It’s another dive into the Mailbag.
What’s the hardest language to lip read? Why do we say but at the end of sentences? And what can you call the non-binary parent in your life?
Daniel, Kylie, and Ben…
Category: children (page 2 of 5)
Babies are linguistic super-geniuses!
They know a lot about their own language, and they’re able to infer things from other languages. But a new study shows that unloading bulk language upon them isn’t as important as the conversational turns that …
Does grammar matter?
On one side: the language sticklers, who hold that good grammar is a necessity for communication, and even a matter of upholding standards and courtesy. But there’s another side: that grammar rules are often just made up, …
Does language influence the way we think?
Many people have thought so. And this thought has worked its way into an enormously popular idea called the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. Yet linguists often dismiss this idea as unfounded. So what’s the …
Is there anything you can do to help babies learn language?
Babies do a great job of learning language, but it’s still a pretty complex undertaking. Who wouldn’t like to help the little tackers figure it out? But does anything …
What exactly is a sandwich?
The question is tearing the internet apart. Is a hot dog a sandwich? What about a burrito? How do we even know what a sandwich is? Or anything else?
We have an answer, but it’s …
What can we learn about language from children who grew up without it?
People are fascinated by stories of “feral children”, raised apart from human contact. Can these children ever learn language, once they’re found? And what does this tell …
Accents are like opinions: everybody’s got one. But how do opinions affect accents?
Listeners want to know: Why do people seem to lose their accent when they sing? And is there any reason why we think some accents sound attractive …
What’s behind the English Only movement?
Some people are trying to make English the “official” language of countries where there’s already a lot of English going on. Is this necessary? What are the pros and cons?
Daniel, Ben, and …
You won’t believe what it takes to make a good linguistic article!
Listicles, or list articles, can be interesting, amusing, and even informative. What goes into the creation of a good linguistic listicle? How can they change someone’s mind about …
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- CBAA Awards 2018: Best Radio Program — Talk
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- Talkley Award 2018
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