“Utterances like ‘um,’ ‘wow,’ and ‘mm-hmm’ aren’t garbage, they keep conversations flowing.”
language
Posted inEditor's Pick
Barnaby’s Futura Fantasy
“In Crockett Johnson’s iconic comic strip, the type speaks for itself.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Languages Lost To Climate Change
“Climate catastrophes and biodiversity loss are endangering languages across the globe.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Do Our Dogs Have Something to Tell the World?
“Many owners think so, thanks to the ‘talking buttons’ craze on TikTok and Instagram. Scientists are less convinced.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
How Does the Writer Say Etcetera?
“Sumana Roy ponders the linguistic and aesthetic significance of ‘etceterization.'”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Can a Comma Solve a Crime?
“How forensic linguists use grammar, syntax and vocabulary to help crack cold cases.”
Posted inFeature
My Name Is a Mountain
On language, belonging, and embracing the different versions of ourselves.
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Foreign Language That Changed My Teenage Son’s Life
“I worried about his ability to fit in. But then he fell in love with Russian — and on a trip to Central Asia, he flourished.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Lost at Parkland: ‘Peter Was Always My Translator’
For one family, grieving the child they lost in the Parkland, Fla., school shooting is complicated by differences in language and culture.