While English has been the dominant language spoken in the US since the country's founding, Americans have been listening to Spanish-language music since music was recorded, and likely much earlier than that. However, within the last decade, listenership for Spanish-language music has increased by nearly 1,000%, and Spanish has now become the second most listened-to language for music worldwide. Below, [...]
Sign language is uniquely relational. Unlike phone calls, which can be completed over distance with no visual element, sign has not enjoyed the same ease of communication during the Industrial Revolution and beyond. The good news is that this is changing, and itโs doing so faster than ever. As technological advancements continue to outpace themselves every year, sign language [...]
Whether you love it or dread it, small talk is woven into the fabric of everyday life. From elevator chats to pre-meeting pleasantries, it plays a quiet but crucial role in helping us navigate the social world. But why does small talk matter, and why do so many people find it excruciatingly hard? As it turns out, small talk [...]
Women face the brunt of these judgments about language, and they occur primarily due to two linguistic patterns: uptalk and vocal fry. Although both strategies are used by men and women, cultural conditioning has increasingly framed them as signs that women are less serious, less knowledgeable, and more prone to errorโsimply because of the natural ways they speak. Are You [...]
The Basics of Fingerspelling Fingerspelling describes using individual alphabetical letters to spell out a word rather than utilizing a single sign thatโs equivalent to a word. If a person named Adam were to introduce himself using fingerspelling, he would create the signs for A-D-A-M in sequence because there is no single sign that means โAdamโ (or at least not [...]
Travel can already be an exhilarating experience, but tourists are often limited by their lack of understanding of language, culture, customs, and more. When you learn a second (or third or fourth!) language, youโll be taking a big step toward making travel more immersive, enjoyable, and rewarding. In fact, some experiences are only possible if you speak another language! A [...]
When we think of elephant communication, what likely comes to mind is the trumpet: a loud, unmistakable sound that can carry across a savanna. But elephants have more than just a mighty yell; they display one of the most complex and fascinating communication systems in the animal kingdom, relying on a rich combination of sound, scent, and gesture. From deep [...]
Sign Language: Simplified Gestures? Most people who have never had contact with sign languages assume that the varied hand movements are just simplified gestures. Point at someone? That means โyou.โ Push the first two fingers together in a slicing motion repeatedly? โScissors.โ Without exposure to sign languages, a person may believe that simply making gestures is sufficient to communicate. [...]
Language education offers a variety of social benefits, from making new friends to fostering cross-cultural connections. Because the risk of isolation in retirement is so substantial and poses both emotional and tangible physical consequences, itโs never too late to start your next linguistic journey. Whether youโre hoping to ignite new friendships or simply counteract some of the effects of [...]
When we think of intelligent life in the animal kingdom, dolphins often swim straight to the top of the list. With their playful behavior, social complexity, and knack for cooperation, dolphins seem to blur the line between instinct and intelligence. But itโs not just their brains that make them special. Itโs also their voices. Dolphins are incredibly vocal creatures. While [...]
