linguistic relativity

No ‘The’ or ‘A’? How to Think Without Articles

For English speakers learning a Slavic language, the lack of words for 'a/an/the' can be a shock. These languages don't…

1 month ago

The Papyrus Revolution: How a Plant Built an Empire

Before the internet, before the printing press, there was papyrus. This humble reed from the Nile wasn't just ancient paper;…

1 month ago

The Most Beautiful Words in English

What makes a word beautiful? Is it the way it rolls off the tongue, the profound meaning it holds, or…

1 month ago

Orwell’s 6 Rules for Writing Clear English

In his famous essay 'Politics and the English Language', George Orwell laid out six rules for powerful, clear prose. This…

1 month ago

A Conlang Civil War: The Loglan vs. Lojban Schism

Explore the dramatic schism that split the world of logical languages in two. This post uncovers the story of Dr.…

1 month ago

Counting on Your Body: Papuan Numerals

What if '27' wasn't an abstract number, but a specific place on your body like 'the other-side little finger'? Journey…

1 month ago

The Sailor Who Mistook a Word for an Island

Explore the strange case of "I-da-no", a phantom island that appeared on Japanese maps for decades. This wasn't a sailor's…

4 months ago

The Color That Didn’t Exist

Did you know that for most of human history, the color orange didn't have a name? Ancient languages often described…

4 months ago

The Final Word: Verb Chaining in Papuan Languages

Imagine a sentence that lists a dozen actions before revealing the main verb at the very end. This is the…

4 months ago

One Verb, Many Actions: The Grammar of Plurality

Some languages don't just make nouns plural; they can make verbs plural to show repeated or distributed action. This fascinating…

4 months ago

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