The Latest Breaking News from Languages

When did humans first begin to speak, which speech sounds were uttered first, and when did language evolve from those humble beginnings? These questions have long fascinated people, especially in tracing the evolution of modern humans and what makes us different from other animals. George Poulos has spent most of…

The Public Order Emergency Commission, which examined the federal government’s decision to declare a state of emergency during the occupation of the so-called freedom convoy in Ottawa, is bringing into the light debates over how bilingual Canada really is.

Two studies from the University of London examine common traits between swear words across different languages, finding that most lack approximants.

“Skalk,” I cursed in Kelvak. It’s my favourite language to curse in – there is nothing as satisfying as the harsh consonants and default imperatives of the primary Kelvaki language.

And researchers say it's all to do with approximants

Swear words are thought to have sounds that help facilitate the expression of emotion and attitude, researchers say.

The latest release of data from the 2021 census has given us new information about the languages people speak across England and Wales. There is growing linguistic diversity: over 90 different languages were reported as the main language of people living in England and Wales.

Sarah is among thousands of migrant workers accepting jobs below the minimum legal rate, as a survey by Unions NSW finds more than half of job ads written in foreign languages are breaking the law.

The new policy is to promote the use of Nigeria’s 625 local languages, but implementation remains uncertain.

From the UK government’s latest post-Brexit language-learning reforms to France’s eternal debates over the supposed linguistic inadequacy of its youth, governments regularly scratch their heads over how to improve how languages are taught.

An indigenous language has 16 advanced speakers — teaching it is a step towards greater cultural diversity