No laughing matter: A study on teaching linguistics

A new study involving a scientific analysis of the prevalence of "LOL" in students' text messages demonstrates important potential applications for classroom learning. The study, "Linguistics in General Education: Expanding ...

Chinese to rise as a global language

With the continuing rise of China as a global economic and trading power, there is no barrier to prevent Chinese from becoming a global language like English, according to Flinders University academic Dr. Jeffrey Gil.

What protects minority languages from extinction?

Over 6,000 languages are currently spoken worldwide, but a substantial minority—well over 5%—are in danger of dying out. It is perhaps surprising that this fraction is no higher, as most models have so far predicted that ...

Molière most likely did write his own plays

Two French researchers from the CNRS and Ecole nationale des chartes have disproved the theory holding that Corneille was Molière's ghostwriter—a popular and century-old theory defended by some academics and writers. According ...

Study shows facial features track with intonation of words

Even though they are not needed to make the specific sounds, parts of Mandarin Chinese speakers' faces—their eyebrows and lips—mimic the rising and falling pitch that distinguishes one word spelled exactly the same from ...

Origin of Sino-Tibetan language family revealed by new research

The Sino-Tibetan language family includes early literary languages, such as Chinese, Tibetan and Burmese, and is represented by more than 400 modern languages spoken in China, India, Burma, and Nepal. It is one of the most ...

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