Welcome to Linguistic Discovery!
Linguistic Discovery explores the science and diversity of language, a field known as linguistics.
Renaissance on the bayou: Revitalizing the Chitimacha language
The Chitimacha language was once thought to be extinct, but today is undergoing a renaissance as young people learn the language again.
From counting to language: How writing evolved
The earliest version of cuneiform wasn't used to write language at all—it was used to count! And that Sumerian system of counting still influences our counting systems today. Here's the story of Sumerian numerals.
William Labov (1927–2024)
William Labov was the father of sociolinguistics who pioneered the study of dialectology.
Chitimacha
Chitimacha is a language isolate once spoken in the bayous of Louisiana west of New Orleans that is now being actively revitalized.
The linguistics behind Biden's "garbage" gaffe
Why an apostrophe might determine the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.
Where do writing systems come from?
Where do the world's writing systems come from?
3 things people get wrong about language
Here are 3 things people get wrong about language.
East Ambae
The East Ambae language is spoken on the Ambae island of Vanuatu by about 5,000 speakers.
linguistic relativity
Linguistic relativity is the idea that the language(s) a person speaks influences the way they think, their worldview, their cognition, or how they categorize things in the world.
Welcome to Linguistic Discovery!
Linguistic Discovery explores the science and diversity of language, a field known as linguistics.
fruition
Does "fruition" come from the word "fruit"?
'dog' vs. 'horse' in Native American languages
Why are dogs called 'little horses' in some Native American languages?