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Linguistics
A partnership to preserve Kashaya
A partnership to preserve Kashaya
Since the 1980s, linguist Eugene Buckley has studied this Native American language, now spoken by just a dozen or so people in northern California. In collaboration with members and descendants of the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians, he’s built a database of Kashaya words, sounds, and stories.
In These Times: Fear and loathing and science
In These Times: Fear and loathing and science
Season three of the School of Arts & Sciences podcast explores scientific ideas that get big reactions.
Mapping words to color
Mapping words to color
Researchers led by postdoc Colin Twomey and professor Joshua Plotkin developed an algorithm that can infer the communicative needs different linguistic communities place on colors.
TikTok talk
TikTok talk
Largely characterized as a Gen Z phenomenon, TikTok is a video-sharing app with more than 100 million active users in the U.S. alone—and it’s changing the way that we speak, says sociolinguist Nicole Holliday.
The intonation Black/biracial men use to speak about race
The intonation Black/biracial men use to speak about race
In a study of college-educated biracial men, ages 18 to 32, sociolinguist Nicole Holliday found that, when asked about race, this group frequently brought up law enforcement unprompted and discussed the subject using vocal tone more generally associated with white speakers.
The influence and importance of language
The influence and importance of language
Labels for what happened Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol were very different from those used to describe the Black Lives Matter movement or the 2020 election results. How much weight do individual words actually have? It depends on the context.
Why the pandemic introduces language that is ‘hard to explain’
Why the pandemic introduces language that is ‘hard to explain’
Linguist Andrea Beltrama discusses new words and phrases that have entered the language during the current health crisis, and the “massive” impact the pandemic has had on language.
New database aims to make Alzheimer’s diagnosis easier and earlier
New database aims to make Alzheimer’s diagnosis easier and earlier
A five-minute online session will allow neural health to be tracked across time, so that doctors can make an earlier diagnosis and researchers can evaluate medications and other treatments.
Bridging the communication divide for Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities
Bridging the communication divide for Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities
Clear-fronted face masks, better and more frequent interpreters, and amped up involvement from local organizations have made a big difference during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why do young children pick up language easier than adults?
Why do young children pick up language easier than adults?
Why do young children pick up language easier than adults? One Penn linguist has some theories.
In the News
IOL
Zulu language has global appeal
Audrey Mbeje of the School of Arts & Sciences is guiding U.S. students through the nuances of Zulu culture and language.
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The Conversation
Presidential pauses? What those ‘ums’ and ‘uhs’ really tell us about candidates for the White House
Mark Liberman of the School of Arts & Sciences says that Barack Obama used hesitation markers like “uh” and “um” roughly every 19 words during one interview. By comparison, he says, Donald Trump seldom uses those markers.
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AP News
Online, ‘unalive’ means death or suicide. Experts say it might help kids discuss those things
Andrea Beltrama of the School of Arts & Sciences explains language has always evolved, new words have always popped up, and these shifts are known as a “lexical innovation.”
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia accent turns water to wooder. Researchers try to explain why
William Labov of the School of Arts & Sciences co-authored a 2013 paper that examined Northern influences on the Philadelphia dialect.
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Al Día
Being bilingual and Latinx in higher education
Nelson Flores of the Graduate School of Education explores the challenges faced by bilingual Latinx students in the United States.
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The Guardian
Are you a busybody, a hunter, or a dancer? A new book about curiosity reveals all
Dani S. Bassett of the School of Arts & Sciences speaks on their new book, “Curious Minds: The Power of Connection,” co-authored with identical twin Perry Zurn, which investigates the foundations of curiosity.
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