colonialism

Retro-Engineering: How Sanskrit Shaped Modern Hindi

Unlike languages that evolve naturally, Modern Standard Hindi was deliberately "retro-engineered" in the 19th century to establish a distinct identity…

6 days ago

English Words Borrowed From Tamil: More Than Just Curry

While most people know the word "curry" hails from India, few realize that everyday English words like "mango", "catamaran", and…

6 days ago

Surpassing Tagalog: The Massive Reach of Cebuano

For most of the 20th century, Cebuano, not Tagalog, held the title for the most native speakers in the Philippines,…

6 days ago

The First Words: Cebuano and Magellan’s Voyage

Discover the fascinating linguistic history of the first European-recorded word list in the Philippines, compiled by Antonio Pigafetta during Magellan's…

6 days ago

Nivkh: The Mysterious Isolate of Sakhalin Island

Discover Nivkh, a mysterious language isolate indigenous to Sakhalin Island and the Amur River that has survived centuries of pressure…

6 days ago

Kalmyk: The Only Native Mongolic Language in Europe

Nestled near the Caspian Sea, the Republic of Kalmykia is home to the only native Mongolic language spoken in Europe.…

6 days ago

Left-to-Right & Vertical: Mongolian’s Writing Orientation

While most of the world writes horizontally, and East Asian scripts traditionally flow vertically from right to left, the traditional…

6 days ago

From Maykop to Kfar Kama: The Global Journey of Adyghe

Discover the fascinating linguistic journey of Adyghe, a complex Northwest Caucasian language that traveled from the Russian city of Maykop…

6 days ago

Mouth Music: Celtic Rhythm and Puirt à beul

Discover the infectious energy of Puirt à beul, the Scottish Gaelic tradition of "mouth music." This article explores how native…

6 days ago

Keening: The Irish Vocalization of Grief

Explore the "Caoineadh", the traditional Irish vocal lament, through the lens of linguistics and oral history. This article breaks down…

6 days ago

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