There are various patterns languages use to form new words to express either related concepts, or more complex ones. These patterns can include compounding words, such as Handschuhe (hand+shoes) to mean 'gloves', and the use of prefixes and suffixes to mark things like causatives or an agent of something. Such affixes may also occur together … Continue reading Perhaps my most favourite morphological feature
Month: May 2026
Are there languages with horizontal vowel systems?
On The Language Closet, we have taken a look at some of the more unusual vowel systems that can occur in the world's languages. From languages that have been purported to have fewer than two phonemic vowels to languages with multiple phonation types for each vowel, there is one main similarity that these languages primarily … Continue reading Are there languages with horizontal vowel systems?