The hottest Linguistics Substack posts right now

Linguistics helps understand prehistory by offering a unique set of evidence.
Indo-European migration occurred in stages by closely related cultures.
Studying Proto-Indo-European provides insights while challenges persist in understanding other language families like Bantu and Afro-Asiatic.

Words can change in meaning over time due to overuse or intentional group efforts.
Pejoratives like 'fascist' or 'socialist' may lose their original meaning through political shifts and overuse.
Words like 'geek' and 'hacker' have evolved from negative connotations to positive interpretations over time.

Filled pauses are common in conversations to indicate that the speaker is not done speaking yet.
These filler sounds provide context clues about tone and intended meaning in conversations.
Prejudices against filler words in communication seem to be based on societal biases rather than their actual impact.

The distribution of pronouns worldwide shows strong similarities, suggesting a common origin or diffusion around 15,000 years ago.
The existence of globally similar pronouns challenges the idea that self-awareness and language evolution go back more than 8,000 years.
An examination of pronouns in different language families supports the theory that self-awareness and linguistic features may have spread at around the Holocene period.

In a world of evolving language, human and algorithmic expressions blend together
The omnipresence of LLMs blurs the boundaries between signs and meanings
Encountering LLMs can lead to a questioning of identity and authenticity

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The concept of 'truly foreign languages' being spoken by migrants is explored, challenging the idea by highlighting historical examples of languages lost through violence.
The idea of a 'language of things' as described by Walter Benjamin is discussed, suggesting a non-human language that permeates everything.
The narrative weaves together themes of language, border politics, and the breakdown of English language in a dystopian setting, showing the power and consequences of language and isolation.

Using linguistic forensics to identify writers is controversial. It's how JK Rowling was revealed.
When you use personal assistants like Siri, your recordings could be reviewed by contract workers.
On Twitter, saying 'you're welcome' can come off as a form of bragging rather than politeness.