slur

Community vs. Conference Interpreting: Two Different Worlds

While conference interpreting is often seen as the "prestige" role involving high-level diplomacy and simultaneous cognitive gymnastics, community interpreting demands…

6 days ago

Dysphemism: The Weaponization of Language

While euphemisms sugarcoat reality, dysphemisms are the linguistic weaponization of language, designed to downgrade, insult, or shock. From calling a…

1 week ago

How Dr. Seuss Invented ‘Nerd’

Where did the word 'nerd' come from? The answer lies not in a dusty dictionary, but in the whimsical pages…

2 months ago

How ‘Spinster’ Became an Insult

The word 'spinster' didn't always evoke images of a lonely old maid. It originally meant a woman who spun thread…

2 months ago

Chavacano: The Spanish Creole of Asia

Journey to the Philippines to discover Chavacano, a unique Spanish-based creole that blends the vocabulary of colonizers with the grammatical…

6 months ago

The Body’s Betrayal: When Gestures Are False Friends

You know about 'false friends' in language, but what about in gestures? That innocent 'thumbs-up' or 'A-OK' sign could be…

6 months ago

From Insult to Honor: The Journey of Amelioration

While many words degrade, some do the opposite in a process called amelioration. This post explores the linguistic glow-up of…

6 months ago

The Walloon Language of Belgium

Belgium's linguistic landscape is famously divided, but beyond French and Dutch lies Walloon, a distinct Romance language with deep historical…

6 months ago

The Grammar of a Conspiracy Theory

Ever wonder why conspiracy theories can sound so persuasive, even when they lack evidence? This post unpacks the specific "grammar"…

6 months ago

Shadow Tongues: The World’s Anti-Languages

Ever overheard a conversation that sounded like your language, but made no sense? You might have stumbled upon an anti-language,…

6 months ago

This website uses cookies.