In March 2020 the Tokyo Olympic games, like so many other events, were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now a year later the games are set to take place. They’ll still be called Tokyo 2020 but are scheduled for...
If you communicate through texting or social media, you can’t escape emojis. These stylized smiley faces, hearts, hand gestures and food items are an ingrained part of virtual conversations. But what do linguists think about these colorful graphics? Do emojis...
Try to imagine the last time you had a conversation that didn’t involve a cliché. We often use these “trite phrases or expressions” without a second thought. But have you ever wondered about the etymology of clichés? Let’s spend some...
While many people rang in the new year by watching the ball drop in Times Square or popping champagne, another tradition was celebrated by linguists around the world. As the year came to a close, dictionary companies and language societies...
There are close to 7,000 languages spoken on earth. However, it’s estimated that by the end of this century, up to 50% of them may be lost. Eighty percent of the world’s population now speaks just 1% of its languages,...
More than 50 countries around the world use English as an official language. But you might be surprised to learn that some of the major English-speaking countries, like Australia, the United States and England, are not on this list. So...
As the sun starts to set on October 31, children dressed as ghosts and superheroes go door to door asking for candy. Along their trick-or-treating route, they’ll visit houses decorated with skeletons, spiderwebs and jack-o-lanterns. Halloween is a popular American...
If you’re an intermediate language learner, you might feel like you’ve gotten stuck in a language plateau. There are some topics you can discuss with relative ease. You no longer get stressed out about ordering food at a restaurant or...
Dirt on your head! Son of an owl! Hit your head on a corner of tofu and die! If you clicked on this article, you’ve probably already surmised that the above phrases are – at least some place on earth...
When the coronavirus pandemic hit and stay-at-home orders were issued, isolation and loneliness set in. We faced the difficult challenge of staying connected with our loved ones while traveling and social gatherings were limited. Luckily, creativity struck, and we started...
There’s already a lot to take in when learning a new language – vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar rules, and so on. But one of the most challenging aspects of learning a new language is grappling with speech sounds that do not...
Visiting a new place gives you a new perspective on the world. When you travel, you have the chance to engage with different cultures and learn about unique traditions, customs, and languages. But recently, travel has come to a halt....
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