates inequality
Linguicism sees people penalised for speaking in non-standard forms of English.
The Conversation > Linguistics
Long before shots were fired, a linguistic power struggle was playing out in Ukraine
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.
The Conversation > Linguistics
Ukrainian and Russian: how similar are the two languages?
Putin has suggested Ukrainians and Russians share one language, but there are many differences that are important to understand.
The Conversation > Linguistics
Wordle – the best word to start the game, according to a language researcher
Certain letters appear more frequently in words so starting with this one increases your chances of getting more correct letters on your first go.
The Conversation > Linguistics
Codecracking, community and competition: why the word puzzle Wordle has become a new online obsession
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.
The Conversation > Linguistics
A linguist analyses Boris Johnson’s apology
The Downing Street party scandals have presented numerous linguistic puzzles to explore.
The Conversation > Linguistics
Five ways the internet era has changed British English – new research
Technology has brought significant changes to the way we use language.
The Conversation > Linguistics
Kris Kringles and yuletide jingles: unboxing the wonders of Christmas lingo
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.
The Conversation > Linguistics
Got Zoom fatigue? Out-of-sync brainwaves could be another reason videoconferencing is such a drag
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.
The Conversation > Linguistics