Literary Hub » linguistics

On the Particular Joys of Etymological Detective Work

On the Particular Joys of Etymological Detective Work

Martha Barnette Explores the Shared Proto-Indo-European Origins of a Diverse Group of Modern Languages

By Martha Barnette | August 6, 2025

Algorithm On Fleek: How TikTok is Transforming the English Language

Algorithm On Fleek: How TikTok is Transforming the English Language

Adam Aleksic Explores the Evolution of Popular Vernacular, From the Middle Ages to the Contemporary Era

By Adam Aleksic | July 15, 2025

Cushty, Prat, Cowson... and Other British Terms I Can No Longer Say in America

Cushty, Prat, Cowson... and Other British Terms I Can No Longer Say in America

Christopher J. Yates on Language Nostalgia

By Christopher J. Yates | July 9, 2025

On the Vital Importance of Preserving the Most Obscure—and Endangered—of the World’s Many Languages

On the Vital Importance of Preserving the Most Obscure—and Endangered—of the World’s Many Languages

Lorna Gibb Considers How Language Shapes Identities, Worldviews and Societies Across the Globe

By Lorna Gibb | April 23, 2025

Catharsis, Harpies, Harmatia, and More: Natasha Pulley on Her Favorite Greek Words

Catharsis, Harpies, Harmatia, and More: Natasha Pulley on Her Favorite Greek Words

The Author of “Hymn to Dionysus” Explores a Linguistic Venn Diagram of Meaning

By Natasha Pulley | March 19, 2025

What Our First and Last Words Reveal About the Way We Express Ourselves

What Our First and Last Words Reveal About the Way We Express Ourselves

Michael Erard Explores the Science Behind What We Say at the Very Beginning and End of Our Lives

By Michael Erard | February 13, 2025

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“We’re Not Living Right.” On the Failed Human Efforts to Conquer the Desert

By Kyle Paoletta | January 17, 2025

“Are We Lost?” How Ancient Cultures Across the Globe Found Their Way Around

By Jerry Brotton | November 15, 2024

What Chickens Know: On Bonding with Birds and the Language of Hens

By Sy Montgomery | November 7, 2024

A Brief History of the Most Famous Swear Word in the World

A Brief History of the Most Famous Swear Word in the World

Jesse Sheidlower on the Limberness and Literary Uses of “Fuck”

By Jesse Sheidlower | November 5, 2024

How New York City Became a Haven For Endangered Languages

How New York City Became a Haven For Endangered Languages

British Academy Book Prize Winner Ross Perlin on the City’s Unique Position to Preserve Global Linguistic Diversity

By Ross Perlin | October 28, 2024

Julie Sedivy on Amplifying the Pleasure of Language

Julie Sedivy on Amplifying the Pleasure of Language

“I feel an extra jolt of delight when I read a sentence that achieves something out of the ordinary.”

By Julie Sedivy | October 25, 2024

Language, Loss and Nostalgia: On Growing Old As a Learning Experience

Language, Loss and Nostalgia: On Growing Old As a Learning Experience

Julie Sedivy Asks Us to Reconsider Our Ideas About Aging and Memory

By Julie Sedivy | October 16, 2024

How Our Diet and Culinary Heritage Informs the Way We Speak

How Our Diet and Culinary Heritage Informs the Way We Speak

Iheoma Nwachukwu on Food, Language and the Immigrant Experience

By Iheoma Nwachukwu | September 4, 2024

How Babies and Young Children Learn to Understand Language

How Babies and Young Children Learn to Understand Language

Steven Mithen on the Science of Language Acquisition in Early Childhood

By Steven Mithen | June 20, 2024

Playing the Dozens: On the Joys and Functions of Sh*t Talk

Playing the Dozens: On the Joys and Functions of Sh*t Talk

Rafi Kohan Considers a Powerful Linguistic Ritual

By Rafi Kohan | January 29, 2024

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