How to Navigate by Nostalgia: The Linguistics of Place Names
Place names are often intimately tied to nostalgia and history.
The Deafening (((Echoes))) of Marked Language
What is marked language, and what does it have to do with the online hate speech of anti-semitic "Echoes" on Twitter?
In Which We Get to the Bottom of Some Crazy-Ass Language
Strong language has a unique place in linguistics.
The Delightful Language of Commencement
Commencement speeches have inspired, motivated and captivated many. Just what makes the words found in them so wonderful and life-affirming?
Charles Dickens and the Linguistic Art of the Minor Character
Charles Dickens' characters are famous for their elaborate, often hilarious names. Even for bit parts, Dickens' naming conventions were linguistically rich.
Putting Words in Your Mouth: The Whimsical Language of Food
Many whimsically named regional foods focus instead on telling a story that often sounds neither delicious nor sophisticated. How do such odd names stick?
Language Loss in a Time of War
War happens when words no longer work. Yet war is declared at the very point when words are at their most powerful. Chi Luu examines language loss in war.
Personification Is Your Friend: The Language of Inanimate Objects
So it entirely slipped my mind that Lingua Obscura recently turned one (yay!) and is now a veritable ...
Do You Even Language, Bro? Understanding Why Nouns Become Verbs
Understanding the phenomenon known as "verbing"--where nouns are turned into verbs.
The Linguistics of Mass Persuasion Part 2: Choose Your Own Adventure
How politicians use language to manipulate the public and sway them toward particular world-views.