Writing systems, or scripts, are tools that humans developed to document and transmit ideas that came to us using language. As it turns out, the scripts that weโve developed are quite versatile and can be used to transcribe a variety of languages. Consider, conveniently, the example of this article that youโre reading. Itโs written in the Latin script, which [...]
When people think of cults, it is often common to wonder how the participants ended up buying into the message. From the outside, the flaws of the cult may seem obvious or downright unbelievable. However, there is an often overlooked reason these groups are so compelling: language. Cult leaders who know how to leverage the spoken and written word [...]
Languages come in all shapes and sizes around the worldโbut if thereโs one thing that languages share, itโs swearing. While the curse words (and phrases) of choice will vary based on geographic location, dialect, and more, world languages have a lot more in common than you might think when it comes to swearing. Swears originate with the universal experience [...]
For centuries, human beings have looked around at the creatures with whom we share this marvelous Earth and wondered if they can communicate like we do. Communication, after all, is one of the linchpins of the human project. None of what weโve achieved as a species would be possible without it. Weโve thus deployed significant resources to study how [...]
The influence of the Bible and Christianity in modern culture is difficult to overstate, even for non-religious people. From the beloved Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris to Cristo Redentor towering over Rio de Janeiro, the Western world is steeped in Christian imagery. It can be argued that none of these cultural monuments would have survived into the 21st century if [...]
In the first part of this series, we looked at how wills originated as a social practice and legal provision. Weโll move on to something a little more lighthearted in this, the second installment in this series. Although wills are usually a somber matter, there are some that stand out for the way theyโre structured and the unique items [...]
In our previous article, The Origin and Uses of Runes: The History That Drives Modern Runic, we covered where Futhark runes came from, how they were used, and what constitutes a rune. While the use of Futhark is no longer a daily occurrence, these symbols are still pervasive in cultures around the globeโfor both favorable and reprehensible reasons. The [...]
Over 60% of the worldโs population now speaks two or more languages. One exciting area of linguistic science is the idea that polyglots (individuals who speak multiple languages) often feel that they have โmultiple personalitiesโ โ one per language. For example, a person who speaks both Spanish and English may feel or even come off as a different person to [...]
Birth certificates, passports, driving licenses, social security cards, and on and on. There is a seemingly endless stream of legal documents that one is obligated to create through their lifetime to prove their personhood, citizenship, and privileges. One document that holds special legal import not just while youโre alive, but even after, is your will and testament. As youโre [...]
Runes may be part of a linguistic system whose daily use is lost to time, but their effects can still be felt today. From technological symbols to ornamentation in fiction TV, the runic alphabet has encountered many changes but continues to hold fast against extinction. Hereโs a history of runes: where they came from, what they are made of, [...]
