ambiguity

10 UX Writing Rules from Linguistics

Every button, menu, and error message you read is a piece of micro-linguistics. This article reveals 10 crucial rules of…

6 months ago

The Universal Groan: Anatomy of a Dad Joke

The dad joke is a unique linguistic phenomenon where the intended reaction is not a laugh, but a groan. We'll…

6 months ago

Why AI Can’t Tell a Good Joke

Artificial intelligence can translate languages and write essays, but why does it fall flat when it comes to telling a…

6 months ago

The Grammar of Sarcasm Across Cultures

Sarcasm is far more than just saying the opposite of what you mean; it's a complex linguistic performance dictated by…

6 months ago

Said the Blind Man: The Lost Art of the Wellerism

Uncover the Wellerism, a quirky three-part joke format that owes its name to a character in Charles Dickens's *The Pickwick…

6 months ago

The Joke That Isn’t: The Pragmatics of Anti-Humor

Why do we laugh at jokes with painfully obvious punchlines? Anti-humor cleverly subverts our expectations by refusing to be clever,…

6 months ago

Hearing Words in White Noise

Do you ever hear faint voices in the hum of an air conditioner or a running fan? You're not alone.…

6 months ago

The Grammar of a Recipe: A Linguistic Puzzle

Have you ever noticed the strange, clipped language of a recipe? This post decodes the unique grammar of the kitchen,…

6 months ago

911, What’s Your Language?: Emergency Linguistics

In the chaotic first moments of an emergency, a 911 call is often a jumble of panicked shouts and fragmented…

6 months ago

The Upside-Down Question Mark’s Origin

Why is Spanish the only major language to use inverted question marks (¿) and exclamation marks (¡)? This unique punctuation…

6 months ago

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