> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://linguisticdiscovery.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Analysis of a century’s worth of political speeches challenges our understanding of how language changes - URL: https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/2025-38/ - Published: 2025-09-25T16:04:18.000Z - Updated: 2026-03-11T11:32:49.000Z - Description: Also this week: Bilingualism is reworking this language’s rainbow + How speaking in a second language directly affects your moral judgement - Author: Daniel W. Hieber, Ph.D. - Tags: Current Linguistics, grad school, Tsimane, psycholinguistics, lifespan changes Welcome to this week’s edition of *Discovery Dispatch*, a weekly roundup of the latest language-related news, research in linguistics, interesting reads from the week, and newest books and other media dealing with language and linguistics! ## 📢 Updates & Announcements *Announcements and what’s new with me and Linguistic Discovery.* ### *Surviving linguistics* launch event ### ![Event flyer for the “Surviving linguistics” book launch. Details provided below.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2025/09/image-15.png) Are you or someone you know considering grad school in linguistics, or already in a program? If so, you might want to attend the virtual launch event for the newest edition of [*Surviving linguistics: A guide for graduate students*](https://amzn.to/4gAjEyC?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com), by linguist and professor Monica Macaulay (U Wisconsin-Madison). The event is **tomorrow, September 26th** @ 12pm PT | 3pm ET. You’ll have a chance to hear from author, linguistics professor Monica Macaulay, about grad school, ask questions, and hear people share their own grad school stories and experiences. This trusted and much-loved guide has been helping linguistics students for years—myself included! It’s packed with practical advice, exercises, and a focus on both academic and industry career paths. Topics include speaking at conferences, publishing journal articles, writing grant applications, finishing a thesis/dissertation, how to make connections within the field, and much more. I highly recommend giving this a read as early as possible into your graduate program. - **Date:** September 26 @ 12pm PT | 3pm ET - **Registration Link:** [https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/zU8Yr-ORTzSrYfiP8dN41g](https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/zU8Yr-ORTzSrYfiP8dN41g?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) - **Book Link:** [https://amzn.to/4gAjEyC](https://amzn.to/4gAjEyC?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) ## 🆕 New from Linguistic Discovery *This week’s content from Linguistic Discovery.* ### Pecan is a rising Fall flavor—however you pronounce it ![AI-generated image of a pecan bearing a #1 award badge.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2025/09/image-16.png) I recently consulted on a brief article in AXIOS about the pronunciation of *pecan* and its etymology: - [Pecan is a rising fall flavor—however you pronounce it](https://www.axios.com/2025/09/13/pecan-pie-fall-starbucks-pronounce?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) (AXIOS) ### *Profoundly Pointless* ![Podcast cover for the “Profoundly Pointless” podcast, featuring headshots of the various people interviewed.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2025/09/image-17.png) Recently I shared the first in a series of [podcast interviews](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/media/#podcast-interviews) I’ve done over the past several years, and today I’m sharing the second interview, this time with John Shull of the *Profoundly Pointless* podcast. We talk linguistics, the first languages, the great vowel shift, race and language and the only real curse word left. ## 🗞️ Current Linguistics *Recently published research in linguistics.* ### Bilingualism is reworking this language’s rainbow ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2025/09/image-18.png) Thomas Fuchs I reported on this [a few weeks back](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/2025-34/), but a writer at *Scientific American* replied to another post about this on social media telling me that she actually had a chance to interview the researchers about the study. She said, “\[I\] remember the interview with one of the researchers as one of the most interesting ones I’ve had.” So I thought I’d pass along this article too! In short, the Tsimane language only has basic color terms for blackish, whitish, and reddish (which is exactly what you’d expect in a language with only three color terms). However, Spanish-Tsimane bilinguals are starting to change that. [Bilingualism Is Reworking This Language’s RainbowThe Tsimane’ language divides the rainbow into blackish, reddish and whitish. But bilingual Spanish and Tsimane’ speakers are changing that![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/favicon-122.ico)Scientific AmericanElise Cutts![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/E661B151-CAEB-470A-A73FFE3ED709C0B5_source.jpg)](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bilingualism-is-reworking-this-languages-rainbow/?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) ### Semantic change doesn’t require new speakers Until recently, it was largely assumed within linguistics that the primary driver of language change is new generations of speakers: as children learn their first language, the meanings and grammatical structures they settle on are inevitably slightly different from that of their parents. In recent decades, a growing number of studies have challenged this assumption by showing that language changes happen over the course of an individual’s lifespan as well—most especially pronunciation changes, but also changes in grammar. (I summarize some of this research on linguistic lifespan changes in my article, “Are we stuck with the same grammar for life?”) [Are we stuck with the same grammar for life? The linguistics of “The Iron Dreamers”, Part 2How does your grammar change over the course of your lifetime?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/languages-bordered-66.png)Linguistic DiscoveryDaniel W. Hieber, Ph.D.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/The-Iron-Dreamers-1-3.png)](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/iron-dreamers-2/) Now, a recent study shows that the meanings of words in a person’s lexicon can also change over the course of their lifetimes. It’s not just kids that use existing words in new ways. In fact, sometimes older speakers are even on the leading edge of semantic changes in society. The study analyzed over 7.9 million U.S. congressional speeches from 1873 to 2010, focusing on 100 words that were thought to have undergone significant shifts in their meaning during that time period. They found that individual representatives did indeed change the way they used these words over the course of their careers giving speeches. Here’s a neat graph showing how some specific representatives decreased their use of *outstanding* to mean ‘still remaining’ (as opposed to ‘standing out’) over their careers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2025/09/image-19.png) And the following graph shows some semantic changes in the aggregate. For example, *article* originally meant ‘an object’ (e.g. *an article of clothing*), but shifted to mean ‘a news/literary item’ (e.g. *a news article*), and you can see that semantic shift happen over the period of years examined in the corpus. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2025/09/image-20.png) [Analysis of more than a century’s worth of political speeches challenges theory about how linguistic usage evolvesA study led by McGill University researchers challenges the theory that language change over time requires new generations to replace older generations of speakers. Rather, when words change meaning, speakers of all ages participate; while older speakers might take two or three years longer than their younger colleagues to adopt new word usage, in some cases they lead the way in introducing new word meanings into the common vocabulary, the researchers found.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/favicon-12.svg)Phys.orgAurélie Boucher![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/analysis-of-more-than.jpg)](https://phys.org/news/2025-08-analysis-century-worth-political-speeches.html?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) - **Research:** Kamath et al. 2025\. Semantic change in adults is not primarily a generational phenomenon. *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences* 122(31): e2426815122\. DOI: [https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2426815122](https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2426815122?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com). ## 📃 This Week’s Reads *Interesting articles I’ve come across this week.* [How speaking in a second language directly affects your moral judgementThe ‘moral foreign language effect’ makes you more rational, and less emotional.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/web-app-logo-192x192-2d05bdd6de6328146de80245d4685946-51.png)The ConversationAndreas Kyriakou![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/file-20250919-56-tvntii.jpg)](https://theconversation.com/how-speaking-in-a-second-language-directly-affects-your-moral-judgement-265211?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) [Your guide to the German alphabetLearn the German alphabet from A to Z. Understand letter sounds, improve your pronunciation, and start speaking German with confidence.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/duolingo-touch-icon2-1-13.png)Duolingo BlogStefanie Schantl, M.A.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/cover_your-guide-to-the-German-alphabet.png)](https://blog.duolingo.com/german-alphabet-pronunciation/?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) - The remarkable brain of a carpet cleaner who speaks 24 languages ([The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/interactive/2022/multilingual-hyperpolyglot-brain-languages/?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com)) ## 📚 Books & Media *New (and old) books and media touching on language and linguistics.* ### *Purrieties of language: How we talk about cats online* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2025/09/image-21.png) [Amazon](https://amzn.to/3KeqdLe?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) | [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/110785/9781108825634?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) Check out this recent book that uses the study of online cat discourse to teach sociolinguistics! > After conquering the Internet, cats are now taking on linguistics! Since the advent of social media, cats have become a topic central to online communication, and the multitude of cat-related accounts now online has made this a world-wide phenomenon. Through cat-inspired varieties of language, we have developed a genre of cat-inspired vocabulary. And on our special social media accounts for our cats, we take on their identities, as we post, write, talk, and chat - as our feline friends. This innovative book provides linguistic analyses of the cyber ‘Cativerse’, exploring online language variation, and explaining key linguistic concepts – all through the lens of cat-related communication. Each chapter explores a different sociolinguistic phenomena, drawing on fun and engaging examples including memes, hashtags, captions and ‘LOLcats’, from platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Innovative yet accessible, it is catnip for all ‘hoomans’ interested in how language is used online. Purchase a copy here: - [Amazon](https://amzn.to/3KeqdLe?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) - [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/110785/9781108825634?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) If this sounds up your alley, you might also be interested in the author’s newsletter, [*Purrspectives in language*](https://purrspectives.substack.com/). [Purrspectives in Language | Edith Podhovnik, PhD | SubstackPurrspectives in Language brings you linguistics with cats — 😻 purrfect for you if you love language and cats and want to discover linguistics with a pawsome feline touch 🐈‍⬛. Click to read Purrspectives in Language, by Edith Podhovnik, PhD, a Substack publication. Launched 6 months ago.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F2a5c5cba-f2df-4f2b-a0a1-d605e8171bdd-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Purrspectives in LanguageEdith Podhovnik, PhD![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fpurrspectives.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card.jpg%3Fv%3D-1443758931%26version%3D9)](https://purrspectives.substack.com/) ## 🗃️ Resources *Maps, databases, lists, etc. on language and linguistics.* ### 101 places to get enthusiastic about linguistics ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2025/09/image-22.png) In honor of their 100th episodiversary earlier this year, the *Lingthusiasm* podcast put together an excellent list of 101 places to get enthusiastic about linguistics: - [101 places to get enthusiastic about linguistics](https://lingthusiasm.com/post/774152059126792192/101-places-to-get-enthusiastic-about-linguistics?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) (Lingthusiasm) ## 👋🏼 Til next week! This was literally what my [Ph.D. dissertation](https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.11932.00640?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) was about 🤓 [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2025/09/image-23.png)](https://xkcd.com/1443/?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) [https://xkcd.com/1443/](https://xkcd.com/1443/?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) ## 🚫 Errata *Corrections, clarifications, and omissions.* In my most recent article, [“Your cryptogram is lying to you—/t/ isn’t the most frequent consonant in English”](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/english-consonant-frequencies/), I occasionally forgot to clarify that I was focused on the most frequent *consonants* in English, rather than the most frequent letters/sounds in general. The most frequent letter in English is ⟨e⟩, and the most frequent sound in English is /ə/. The letter ⟨t⟩ and the sound /n/ are merely the most frequent *consonants* in English. [Your cryptogram is lying to you—/t/ isn’t the most frequent consonant in EnglishWhat are the most frequent sounds across languages (and why)?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/languages-bordered-67.png)Linguistic DiscoveryDaniel W. Hieber, Ph.D.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/cryptogram-1.webp)](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/english-consonant-frequencies/) 💡 The Amazon and Bookshop.org links on this page are affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission from Amazon for purchases made through them (at no extra cost to you). If you’d like to support Linguistic Discovery, purchasing through these links is a great way to do so! I greatly appreciate your support! [Check out my entire Amazon storefront here.](https://www.amazon.com/shop/linguisticdiscovery?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com)