Survey Says: To Be American Is to Speak English
A new Pew Research Center study finds some big differences among respondents when it comes to connecting citizenship to language, faith and country of origin.
English
Our Language Has 'Interesting Little Wrinkles,' Linguist Says
John McWhorter of Columbia University says the way we use words changes, like how "literally" can now mean "figuratively." That example, he says, is a contronym, a word with two opposite meanings.
Letters To The Teacher Celebrate A 40-Year Career
Molly Pollak was a middle and high school teacher. When she retired this year, former students gave her a book filled with their letters. It reads like a textbook for great teaching.
No, Yes, Definitely: On The Rise Of 'No, Totally' As Linguistic Quirk
The New Yorker's Kathryn Schulz has a theory for what's behind the use of the phrase "No, totally" as a way to agree with someone. She points to an English word that we've lost: "Nay."
In U.S. Visit, Pope Francis Will Deliver 4 Speeches In English, 14 In Spanish
In his five-day, three-city tour, Francis will give the majority of speeches in his native Spanish.