Linguistics



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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