The surprising pattern behind color names around the world
Adults Language
Why so many languages invented words for colors in the same order.
How Bilingual Brains Perceive Time Differently
Adults Language
A new study has found that what language you speak might alter your perception of time.
Teen Speaks Over 20 Languages
Adults Language
Prodigy hyper-polyglot Tim Doner has been teaching himself languages since he was 13. He now speaks nearly 20 languages! Join Tim on a cultural tour of New York unlike any you've ever heard!
How a dictionary writer defines English
Adults Language
Kory Stamper works for Merriam-Webster. So how does a dictionary writer define the language? Vox's Phil Edwards found out in this episode of Vox Almanac.
Why Can't Chimpanzees Speak?
Adults Language
Chimpanzees are very smart animals, so why can't they speak? Tara is here to explain how a gene mutation allows humans to speak, but not chimps.
Aphasia: The disorder that makes you lose your words - Susan Wortman-Jutt
Adults Language
Language is an essential part of our lives that we often take for granted. But, if the delicate web of language networks in your brain became disrupted by stroke, illness, or trauma, you could find yourself truly at a loss for words.
One of the most difficult words to translate
Adults Language
As simple as it seems, it's often impossible to accurately translate the word you without knowing a lot more about the situation where it's being said. Krystian Aparta describes the specific reasons why it can be difficult, citing examples from many different languages.
What Does Your Accent Say About You?
Adults Language
Can science explain the way you speak?
The pleasure of poetic pattern
Adults Language
Humans are creatures of rhythm and repetition. From our breath to our gait: rhythm is central to our experience, and often brings us pleasure. We can find pleasure in the rhythm of a song, or even the rows of an orchard. Of course, too much repetition can also backfire. David Silverstein describes what poetic repetition is and why it works.
Can You Hear Me in French?
Adults Language
Groundbreaking Gadget Fits Inside Your Ear To Translate Foreign Languages In Real-Time
Introducing Tap to Translate
Adults Language
Tap to Translate: instantly translate text within any app on your Android phone. No more app switching. Just copy the text and your translation pops up right there.
The Turing test: Can a computer pass for a human?
Adults Language
What is consciousness? Can an artificial machine really think? For many, these have been vital considerations for the future of artificial intelligence.
The Zipf Mystery
Adults Language
The of and to. A in is I. That it, for you, was with on. As have ... but be they.
How To Pronounce These High-Profile Brand Names
Adults Language
Be it because of a language barrier or just bad planning on the company's part, many people go around mispronouncing high-profile brand names
Why is there a "b" in doubt?
Adults Language
Say the word "doubt" aloud. What is that "b" doing there? Does it have any purpose? Gina Cooke explains the long and winding history of "doubt" and why the spelling, though it seems random, is a wink to its storied past.
Comma story - Terisa Folaron
Adults Language
It isn't easy holding complex sentences together (just ask a conjunction or a subordinate), but the clever little comma can help lighten the load. But how to tell when help is really needed? Terisa Folaron offers some tricks of the comma trade.
Hearing Hands
Adults Language
People Learn How To "Speak" In Sign Language To Surprise Their Hearing Impaired Neighbour.
How languages evolve - Alex Gendler
Adults Language
Over the course of human history, thousands of languages have developed from what was once a much smaller number. How did we end up with so many? And how do we keep track of them all? Alex Gendler explains how linguists group languages into language families, demonstrating how these linguistic trees give us crucial insights into the past.
Music as a language - Victor Wooten
Adults Language
Music is a powerful communication tool--it causes us to laugh, cry, think and question. Bassist and five-time Grammy winner, Victor Wooten, asks us to approach music the same way we learn verbal language--by embracing mistakes and playing as often as possible.
Meet Disco the incredible talking budgie
Adults Language
When budgies mimic their owners they are simply doing what they would do in the wild. They learn their names from their parents and also the distinct calls of their family.
Are Elvish, Klingon, Dothraki and Na'vi real languages?
Adults Language
What do Game of Thrones' Dothraki, Avatar's Na'vi, Star Trek's Klingon and LOTR's Elvish have in common? They are all fantasy constructed languages, or conlangs. Conlangs have all the delicious complexities of real languages: a high volume of words, grammar rules, and room for messiness and evolution. John McWhorter explains why these invented languages captivate fans long past the rolling credits.