Phonology

Metathesis: The Brain’s ‘Waps’ Typo

Ever called a "wasp" a "waps" or heard someone say "aks" instead of "ask"? This common slip of the tongue…

4 months ago

The World’s Tonal Atlas: Where Pitch is Meaning

Imagine if saying "horse" with a rising pitch turned it into "mother." For over half the world's population, this isn't…

4 months ago

The Case of the Stolen Letter: Compensatory Lengthening

In the history of language, sounds can vanish without a trace. Or can they? This post explores compensatory lengthening, the…

5 months ago

Why Does ‘Agua’ Use ‘El’? A Spanish Gender Rule Mystery

If 'agua' ends in -a, why do we say 'el agua'? This common Spanish grammar question isn't an exception to…

5 months ago

The Rotuman Language: A Phonetic Puzzle

Deep in the Pacific, the Rotuman language presents a fascinating phonetic puzzle that has captivated linguists for decades. Its words…

5 months ago

The Sound That Separates Scottish and Irish Gaelic

They were once a single language spoken across Ireland and Scotland, but a crucial phonetic split sent them down different…

5 months ago

Why Is ‘An’ Used Before Vowels?

Why do we say 'an apple' but 'a pear'? This fundamental rule is about more than just grammar; it's a…

5 months ago

The Sound of ‘Th’: A Rare Phoneme

The "th" sounds in "think" and "that" feel utterly ordinary to English speakers, but they are linguistic superstars on the…

5 months ago

How Does Stress Change a Word’s Meaning in English?

What's the difference between 'a rebel' and 'to rebel'? Just a tiny shift in emphasis. This seemingly small detail, known…

5 months ago

The Sound of Old English: How Was Beowulf Spoken?

We can read the words of Beowulf, but what did this ancient ancestor of English actually sound like? By using…

5 months ago

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