Pop, soda or coke? The fizzy history behind America’s favorite linguistic debate
An expert in American dialects explains how a ‘health drink’ from the early 1800s spawned so many names and variations.
The Conversation > Language
What the hidden rhythms of orangutan calls can tell us about language – new research
Recursion was thought to be a unique feature of human language.
The Conversation > Language
Genes, environment or a special bond? Why some twins talk and think in unison
Twins Bridgette and Paula Powers have gone viral for the way they speak in unison, using the same gestures and words.
The Conversation > Language
South Africa’s frogs and reptiles get their own list of names in local languages
Scientists added descriptive terms to the existing general Indigenous frog and reptile names to make them specific.
The Conversation > LanguageRFK Jr. said many autistic people will never write a poem − even though there’s a rich history of neurodivergent poets and writers
Reading and writing poetry, which is anchored in patterns of words, images, sounds and forms, is particularly well suited for people with autism.
The Conversation > Language
Do Inuit languages really have many words for snow? The most interesting finds from our study of 616 languages
Can you guess which languages score the highest for terms relating to ‘love’, ‘death’, ‘canoe’ or ‘sheep’? We made a tool to help you explore our extensive dataset.
The Conversation > Language
In Israel, calls for genocide have migrated from the margins to the mainstream
The Bible contains some explicit genocidal narratives, and over time, some religious Zionists have wielded these stories to advocate for the destruction of the Palestinians.
The Conversation > Language
From pulpits to protest, the surprising history of the phrase ‘pride and prejudice’
The phrase appeared on thousands of pages unrelated to Jane Austen before and during her life – and was a favorite phrase of the abolitionists.
The Conversation > Language
Trump’s English language order upends America’s long multilingual history
Across its nearly 250-year history, the United States has never had an official language until now. But Americans will not stop using languages other than English because of an executive order.
The Conversation > Language
Do you speak other languages at home? This will not hold your child back at school
It is common for parents to worry about raising a child to be multilingual. They may wonder, am I harming my child’s English if I speak another language at home?
The Conversation > Language
Vibes are something we feel but can’t quite explain. Now researchers want to study them
Vibes – ambiguous as they are – have become part of the cultural zeitgeist. Studying them could help us better understand human relationships and experiences.
The Conversation > Language
How Oscar-nominated screenwriters attempt to craft authentic dialogue, dialects and accents
Most screenwriters need to be able to craft characters outside their own backgrounds and experiences. But it isn’t easy and often requires collaboration – with AI able to offer a helping hand.
The Conversation > Language
‘Emilia Pérez’ was nominated for 13 Oscars. Why do so many people hate it?
Even before the lead actress’s racist tweets were unearthed, the film was sagging under the weight of the director’s flippant approach to Mexican language and culture.
The Conversation > Language