When Did Colonial America Gain Linguistic Independence?
By the time the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, did colonial Americans still sound like their British counterparts?
The Science of Thingummyjigs (and Other Words on the Tip of Your Tongue)
What is actually happening when you can't think of the word you mean? It's called Tip of the Tongue syndrome and yes, it's been studied.
Lise Dobrin and Language Documentation in Papua New Guinea
Q&A: Lise Dobrin, Associate Professor & Director of the Interdepartmental Program in Linguistics at the University of Virginia's Department of Anthropology.
Old English Has a Serious Image Problem
Although studying the language known as “Anglo-Saxon” helped women advance in the academy, the subject is fraught with racist associations.
Friend or Faux? The Linguistic Trickery of False Friends
"False friends" appear or sound like words in their own language, but have different meanings in others. They give us insight into how language changes.
How to Talk About Diego Rivera and Mexican Art
Diego Rivera's artwork has always been intimately tied to the culture of his native Mexico, although this was not always seen as a sophisticated choice.
The Totally “Destructive” (Yet Oddly Instructive) Speech Patterns of… Young Women?
Two years ago, this column sprang into life by enthusiastically wading into the absurdly long-running debate about some ...
The Backfire Effect
The backfire effect is when people double-down on their beliefs even when these beliefs are shown to be factually incorrect.
When Language Can Cure What Ails You
Healthy talk is often promoted as the way for us to become even better humans. But is talking about our health always a key to actual better health?
The Language Wars
As a society becomes increasingly unstable, linguistic innovation happens more rapidly.