linguistics

Latest in linguistics

several boys sit around a tribal drum

Digital linguists work to save the Arapaho language

By Margherita Bassi

Speech bubble with swear word symbols on red background

US ranks first in swearing

Close up of hand wearing SpellRing device on thumb

Wearable ring translates sign language into text

In tracing signed vocabularies’ evolutions, researchers applied phylogenetic analysis typically associated with biologically inherited traits to physically conveyed communications.

Computer modeling is tracing the hidden evolution of sign languages

Close-up of hand typing computer coding on laptop screen

AI programs often exclude African languages. These researchers have a plan to fix that.

A notebook with Spanish verb conjugations, written probably in the process of learning two languages simultaneously

You should learn two languages at once

By Amanda Svachula

Chinese and English nametags hung up in an elementary school classroom

Complex languages might shape bilingual brains differently

By Jamie Helmick

Person lying on couch covering their face with a book about Spanish grammar

Learning a new language? Here’s how to perfect your pronunciation.

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

Person with long brown hair judging someone speaking to them during a meeting in an office for the Google AI study

If it sounds right, it must be human: Google’s language AI exposes us as shallow listeners

By Kyle Mahowald and Anna Ivanova / The Conversation

A chimpanzee sitting with a baby between her leg. Her mouth is open to yell.

By combining screams, chimps seem to know 400 ‘words’

By Philip Kiefer

duolingo haitian course promo ad miami

How Duolingo added Haitian Creole to its language library

By Charlotte Hu

A young harbor seal looking at the camera

Baby seals sing bass notes when they want attention

By Philip Kiefer

Parent and child engaging in baby talk and language development in a cartoon

Baby talk isn’t just cute—it’s critical for kids’ vocabularies

By Sarah Witman

Both bats and humans test out talking as infants

Both bats and humans test out talking as infants

The 360 Chicago observatory and other skyscrapers along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

From Chicagoan to Phoenician, here’s what to call the residents of the biggest US cities

By Jennifer Billock

Like humans, naked mole-rats have regional accents

Chinese parents and kid have a meal in their dining room

Learning a second language early might have ripple effects throughout your life

An open dictionary with a red cover on a table

Local languages are dying out and taking invaluable knowledge with them

jackass penguins

Jackass penguins talk like people

By Kate Baggaley

The Sims language

The Sims’ language has surprisingly scientific origins

By Marion Renault