For centuries, human beings have looked around at the creatures with whom we share this marvelous Earth and wondered if they can communicate like we do. Communication, after all, is one of the linchpins of the human project. None of what we’ve achieved as a species would be possible without it. We’ve thus deployed significant resources to study how [...]
The influence of the Bible and Christianity in modern culture is difficult to overstate, even for non-religious people. From the beloved Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris to Cristo Redentor towering over Rio de Janeiro, the Western world is steeped in Christian imagery. It can be argued that none of these cultural monuments would have survived into the 21st century if [...]
In our previous article, The Origin and Uses of Runes: The History That Drives Modern Runic, we covered where Futhark runes came from, how they were used, and what constitutes a rune. While the use of Futhark is no longer a daily occurrence, these symbols are still pervasive in cultures around the globe—for both favorable and reprehensible reasons. The [...]
Over 60% of the world’s population now speaks two or more languages. One exciting area of linguistic science is the idea that polyglots (individuals who speak multiple languages) often feel that they have “multiple personalities” – one per language. For example, a person who speaks both Spanish and English may feel or even come off as a different person [...]
Runes may be part of a linguistic system whose daily use is lost to time, but their effects can still be felt today. From technological symbols to ornamentation in fiction TV, the runic alphabet has encountered many changes but continues to hold fast against extinction. Here’s a history of runes: where they came from, what they are made of, [...]
In this three-part series, we have been exploring how politicians can use language to sway support for their causes, devalue the stances of the opposition, and change voter perception surrounding key issues. While strategies ranging from metaphor to simplification are effective at turning the tide of voter turnout, few linguistic moves are as potent as “us vs. them” rhetoric. [...]
Over two centuries ago, Paul Revere rode on horseback across the Massachusetts countryside declaring, “The British are coming.” That, of course, was a warning about an impending war. Today, the British are making an altogether different kind of incursion into the US: with their language. That’s the claim that Ben Yagoda makes in his latest book, Gobsmacked! The British [...]
Why Study Music and Speech Together? Researchers have long wondered how human language developed into the state in which it currently exists, and few considered how a culture’s music might provide insight into its language as well. Music and speech are intrinsically linked—both as a means of communication and a manner of self-expression. Thus, researchers posited that discovering what [...]
Why Was the Deseret Alphabet Created? The Deseret alphabet was the brainchild of Brigham Young and his colleagues. Young, one of the foundational members of the Mormon Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, sought to create an alternative to English so that adherents of Mormonism could separate themselves from their surrounding culture. In fact, it was Young’s [...]
Code switching is the practice of adjusting one’s speech or writing depending on the circumstances or audience. While some code switching can occur between languages, more often, it arises in variances of dialect or even slang. For instance, imagine a lawyer speaking before a judge. People generally understand that this lawyer would do well to speak formally and politely [...]
