Language

What does it mean when we say "Huh?" or "Um" in conversation? Barbara J. King explores a new book looking at the topic, How We Talk.

Um, Uh, Huh? Are These Words Clues To Understanding Human Language?

9:59am November 13, 2017

by Barbara J. King

Tiny filler words in human rapid-fire conversation hold the key to understanding how language is unique, according to a new book. But anthropologist Barbara J. King raises some questions.

A banner hangs in the courtyard of a University of Barcelona building that reads, "The future is ours," in Catalan. Students are "occupying" the building ahead of an independence vote.

World News

For Catalonia's Separatists, Language Is The Key To Identity

12:20pm September 29, 2017

by Lauren Frayer

Many separatists say their Catalan language is what makes them feel most different from the rest of Spain. The language was prohibited during years of dictatorship, but now it's ubiquitous in schools.

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Building support for ELLs at school so they can make it through

Research Shows Spanish Speakers Take Longer To Learn English. Why?

4:48pm September 15, 2017

by Avi Wolfman-Arent

A recent study emphasizes what researchers have noted for years: As children, Spanish-speaking English learners take longer to become proficient than nearly any other group. Here are theories why.

President Trump gives a speech aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford at its commissioning at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia in July.

What Should We Make Of Trump's Speech Patterns — And Our Responses To Them?

12:26pm September 14, 2017

by Barbara J. King

Yes, President Trump's words tend to be simple and oft-repeated. The real question, says anthropologist Barbara J. King, may be what happens when we adopt them.

A promotional image from Skunk Bear's video on Ape Language.

What Are The Planet's Real 'Talking' Chimps And Gorillas Saying?

12:50pm July 25, 2017

Movies are full of loquacious chimps, but could nonhuman apes really use language? NPR's Skunk Bear sorts through the disturbing history of research on ape language to sort fact from wishful thinking.

in 1967, an anthropologist went to live with a Philippine tribe that was known for beheading people. He couldn't grasp the emotion that fueled this violence. Then his wife suddenly died.

Invisibilia: A Man Finds An Explosive Emotion Locked In A Word

5:40pm June 01, 2017

by Alix Spiegel

When anthropologist Renato Rosaldo went to live with a Philippine tribe that was known for beheading people, he couldn't grasp the emotion that fueled this violence. Then his wife suddenly died.

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(From left to right) Mackenzie Stamper, Adrian Rodriguez and Luke Ryan attend weekly Suzuki violin lessons with instructor Sara Johnson, part of a training program called MILEStone, or Music Impacting Language Expertise.

Using Music And Rhythm To Help Kids With Grammar And Language

5:14pm June 01, 2017

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center are studying how music and rhythm activities could help children who struggle with grammar and language development.

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A galley proof shows some of the work that went into adding "ginormous" to Merriam-Webster's 2007 collegiate dictionary.

Books
Arts

From 'F-Bomb' To 'Photobomb,' How The Dictionary Keeps Up With English

2:44pm April 19, 2017

by Terry Gross

For a new word to enter the dictionary, it must meet three criteria: widespread use, sustained use and meaningful use. Merriam-Webster lexicographer Kory Stamper explains the process in Word by Word.

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The Gotham of the "grammar vigilante": Bristol, U.K.

The 'Grammar Vigilante': Defender Of Truth, Justice And The Grammarian Way

3:27pm April 03, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

Wielding his handy "apostrophiser," this "Banksy of punctuation" stalks the streets of Bristol at night, reclaiming the British city's street signs for good — one corrected apostrophe at a time.

The Oxford Comma: Great For Listing, Pontificating, And Winning Court Cases

8:02pm March 16, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

An appeals court dispute between a Maine dairy company and its delivery drivers came down to a single punctuation mark — or rather, the lack of it. Count it a win for the controversial comma.