The Truth Behind Our Words: Bias in Cultures Across History
Researchers found that global attitudes correlate with language, revealing that implicit biases are often mirrored in AI models like ChatGPT. The study suggests that to…
Language News
Language is a complex system of communication used by humans, consisting of the structured arrangement of sounds (spoken languages), written symbols, or gestures (in the case of sign languages). It enables individuals to express thoughts, emotions, and information, facilitating social interaction, cultural transmission, and learning. Each language follows specific grammatical rules and vocabulary, allowing for infinite creativity and variation in expression. The study of language, known as linguistics, explores its structure, use, acquisition, and evolution across different cultures and historical periods. Language not only serves as a fundamental tool for everyday communication but also deeply influences personal identity, social relationships, and the broader cultural framework of communities.
AI Decodes Sperm Whale Language, Revealing a Complex System of Communication
Researchers from MIT’s CSAIL and Project CETI use machine learning to decode the “sperm whale phonetic alphabet,” revealing complex communication patterns, deepening our understanding of…
How Meerkats Communicate: Decoding the Sounds of Survival
Meerkats use two distinct types of vocal interactions to maintain communication with their group mates. Sometimes their calls simply convey information, while other times, meerkats…
Scientists Discover That Song Lyrics Have Become Simpler and More Repetitive
According to a study published in Scientific Reports, the lyrics of English-language songs have grown simpler and more repetitive over the last 40 years. Eva…
Hidden Complexity: Unlocking the Mysteries of Orangutan Communication
Researchers uncover the diverse vocal patterns of Bornean orangutans, identifying three distinct pulse types in their long calls, and emphasizing the complexity of animal vocalizations….
Neuroscientists Find Key to Language Impairments Deep in the Brain
Research reveals brain abnormalities in children with developmental language impairments, suggesting potential new pathways for diagnosis and treatment based on movement-related brain functions. A rigorous…
Baby’s First Words on Hold: The Alarming Acetaminophen Connection Uncovered
Research from the University of Illinois links increased acetaminophen use during pregnancy to early childhood language delays. The study advises caution in using the drug…
Chronic Ear Infections Linked to Language Delays in Children
Vigilant monitoring and prompt treatment can help protect against bad outcomes. Ear infections are a common childhood experience, but a new study suggests parents should…
Cross-Species Communication: Humans Crack the Chicken Clucking Code
A study reveals that humans can accurately discern chickens’ emotions from their clucks, a finding that could enhance chicken welfare and inform consumer choices. A…
Rhythm Over Alphabet: Why Babies Need Nursery Rhymes for Language Mastery
Babies don’t begin to process phonetic information reliably until seven months old – which researchers say is too late to form the foundation of language….
Bilingual Minds, Sharper Focus: The Cognitive Benefits of Speaking Two Languages
The new study explored the distinctions between bilingual individuals and monolingual individuals. People who are bilingual may excel at shifting their attention between tasks more…
The Battle of Tongues: When Languages Collide, Which Survives?
The life or death of a language often depends on individual preferences and social prestige. Researchers from the University of the Balearic Islands have shown…
Colorful Consequences: How “Blue” and “Green” Appeared in a Language That Didn’t Have Words for Them
People of a remote Amazonian society who learned Spanish as a second language began to interpret colors in a new way, an MIT study has…
Teaching in English Linked to Worse Results and More Drop-Outs
A new study from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden indicates that employing English for teaching in higher education…
Stifled Success: “Significant” Language Barrier in Science Could Cost Countless Careers
An international survey led by the University of Queensland has quantified the cost of a “clear and significant” language barrier encountered by scientists who are…
Gibberish or Genius? Verbal Nonsense Reveals Limitations of AI Chatbots
In a new study, researchers tracked how current language models, such as ChatGPT, mistake nonsense sentences as meaningful. Can these AI flaws open new windows…
Seventy-Year-Old Puzzle Solved – Researchers Decipher Ancient “Unknown Kushan Script”
A team of early-career researchers from the University of Cologne has successfully deciphered the enigmatic ‘unknown Kushan script,’ a script that has puzzled scholars for…
Challenging Linguistic Assumptions: Size of Society Doesn’t Dictate Grammar Complexity
Recent research indicates that grammatical complexity is not influenced by social surroundings. Languages globally exhibit significant variations in their grammatical nuances. Such differences can be…