How a Fish Got Into the Telephone
Why is the Finnish word for 'fish' (kala) so similar to the Hungarian word (hal), despite being spoken 1,500km apart? This isn't a coincidence, but a clue followed by linguists…
Tag: finnish
The Sound of Size: Consonant Gradation in Finnish
Ever notice how Finnish words seem to change their consonants for no reason? This isn't random linguistic magic; it's a core feature of Finnish grammar known as consonant gradation, a…
Finland’s “Possessive Suffixes”
In English, we say 'my house', but Finnish takes a more intimate approach. Instead of a separate word for 'my', ownership is baked directly into the noun as a suffix,…
The Uralic Enigma: A Lost Siberian Homeland
Ever wondered why Finnish and Hungarian sound nothing like their European neighbors? These languages are part of the Uralic family, and their story begins not in Europe, but thousands of…
Toki Pona: The 120-Word Language
Can you express any idea with only 120 words? Explore Toki Pona, a philosophical language designed for simplicity and mindfulness, and see how its minimalist grammar challenges our very ideas…
The Fascinating Evolution of Tolkien’s Elvish Languages
In the realm of linguistic tales, the creation of Tolkien’s Elvish languages, primarily Quenya and Sindarin, stands out as a captivating narrative. These languages, born...