linguistics
Talking Is Throwing Fictional Worlds at One Another
A linguist exposes the inner truths about language.
This Simple Structure Unites All Human Languages
Language builds meaning through self-similarity.
The Communication We Share with Apes
Hand gestures signal the emergence of human language.
Cormac McCarthy Returns to the Kekulé Problem
Answers to questions and questions that cannot be answered.
The Rise and Fall of the English Sentence
The surprising forces influencing the complexity of the language we speak and write.
A Linguist Responds to Cormac McCarthy
If language began as a virus, here’s how it spread.
Why Doesn’t Ancient Fiction Talk About Feelings?
Literature’s evolution has reflected and spurred the growing complexity of society.
Is the Chinese Language a Superstition Machine?
How ambiguity in language can create unique taboos.
Listening for Extraterrestrial Blah Blah
At the cosmic dinner party, intelligence is the loudest thing in the room.