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Why do the British pronounce “herb” with an /h/?
Why don’t Americans pronounce herb with an /h/?
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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.
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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.
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William Labov (1927–2024)
William Labov was the father of sociolinguistics who pioneered the study of dialectology.
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The linguistics behind Biden's "garbage" gaffe
Why an apostrophe might determine the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.
Newsletter
Where do writing systems come from?
Where do the world's writing systems come from?
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3 things people get wrong about language
Here are 3 things people get wrong about language.
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Welcome to Linguistic Discovery!
Linguistic Discovery explores the science and diversity of language, a field known as linguistics.
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fruition
Does "fruition" come from the word "fruit"?