The language of time and space
The language of time and space Scholars have been investigating the nature of humanity for several millennia. The fields of linguistics, anthropology and psychology often …
When Being Lost for Words is more than a memory lapse
When Being Lost for Words is more than a memory lapse We all experience occasions when we are lost for words or struggle to find …
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Why are so many languages spoken in the world?
Why are so many languages spoken in the world? Around 7,000 different languages are spoken around the world. This seems like an extraordinarily large number …
Does it become harder to learn new languages as you age?
Does it become harder to learn new languages as you age? Until relatively recently, even scientists believed that you couldn’t teach old dogs new tricks. …
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A New Rosetta Stone for Language Preservation
A New Rosetta Stone for Language Preservation Recent decades have seen the world become more integrated and better connected than ever before. It’s now hard …
The implications of language extinction
The implications of language extinction Thousands of languages are spoken across the globe but sadly hundreds of these are close to extinction. As many as …
Finding shades of grey in a black and white world
Finding shades of grey in a black and white world Did you know that if the entire history of planet Earth was represented by a …
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The evolution of colourful language
The evolution of colourful language In a previous article, we explored the language of colour. We looked at how our vocabulary can influence the way …
The language of colour
The language of colour There was a time when languages didn’t feature words for individual colours. As languages evolved, words for colours were eventually found. …
Do emotions get lost in translation?
Do emotions get lost in translation? The short answer is yes! Research has shown that the true meanings of words can indeed get lost in …
20 Amazing facts about languages
20 Amazing facts about languages Most of us will view the concept of language through the prism of our own language or the other languages …
How to use a monolingual paper dictionary
How to use a monolingual paper dictionary There are a wide variety of English dictionaries to choose from. Each dictionary is a unique reference work, …
Should you capitalise animal species and breed names?
English grammar: should you capitalise animal species and breed names? If you have ever read an article about cats or dogs, the chances are that …
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How to choose the right dictionary
How to choose the right dictionary It’s tempting to think that all dictionaries are much the same and that choosing the right one would be …
Surprising facts about dictionaries
Surprising facts about dictionaries Dictionaries might seem like a rather dry subject. But if you believe that dictionaries wouldn’t yield interesting facts and even a …
The Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary Historical Dictionaries For more than a century, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has been considered the most authoritative of all English …
A brief History of Dictionaries
A brief History of Dictionaries We have all used a dictionary at some point in our lives. But how many of us have questioned the …
IATE – Europe’s Terminology Database
IATE – Europe’s Terminology Database IATE (Interactive Terminology for Europe) is the EU’s terminology database. It is the result of a project that was launched …
The new language of Covid-19
Covid-19 language and the Oxford English Dictionary The speed of linguistic evolution has led to the editors of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) changing their …
The Yorkshire dialect
The Yorkshire dialect The instantly recognisable Yorkshire dialect has been influenced by the languages of successive invading peoples. Spoken across a large area of northern …
