Linguistics

Go Buy Bring Come: The Logic of Serial Verbs

In languages from Thailand to Ghana, you can say "go buy bring the book" and be perfectly grammatical. This fascinating…

5 months ago

The Linguistics of ‘Google It’: When Brands Become Verbs

Ever wonder how "Google" went from a company name to a common verb in our dictionary? This article explores the…

5 months ago

Lost in the Supermarket: Brand Name Linguistics

Why did the Chevy Nova supposedly fail in Spanish-speaking markets? This cautionary tale, though likely a myth, highlights the high-stakes…

5 months ago

The Gestural Lexicon: When Hand Signs Become Words

We do it without thinking: a thumbs-up for a job well done, a wave to say hello. But these hand…

5 months ago

The Doctor-Patient Language Gap

In a medical consultation, a "positive" result can be devastatingly negative, and a "remarkable" finding is the last thing you…

5 months ago

The Language of Sensation: Exploring Ideophones

We all know onomatopoeia, but many languages have something far richer: ideophones. These "adverbs of the senses" don't just mimic…

5 months ago

The Linguistics of the Dialect Coach

Ever wonder how Meryl Streep becomes Polish or Idris Elba masters a Baltimore accent? It's not just mimicry; it's the…

5 months ago

The Grammar of Propaganda: How Language Builds Tyranny

Long before "fake news," propagandists mastered linguistic manipulation, weaponizing the very structure of language to build consensus and justify atrocity.…

5 months ago

Biography of a Word: The Journey of ‘Assassin’

Discover the dramatic history of the word 'assassin,' a term born from a mysterious medieval sect in the mountains of…

5 months ago

North of My Foot: Languages Without ‘Left’ and ‘Right’

Imagine a world without 'left' or 'right,' where you'd say "there's a bug on your south leg." This post explores…

5 months ago

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