Explore - About Linguistics

Seven words that flipped their meanings over time

Etymology

7 Words You Use That Now Mean the Opposite of What They Used To

It's remarkable how some words can mean one thing at one point in time and, years later, mean the complete opposite.

Sociolinguistics

When Silence Becomes Awkward in Conversation

'Awkward silence' is what we call a longer than usual gap in the flow of speech between two or more people.

Language Learning

The 5 Essential Bases of Language Learning You Need to Know

Let's learn about the key principles that can help us better understand how languages are acquired.

Phonetics

What Is a Schwa?

Considered by many to be the most common sound in English, the schwa is a rarely noticed but always present vowel, and it's absolutely essential for the English language to sound the way it does.

Psycholinguistics

How Reading Enhances Your Metalinguistic Awareness

When we read, we're not only following a story or receiving information, we're also learning about language itself. Over time, this repeated exposure changes the way we experience language.

Phonetics

What is a Glottal Stop?

The glottal stop plays a significant role in a variety of languages and accents, and it can influence grammar and meaning.

Sociolinguistics

Why We Say 'Like' So Much When We Speak

'Like' is one of those words we hear in all kinds of informal conversations. Let's look at how this word is used and why we use it so often.

Psycholinguistics

What is Psycholinguistics?

Psycholinguistics is the field of linguistics that studies how humans acquire, comprehend, and produce language. Let's look at what it is in detail.

Phonetics

8 Reasons Why Phonetics Matters

Inside there's a list of 8 reasons why phonetics matters, plus 16 examples of situations where phonetics pops up in your daily life, to highlight how it's actually everywhere.

Language Learning

7 Daily Habit Ideas to Practice a Language

Learning a language is the result of many small efforts repeated consistently over time. If you don't yet have daily habits to support your learning, I invite you to start building some.

Psycholinguistics

What is Metalinguistic Awareness?

Metalinguistic awareness is the ability to pause and reflect about language instead of just using it automatically. Learn about its 5 components and how to develop it.

Psycholinguistics

How Language Can Change the Way You Think (and Why You Need to Know This)

It might sound like an overstatement, but it's been scientifically proven that the language we use in our self-talk can really influence our thoughts and perspective on things.

Language Learning

How to Remember New Words You Learn (And Actually Use Them)

Here is some practical advice to help you remember words that you've previously learned, either in conversation or while reading.

Phonetics

What is Auditory Phonetics?

Auditory phonetics studies how we perceive and process speech sounds, analyzing how our ears and brain work together to understand spoken language.

Phonetics

What is Acoustic Phonetics?

Acoustic phonetics studies the sound waves produced when we speak, analyzing how vocal vibrations travel through the air.

Sociolinguistics

12 Benefits of Being Bilingual

Being able to speak two languages not only helps you communicate with more people, but also changes how your brain works and how you see the world.

Phonetics

What is Articulatory Phonetics?

Articulatory phonetics is the study of sound production using the movement and coordination of the lungs, vocal cords, tongue, lips, and other parts of the vocal tract.

Etymology

36 Interesting Word Origins That Will Surprise You

Did you know that 'nice' once meant 'ignorant' a long time ago? Or that 'sinister', a word we use for something dark or evil, was just the Latin word for 'left'?