Monthly Archives: March 2023

Etymology #6: Colors in Different Languages and How Language Shapes Our Perception of the World

By | March 31, 2023

Colors are an essential part of human experience, and they have played a significant role in our cultural and linguistic history. While colors may be universal, their meanings and interpretations vary from culture to culture. The relationship between language and color perception has long been a topic of interest for linguists and psychologists. One of the most famous… Read More »

Language History #6: Language enclaves

By | March 29, 2023

Language enclaves, also known as linguistic enclaves or language islands, are areas or regions where a particular language is spoken, surrounded by a different language or languages. These enclaves can exist for a variety of reasons, including migration patterns, historical events, and political boundaries. They can range from small villages to entire regions or countries. One of the… Read More »

Rare Languages #6: Basque

By | March 26, 2023

The Basque language, also known as Euskara, is a unique language that is spoken in a region of Europe that straddles the border between France and Spain. It is one of the few surviving pre-Indo-European languages in Europe and has a rich and complex history. Basque is a language isolate, which means that it is not related to… Read More »

Etymology #5: Place names and their origins

By | March 24, 2023

Place names are more than just labels on a map. They are often rooted in history and can reveal insights into the culture, language, and geography of a region. In this article, we will explore the origins of place names and their linguistic significance. The origins of place names can be traced back to a variety of sources.… Read More »

Language History #5: Latin Today

By | March 22, 2023

Latin, an ancient language that was spoken in ancient Rome and throughout the Roman Empire, is often thought of as a dead language. However, the truth is that Latin is far from dead. It is still relevant today and continues to have a significant impact on modern society in numerous ways. For starters, Latin is the foundation of… Read More »

Rare Languages #5: Khoekhoegowab

By | March 19, 2023

Khoekhoegowab, also known as Khoekhoe language or Nama, is a language spoken by the Khoikhoi people in Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana. It is one of the few languages in the world that uses clicks as part of its phonetic system, which has made it a source of curiosity for linguists and language enthusiasts alike. In this article,… Read More »

Etymology #4: How “Cool” Became Mainstream

By | March 17, 2023

Language is constantly evolving, and one of the most fascinating examples of this evolution is the way in which slang words become mainstream. One such word is “cool,” a ubiquitous term that has become a staple of modern language. But where did this word come from, and how did it achieve its current status? In English, the word… Read More »

Language History #4: The Sovjet Union and their languages

By | March 15, 2023

The Soviet Union was a vast and diverse country, spanning across multiple time zones and encompassing numerous ethnic groups. With such diversity, the question of language and linguistic policies was a critical issue for the Soviet regime. The Soviet authorities recognized the importance of language in unifying the country’s diverse peoples, but they also saw it as a… Read More »

Rare Languages #4: Samoan

By | March 12, 2023

Samoan is a Polynesian language spoken by about 500,000 people, primarily in the independent country of Samoa and the U.S. territory of American Samoa. It is also spoken by Samoan communities in other parts of the world, including New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. Samoan is an official language of Samoa and American Samoa, and it has… Read More »

Etymology #3: Why English Spelling is so Weird

By | March 10, 2023

English spelling is notorious for being difficult to learn and often inconsistent. It seems that every rule has an exception, and words that are spelled similarly may not be pronounced the same way. Have you ever wondered why English spelling is so weird? In this article, we’ll take a brief look at the history of English spelling and… Read More »