The sad passing of Kanzi, penguin etymology, and what “fixin’ to” / “finna” mean
Here’s what happened this week in language and linguistics.
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Language may not be so hierarchical after all: A new study challenges 70 years of linguistic theory
Also this week: Some dogs learn words like children + “How to kill a language”, a new book by Sophia Smith Galer
Why do people use baby talk? The science of baby talk, Part 2
How caregivers instinctively simplify their speech for children—and how it helps
Honeyguide birds learn regional human dialects
Also this week: People with personality disorders use language differently + Decoding the lost scripts of the ancient world. Here’s what happened this week in language and linguistics.
Why is “February” spelled with two ⟨r⟩’s?
Why is “February” spelled with two ⟨r⟩’s even though most people only pronounce one of them?