Verbal communication is usually straightforward. You open your mouth and say what you want to say. Communication doesn’t only happen verbally. As you speak or listen, you also express feelings and ...

Wild chimpanzees alter the meaning of single calls when embedding them into diverse call combinations, mirroring linguistic operations in human language. Human language, however, allows an infinite ...

Linguistic diversity on Earth is far more profound and fundamental than previously imagined. But it’s also crumbling fast At the heart of linguistics is a radical premise: all languages are equal.

Most organisms communicate, but humans are unique in communicating via symbolic language. This entails relationships between signifiers (e.g. words) and what's signified (e.g. objects or ideas), where ...

Language is a defining feature of humanity, and for centuries, philosophers and scientists have contemplated its true purpose. We use language to share information and exchange ideas—but is it more ...

Corrections & clarifications: An earlier version of this story contained inaccurate or incomplete facts about the history of language. Language is an essential part of human communication, allowing ...

If you’ve watched all of Netflix, played every board game in your possession, and baked more bread than you can possibly consume, consider spending some of your newfound free time learning (or ...

Humans are storytelling beings. As far as we know, no other species has the capacity for language and ability to use it in endlessly creative ways. From our earliest days, we name and describe things.

Learning a new language can be a fun yet frustrating endeavor. Like any new skill, consistency is key. As much as we might want to, we can’t all pick up and move to France for six months to become ...

Humans are the only species known to use fully symbolic language: a system capable of expressing abstract ideas, imaginary worlds and endless combinations of meaning. But how did we get there? The ...