Researchers say it’s time to finally discard a decades-old theory about the origins of human language – and revise the date when human ancestors likely were able to make certain speech noises.
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Articles on Language
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The survival of the apostrophe is vital to the comprehensibility of our language. If those who have protected it are hanging up their red pens, it’s time we all do our bit.
There is a negative feel to many of the shortlisted contenders for The Macquarie Dictionary’s Word of the Year.
A cognitive scientist observes that the words that bother college-age Americans today can cause harm.
Language can express some of the results of our thinking, but it’s not the thinking itself.
Pedants should reach for their red pens now.
Why do some people greet each other with a kiss? How does the custom vary from place to place? This article is excerpted from the forthcoming ‘Atlas of Regional Expressions.’
How members of America’s two parties view the country – and its place in the world – might explain this phenomenon.
New research suggests that the genetic variants that are associated with language are also associated with mental health problems.
We live in a society in which inequality is deepening – in this context, our words can have real and pernicious effects.
Australia’s rich diversity is reflected in its older population. It’s time our nursing homes do the same.
Here’s what parents should look out for if they are worried about their baby’s language development.
Use of the words ‘traitor’, ‘surrender’ and ‘betrayal’ have increased inside parliament but everyone outside needs to watch their language too.
We may no longer say ‘shiver me timbers’, but we still use plenty of pirate words for other things.
What started as a showcase for America’s drag queens is fast becoming a global sensation.
From Lord of the Rings to Game of Thrones, writers and linguists have invented an array of new languages.
Can we really know what animals think? A philosopher argues that we can’t, not with any precision.
As we get older, our eyesight may dim and our recall may falter. But our linguistic abilities don’t seem to erode.
Some animals, like rats, learn linguistic patterns better than humans can.
The word ‘OK’ has only been around for 180 years, but it’s become the most spoken word on the planet.
Top contributors
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Senior Lecturer in Linguistics, Monash University
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Kate Burridge is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor of Linguistics, Monash University
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Course coordinator, The University of Queensland
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Associate Dean and Professor of Psychology, University of Memphis
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Professor of English Language and Literature, University of Oxford
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Professor of Linguistics, University of York
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Associate Professor in Linguistics, Macquarie University
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Associate Professor in Language, Literacy and TESL, University of Canberra
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Professor of Linguistics and English, Florida International University
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Professor of African Language Studies, University of the Western Cape
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Postdoctoral research fellow (Forensic Linguistics/ Language and Law), University of the Western Cape
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Professor, Charles Darwin University
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Professor of Communication and Journalism, Texas A&M University
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Director, Office of Scholarly Communication and Publishing, University of Pittsburgh
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Professor of Linguistics
