A recent study found that American Sign Language (ASL) features a copula called SELF, previously thought to be absent. Researchers tracked the evolution of SELF through historical records and social media videos, discovering a pattern termed the 'copula cycle' that spans over 150 years
A new study by Thomas Pepinsky challenges the idea that language shapes thought and behavior, finding no evidence that linguistic differences affect social and economic outcomes. The study reveals that statistical methodologies used in previous research are prone to producing false positives.
A new study found that people's pronunciation of certain words changes after hearing a southern-accented talker, even if they didn't hear the actual sound. Participants who had never lived in the U.S. south still converged on a southern-like pronunciation, suggesting that expectations about accents shape our speech.
Two studies published in Language reveal persistent gender bias in both peer-reviewed journal articles and course materials used in linguistics. Linguistics textbooks exhibit male-gendered protagonists more often, while research articles show stereotypes about men and women, with non-binary identities absent.
A new linguistic study uses computational modeling to reconstruct the grammar of Proto-Indo-European, the ancestor of most Eurasian languages. The model provides insights into language evolution over millennia, including stable features and changes in prominence.
The LSA's 95th Annual Meeting features research on topics like prosodic focus in human- versus voice-AI-directed speech and linguistic measures of symptomatology in schizophrenia. Researchers also explore the bilingual dimensions of [s+] production in Latinx Miami drag culture.
A new study reveals that DeafBlind signers use tactile grammatical structures to convey meaning, suggesting alternative pathways for language development. Researchers analyzed the conventionalization of protactile phonology in US DeafBlind communities, finding consistent patterns in hand articulation and grammar assignment.
A new study by Katie Welch and Marco Shappeck investigates the prevalence of 'LOL' in students' text messages, highlighting its potential applications in classroom learning. The research demonstrates how linguistic concepts can be effectively incorporated into courses that satisfy basic educational requirements.
Researchers analyzed a massive corpus of spontaneous speech from French-English bilinguals, discovering that pronunciation is not a reliable indicator of linguistic proficiency. Contrary to stereotypes, many speakers often pronounce borrowed words in English-style, even when code-switching into their native language.
Researchers found that Scots dialects allow for specific types of contractions, such as 'Here it's!' or 'There it's!', which shed light on speakers' understanding of language structure. These patterns suggest that speakers have an unconscious knowledge of grammatical differences between sentences.
A new study found that court reporters transcribed African American English 82.9% accurately, falling short of the 95% requirement. This discrepancy can impact trial outcomes due to potential miscomprehension by jurors and judges.
A new study finds that using 'the' with a plural noun to refer to a group of individuals creates a distancing effect, making the speaker appear less connected. The study analyzes data from U.S. House speeches and pundits on 'The McLaughlin Group', revealing patterns in politicians' use of 'the' based on their political leanings.
The study found that over half of the world's living languages are currently endangered, with around 600 nearly extinct. However, hundreds of languages have been documented sustainably archived audio and video collections, and there is ongoing engagement from indigenous researchers on their own languages.
A recent study by Christine Mallinson and Anne H. Charity Hudley suggests that K-12 STEM educators who are aware of linguistic issues can better support African-American students. The authors recommend developing cultural and linguistic competencies through partnerships with local linguists and using linguistic insight to invite studen...
A new study reveals glaring disparities in treatment of ASL native students by the US Department of Education. The research highlights the need to dismantle conflation between language and disability, calling for explicit programmatic curricular suggestions and policy changes.
A new study of Tommo So folk songs reveals that artistic expression often prioritizes harmony over pitch accuracy, despite the potential for confusion. The authors found that melodies in tonal languages like Tommo So tend to avoid direct contradictions between sung and spoken pitches.
A recent study on reality TV contestants found that accents change in a complex manner, with large daily fluctuations but rare longer-term changes. The research suggests that the degree of accent change is influenced by individual differences and sound characteristics, rather than social interactions.
A recent study by Rajend Mesthrie found that gender is a stronger predictor of language change than class among young black university students in post-apartheid South Africa. The research showed that female students are more likely to adopt the 'crossover' language varieties, which were previously associated with white-dominated groups.
A new study by Kristian Berg and Mark Aronoff found that English suffix patterns can categorize words into grammatical categories, such as adjectives. The researchers analyzed a large sample of written English documents over 1,000 years, discovering consistent spellings for common suffixes like -ous and -ic.
A new study reveals that dialect unfamiliarity and prejudice against AAVE and other non-standard dialects can lead to mishearing and misjudgment in courtrooms. The authors argue that vernacular varieties should matter more, and linguists can play a bigger role in explaining them.
Researchers examine how second person pronouns in Spanish are used to communicate shifts in various social identities, highlighting the dynamic nature of identity negotiation. The study confirms that aspects of our identities are often fleeting, invoked for a purpose and then negotiated as conversations progress.
Researchers discover 'reactive effort' in sign languages, where movements produce torque on the torso, and find that vocabulary avoids signs requiring extra reactive effort. This biological universal sheds light on language and physical activity.
Researchers found that Nheengatú speakers communicate time of day by pointing at the sun's position in the sky, similar to saying 'nine o'clock' in English. This practice shows that users of auditory languages can develop visual language like sign languages.
Researchers found a significant shift from using 'which' to 'that' in relative clauses, particularly among writers who also avoid the passive voice and end sentences with prepositions. This study demonstrates the importance of prescriptive grammar as a social force in shaping English language usage.
Native ASL signers acquire intonation in three stages: appearance, reorganization, and mastery. Young signers use certain features with different frequencies than adults.
Researchers Floris Roelofsen and Donka F. Farkas investigate the workings of 'yes' and 'no', finding that their interpretation is affected by intonation and sentence polarity. Their framework explains distribution and interpretation in English and predicts patterns across languages.
A recent study published in Language journal provides new evidence for the Indo-European steppe hypothesis, suggesting that languages diverged approximately 6,500 years ago. This finding is supported by a phylogenetic analysis of over 200 sets of words from living and historical Indo-European languages.
A new study by Berkeley linguists provides evidence that the 'Indo-European' language family originated 5,500 - 6,500 years ago, supporting the 'steppe hypothesis'. The study examined over 200 sets of words from living and dead languages, concluding that divergence began around 6,500 years ago.
A new study predicts dialect features based on demographic characteristics and location using statistical modeling techniques. The researchers examined how speakers of Italian and Tuscan dialects referred to 170 different concepts, finding that geography and social factors influence language use.
A new study published in Language presents a rigorous linguistic analysis that contradicts previous research on the origins of written language. The analysis suggests that popular statistical measures do not support the claim that certain symbol systems, such as the Indus Valley and Pictish symbols, are examples of written language.
In a new study, researchers found that four-to-seven-year-old children rely on phonological characteristics when assigning nouns to classes, even though semantic features are more predictive. This suggests that children actively filter and select data from their environment to learn language.
Researchers found that kinship inflections evolved as a means to avoid restricted personal names, providing a practical solution for person recognition. The study provides insight into language evolution by examining the use of linguistic structures in social interaction.
The 88th Annual Meeting of the Linguistic Society of America will take place in Minneapolis, featuring cutting-edge research on various aspects of language. Researchers will present papers and posters on topics such as dialect features in social media, differences in Black and White American Sign Language, and changes in accent over time.
A study found that active television viewing is linked to accelerated language change in Glasgow, using specific features of London English. The authors recommend further research on social interaction's role in influencing language change.
Researchers have documented a new mixed language, Light Warlpiri, generated from a combination of elements from three languages. This innovative language features verb and noun structures not found in the source languages, showcasing the creative potential of human language formation.
A recent study published in Language journal reveals that Philadelphia's traditional Southern accent is being replaced by Northern influences. The research analyzed neighborhood speech patterns over a century, finding two major patterns of change and their possible causes related to geographic neighbors.
A recent study by Hendrik De Smet investigates language change and finds that actualization processes involve small adjustments exploiting similarities between contexts. This process can lead to differences in language use over time, influencing grammatical structures.
Researchers create 'Literal Lucy' to test speakers' ability to distinguish between literal and pragmatic meaning. The study finds that adopting a third-party perspective improves reliability in making this distinction.
A new study demonstrates that words which sound better to speakers of a language have a higher chance of being created, influencing language evolution over time. The research reveals the interconnectedness of linguistic rules and suggests that humans do not learn language in a simple, context-independent manner.
A recent study finds that languages vary in speed but not in efficiency, with some languages packing more information into each syllable than others. The research, published in Language journal, explores linguistic strategies for efficient communication and reveals a strong relationship between syllable complexity and speech rate.
Language learners are creative and clever, generalizing grammatical restrictions to new words in categories, avoiding irrelevant factors. They don't learn purely by imitation but bring sophisticated resources to the process.
Research shows that certain types of metaphors are difficult to convey in sign language due to the iconicity of a form constraining possible metaphorical extensions. Sign languages exhibit rich metaphorical use, but clashes between form and meaning components can render some metaphors impossible.
A recent study of an ancient language sheds light on the mechanisms driving linguistic evolution. Researchers discovered that languages undergo a 'bumpy ride' of changes, guided by shared principles and ordered processes.
A study published in Language reveals that people are remarkably accurate in predicting the syntax of others' speech, thanks to their knowledge of linguistic probability. This skill has significant applications for educators, entrepreneurs and those working with individuals with language disorders.