We use euphemisms about death and dying to soften the blow of the real words, or because we feel awkward being direct. But this can lead to misunderstanding and confusion.
Team Macron is ready to talk. You pick the language.
EPA/Philippe Wojazer
We can’t observe the brain activity of extinct human species. But we can observe modern brains doing the things that our distant ancestors did, looking for clues about how ancient brains worked.
We have inner conversations all the time, so what difference does it make if we have them out loud?
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Afrikaans is very much a black language. The apartheid government’s ploy to construct it as a “white language”, with a “white history”, denied the commonality of the language across race and class.
Just speaking English isn’t going to cut it anymore.
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Emoji provide a living language that is representative and inclusive in ways that words can’t always be. Just be careful if you use the eggplant or peach emoji.
Le Pen chooses her words carefully.
EPA/Ian Langsdon
Cult TV show Gogglebox is more than light entertainment: it shows the diverse reality of Australian English, going beyond stereotypes about what Australians sound like.
There is usually a historical reason why schools teach certain languages. But as new economies emerge, such languages may no longer be the best ones to learn.