149 Items Tagged

Linguistics

Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller speaking with reporters, 1956.

An Investigation Into the History of the 'Ditz' Voice

How pitch, tonality, and celebrity imitation have portrayed cluelessness.

Jody Amable March 1, 2018

Before orange the fruit, was there orange the color?

How Orange (the Fruit) Inspired Orange (the Color)

Until the Renaissance, the English language had no word for yellow-red.

Anne Ewbank March 1, 2018

A bighorn, one of the many species named by Lewis and Clark.

How Lewis and Clark Helped Shape American English

More than one thousand words appeared in print for the first time in the explorers' journals.

Rosemarie Ostler February 8, 2018

"Time" is the most commonly used noun in the English language, but its meanings seem various and ill-defined.

How Long Is a Moment?

The physics, neuroscience, linguistics, and philosophy behind a little bit of time.

Natasha Frost February 6, 2018

Researchers studying language in northern Peninsular Malaysia discovered a new language.

Found: An Unknown Language Spoken in a Single Malaysian Village

It has no words for ownership and lots of ways to talk about sharing.

Vittoria Traverso February 6, 2018

Ancient writing can be delicious.

ancient technology

When Ancient Writing Is an Art, Science, and Snack

If you're going to practice writing cuneiform, why not do it on a cookie?

Jessica Leigh Hester January 30, 2018

A young man bursting out into laughter.

Do We Code-Switch Our Laughter?

Laughing is not only contagious, but also contextual.

Christina Ayele Djossa January 26, 2018

Adriano Celentano performing in 1970.

The Deep Roots of an Italian Song That Sounds Like English—But Is Just Nonsense

In 1972, fascination with American culture spurred an Italian showman to revive a medieval comic tradition.

Vittoria Traverso March 31, 2023

Australian nicknames for Jeremy or Teresa or Laurence would be Jezza or Tezza or Lozza.

How Australian Nicknaming Conventions Turn an Afternoon Into an 'Arvo'

A thorough explanation for why Dazza ate a sammie at the servo.

Dan Nosowitz January 4, 2018

Dig This Look at the History of Jazz Slang

From alligator to zoot suit, jazz musicians speak about the language of the scene.

Ashawnta Jackson December 15, 2017

A slate whetstone found during railroad construction.

Found: A Runic Inscription on a Viking Whetstone

Experts in Norway are asking the public to help tell if it is a name or something more sinister.

Vittoria Traverso December 6, 2017

Taxi dancing was rarely this glamorous, and their slang proves it.

The Lost Lingo of Depression-Era Taxi Dancers

In the 1920s and '30s, ticket-a-dance halls were full of "nickel-hoppers" and "fish."

Eric Grundhauser November 15, 2017

Usage of the word "fall" first appeared in England in the mid-16th century; "autumn" pre-dates it to sometime in the late 14th century.

Why Does the Season Before Winter Have Two Names?

A look at the history of fall and autumn.

Dan Nosowitz November 3, 2017

Dowles Brook, in Worchestershire, England's Wyre Forest.

Mapping the U.K.'s Many, Many Names for Streams

One man's brook is another man's allt. Or nant. Or gill. Or burn.

Cara Giaimo October 23, 2017

Noah Webster.

West Hartford, Connecticut

Noah Webster Statue

This tribute to the founding father of the American dictionary originally contained a spelling error.

Political graffiti in Hartford Connecticut.

All the Lies About the Origins of 'Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire'

A common phrase with a long, deceptive history.

Cara Giaimo September 18, 2017

Marchers at the 2014 Gay Pride Parade in Istanbul, Turkey. The pride march was banned in 2016.

The Changing Nature of Lubunca, Turkey's LGBTQ Slang

The language has long kept vulnerable groups protected, but is now being used for fun and visibility.

Pesha Magid September 15, 2017

Samuel Johnson, published an English dictionary in 1755.

Found: 30 Lost English Words That May Deserve a Comeback

A treat for all you snout-fair wordsmiths.

Sarah Laskow September 15, 2017