The English language is notorious for its spelling, where there are a bunch of silent letters in many of its words, and how there is a many-to-many correspondence between many of its letters and sounds. From the 'w' in place names like Greenwich but not Sandwich to the inconsistencies in the pronunciation of the '-ough' … Continue reading Why don’t we pronounce the ‘k’ in ‘knight’ anymore?
language
Languages with case prefixes? (Canada)
We have been quite unsuccessful in uncovering languages in Australia and Vanuatu that use a true system of case prefixes, with all of them using a mix of suffixes, particles, markers, and prefixes to mark a certain word for its case. In fact, one of the only languages near that region that has a system … Continue reading Languages with case prefixes? (Canada)
How do you write this letter?
I want to start today's dive with a little poll. I want to ask, how do you write the letter 'z'? Observing how people write this letter, I cannot help but to dig into why three such forms predominantly exist in our handwriting. Personally, I write my z's like 𝔷, while many others I know … Continue reading How do you write this letter?
When ‘th’ becomes a ‘t’
Previously, we have touched on the phenomenon of th-fronting, where the 'th' in words like 'three' and 'thing' are pronounced like an 'f'. This makes words like 'three' and 'free' sound almost identical. Today, I want to talk about one of the other options mentioned in the poll done in that essay, one where the … Continue reading When ‘th’ becomes a ‘t’
Moin — Low German (Plattdeutsch, Niederdeutsch, Plattdütsch)
In the German-speaking countries, there are several greetings one would tend to encounter depending on where one is. Sure there is the ubiquitous Hallo, but there are also regional ones from Grüezi in Switzerland and Servus in Bavaria and Austria, to Moin the further up north you go in Germany. One of the languages in … Continue reading Moin — Low German (Plattdeutsch, Niederdeutsch, Plattdütsch)
An introduction to the “Khoisan” languages
Click consonants are perhaps among the most unique sounds to have ever been used in languages, especially in word formation and beyond. After all, they use a particular type of airstream mechanism, which we have mentioned before when covering how we talk. The mention of click consonants has appeared a couple of times before on … Continue reading An introduction to the “Khoisan” languages
Languages without open / low vowels? (Arapaho, Hinónoʼeitíít)
When we compare the vowels used amongst the world's languages, we often come across an interesting pattern. There is almost always some distinction by vowel height, that is, the extent to which the tongue is raised or lowered when articulating a particular vowel. For example, /i/ and /u/ are referred to as "high" vowels, while … Continue reading Languages without open / low vowels? (Arapaho, Hinónoʼeitíít)
The language in Japan’s westernmost island
The Ryukyu island arc span the southwestern parts of Japan, straddling the boundary between the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, from around Taiwan to Kyushu. It is this island chain in which we will find Japan's westernmost inhabited island, at just 108km to Taiwan's east, which goes by the name of Yonaguni-jima, or … Continue reading The language in Japan’s westernmost island
Exploring the other languages of Japan (Miyakoan)
Previously, we have looked at the Hachijō language, a Japonic language spoken in the Izu islands and the Daitō islands in the south of Japan. Today, we will take a look at Okinawa Prefecture, in which we can find the Ryukyuan languages. The Ryukyuan languages form a distinct branch in the Japonic language family, making … Continue reading Exploring the other languages of Japan (Miyakoan)
The French of the Cajuns
When we talk about the use of the French language in the Americas, we often think about Quebec in Canada, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Haiti (though it also has a French-based creole), and that bit in the Guyana Shield which is part of overseas France, French Guiana. However, the French language also has considerable use … Continue reading The French of the Cajuns
The contest where you create new kanji
The Japanese kanji system is infamous for its difficulty for new learners to pick up, with various readings, stroke orders, and compound words formed from these characters. There are several thousand kanji characters in regular use today, with just around 2000 of them being taught in Japanese schools, and perhaps in Japanese classes following the … Continue reading The contest where you create new kanji
Writing in Africa — The Tifinagh Alphabets
In the very first introduction to the writing systems used in the African continent, I mentioned two indigenous systems. The first was the Ge'ez script, used to write languages such as Amharic and Tigrinya, and the second was Tifinagh, used to write the Berber languages. There was only a couple of paragraphs dedicated to each … Continue reading Writing in Africa — The Tifinagh Alphabets
The languages that mark case using tone
When we want to express how a certain noun or noun phrase is related to another noun or noun phrase in a sentence, perhaps even with the involvement of an action, we use different methods to express such a relationship in our languages. Some languages do not modify the arguments, instead using a more rigid … Continue reading The languages that mark case using tone
That time when a new English alphabet was taught
Little boy blue nursery rhyme printed in ITA (The Guardian, 2025) English is by no means an easy language to spell in, especially for people who are picking the language up in early education. After all, with memes going about saying mastering it is possible through thorough thought though, it is pretty evident that with … Continue reading That time when a new English alphabet was taught
A book that lets you learn… 4 languages at once?
Learning a language is by no means an easy thing to do. Quite often, you will experience words, sounds, grammars, and nuances that are different from what you are normally used to in your native languages. And so, there is a split opinion on whether or not it is advisable to learn multiple languages at … Continue reading A book that lets you learn… 4 languages at once?
The East African Click Languages (Hadza, Hazane)
The click consonants are perhaps some of the rarest or most unusual type of sounds used in the world's languages, with this type of sounds being closely associated with the 'Khoisan' languages of southern Africa. Beyond this group of languages, however, there are only three languages spoken in eastern Africa that use click consonants, and … Continue reading The East African Click Languages (Hadza, Hazane)
Introduction to formal & informal speech in some Austronesian languages
When learning some of the Austronesian languages, I cannot help but to notice the different patterns of speech that are used when talking to friends and family compared to the speech that is used when talking to people of greater seniority or higher social hierarchy. My observation first started with Bahasa Melayu, taking notice to … Continue reading Introduction to formal & informal speech in some Austronesian languages
A look into Indonesia’s unusual Austronesian language
Pulau Enggano is a small outlying island just off the southwestern coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. Around 110 km just off the southwestern coasts of the island of Sumatra, lies an outlying island called Pulau Enggano. Home to around 4000 to 5000 people, around under a half of the island's residents belong to the Enggano or … Continue reading A look into Indonesia’s unusual Austronesian language
Languages with case prefixes? (Vanuatu Pt 2)
Moving further into Vanuatu for the search of languages with case prefixes, we find ourselves on the island of Efate in the Shefa Province of Vanuatu. It is the island where the capital and largest city, Port Vila, is located, and it is the southern villages of the island like Erakor and Eton where we … Continue reading Languages with case prefixes? (Vanuatu Pt 2)
What on Earth is the “Austronesian alignment”?
If you are learning languages like Tagalog, you might have encountered this very term at some point, especially when we talk about how Tagalog sentences are constructed. This term can also go by several names, namely, the Austronesian alignment, the symmetrical voice, the Philippine-style voice system, and the Austronesian focus system. As the name might … Continue reading What on Earth is the “Austronesian alignment”?
Languages with case prefixes? (Vanuatu Pt 1)
Today, we will take a look at the languages that reportedly use case prefixes in a country that is not really talked about much here on The Language Closet. An archipelago shaped like a 'Y' belonging to the Oceanic sub-region of Melanesia. Vanuatu. Despite its size, Vanuatu is among the most linguistically diverse nations on … Continue reading Languages with case prefixes? (Vanuatu Pt 1)
Languages with case prefixes? (Australia Pt 2)
There are only three Australian languages identified by The World Atlas of Language Structures Online which are reported to have case-prefixes, which are Burarra, Gurr-goni, and Mara (or Marra). Previously in this series, we have looked at one particular language spoken in Australia which uses a relatively rare system of case prefixes, albeit a rather … Continue reading Languages with case prefixes? (Australia Pt 2)
Why “Span and Spick” Sounds Wrong — Frozen Binomials
In our everyday conversations we tend to speak, hear, read, and write stuff like “ladies and gentlemen”, “bread and butter”, or “coffee or tea”, without giving much thought to the mechanisms that make these sequences of words palatable to the ear or eyes. This pattern of words transpires down to order of names, as in … Continue reading Why “Span and Spick” Sounds Wrong — Frozen Binomials
Languages with case prefixes? (Australia Pt 1)
In some of the world's languages, one would be no stranger to the concept of grammatical case. Briefly put, it is the word or word modifier that reflects one or more grammatical functions the modified word plays in a given sentence or clause. Sometimes these case systems are rather elaborate, often taking up the functions … Continue reading Languages with case prefixes? (Australia Pt 1)
Is this a distinct language or a Finnish dialect group? (Meänkieli)
Remember that sign that I came across in Umeå, for which I wrote an introduction to Ume Sámi? I raised the question over where the word Tehkheilä could have come from, and posted it to the languages and linguistics community over in Bluesky, and received a rather compelling answer. It is perhaps a Finnic language … Continue reading Is this a distinct language or a Finnish dialect group? (Meänkieli)
Nominative-accusative? Ergative-absolutive? What do these mean?
In language introduction essays done on this website, you might see these kinds of terminology thrown about without further elaboration given to them. For example, in some languages of Australia, you might have seen ergativity being used, as with the essay on Naukan Yupik and Chukchi. But what are these systems, and what kinds of … Continue reading Nominative-accusative? Ergative-absolutive? What do these mean?
Perhaps the most controversial language — Pirahã
The academic world is not new to controversial findings. From publications with conclusions that contradict long-held paradigms, to downright academic fraud and the direct use of generative artificial intelligence in writing manuscripts, it is safe to say that many of such discoveries and findings have come under heavy scrutiny by other subject matter experts. And … Continue reading Perhaps the most controversial language — Pirahã
How do we talk? — Airstream mechanisms
There is pretty much no denying that all modern natural languages today are predominantly spoken. It is also perhaps the one aspect of language that we pretty much take for granted, and not really paying attention to the various processes underlying how we talk. I have been wanting to cover the fundamentals of phonetics for … Continue reading How do we talk? — Airstream mechanisms
The number systems of hunter-gatherer languages
Continuing from the deep investigation of unconventional number systems around the world, there seems to be an interesting pattern that is worth addressing. Many number systems we are familiar with tend to be in base 5, 10 or 20, with some of them having terms for higher numerals well into the thousands or millions and … Continue reading The number systems of hunter-gatherer languages
The language in the most radioactive city on Earth
There is a saying that goes 'fire is a good servant, but a bad master'. It describes the good that fire can bring to us, such as heat and light, serving us in our daily lives. Yet, it is capable of growing out of control, wreaking destruction in the form of blazes, infernos, and wildfires. … Continue reading The language in the most radioactive city on Earth
An introduction to Ume Sámi
A while ago, I traveled to Umeå in Västerbotten County in Sweden. It was there when I came across signs like these, on which upcoming events in the city are posted. But it was not the events that caught my attention, but more rather, the languages which are featured on the signs themselves. While I … Continue reading An introduction to Ume Sámi
Exploring the other languages of Japan (Pt 1)
We often like to think of Japanese as a language isolate. After all, it is the language we most often associate with being predominantly spoken in Japan. But as travelers to prefectures like Hokkaido and Okinawa would see, this is not quite the case. After all, Ainu is a language, and a language isolate, mainly … Continue reading Exploring the other languages of Japan (Pt 1)
The language behind the name of an iconic Australian bird
Australia is home to some of the world's most iconic wildlife. While we have covered some of Australia's marsupials previously, this time, we will cover Australia's birds. While there is the cassowary, a large flightless bird, there is also the bird that is named Australia's national bird, the emu, and there is a whole group … Continue reading The language behind the name of an iconic Australian bird
The language in the United States’ most remote community*
Picture this. You are in a village where goods and mail enter and exit by mule. There are no cars, for the nearest road that reaches this village is around 13 km away. Apart from hiking and mules, the only other way in and out of this village is by helicopter. Judging by this description, … Continue reading The language in the United States’ most remote community*
The language that gave Melbourne’s river its name
Melbourne is one of Australia's largest cities, alongside Sydney and Brisbane. Located in the very south of the state of Victoria, Melbourne is located along Port Philip, with a population of close to 5 million people. The Yarra River runs through this city, emptying into Hobsons Bay in Port Philip Bay. As one might suspect, … Continue reading The language that gave Melbourne’s river its name
Vanuatu’s other writing system
When it comes to hotspots of linguistic diversity, we tend to gravitate towards regions like New Guinea, Nigeria, and the Caucuses. But in the region of Melanesia, there are a group of 82 islands forming the nation of Vanuatu, which boasts the highest linguistic diversity per capita in the world. With a population of around … Continue reading Vanuatu’s other writing system
The language of America’s southernmost settlement
The southernmost settlements of America are shared between two countries -- Argentina and Chile. Nestled in the island called Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, translating to "Big Island of the Land of Fire", this island just south of continental South America is home to the settlements of interest today. Among these, are three settlements … Continue reading The language of America’s southernmost settlement
The German dialect behind a bizarre word
Today, I want to look into a German dialect mostly spoken in the state of Baden-Württemberg, totally not because I too happen to own a translation of The Little Prince in this dialect, but because I came across a bizarre idiomatic expression in that particular dialect. That idiom is Muggeseggele or Muggaseggele. From this article … Continue reading The German dialect behind a bizarre word
The languages in the world’s largest shire
There are many names given to administrative divisions around the world. We are familiar with states, counties, provinces, parishes, prefectures, arrondissements, boroughs, districts and so on, but today, we will look at the administrative division called a shire. We are generally familiar with the regions associated with this word, most likely as a suffix, and … Continue reading The languages in the world’s largest shire
The Australian languages with fricatives
The indigenous languages of Australia are particularly remarkable for their rather shared pattern of sounds. With generally not more than three or five vowels which may or may not be contrasted by length, and sharing many places of articulation for their consonants, these sounds have come to generally define what the indigenous languages of Australia … Continue reading The Australian languages with fricatives
Southeast Asia’s only surviving Portuguese-based creole
In 1511, the Portuguese Empire invaded and seized control of the city of Malacca, an important trading hub in the region. The colonisers intermarried with the indigenous women, and their languages intertwined, birthing a creole in the process. But Portuguese control of Malacca did not last. The Dutch took over Malacca in 1642, and later, … Continue reading Southeast Asia’s only surviving Portuguese-based creole
Why are there so many German names for this?
Let's start with a little question. What do you call this? If you are an English speaker, you might call this a jelly-filled donut or a jam doughnut. After all, these are doughnuts with a sweet filling, usually strawberry jam. Some Portuguese speakers might call this a malassada (a portmanteau of mal assada "badly baked"). … Continue reading Why are there so many German names for this?
The language of … yes?
When we talk about the languages of France, we would most likely tend to gravitate towards the French language. But in the southern parts of France, Monaco, and some regions in Italy and Spain, there is another language not as known as its French counterpart. Like the major languages spoken in the region (except Basque), … Continue reading The language of … yes?
The languages once spoken in the Caribbean
The Caribbean is known for their tropical islands and beautiful beaches. That is, if you ask anyone what comes to their mind first when the Caribbean is mentioned. But explore the right places and you just would be right. The main languages we see spoken in the Caribbean Islands today are pretty much one of … Continue reading The languages once spoken in the Caribbean
The language you can drink
There is a German saying that sort of describes this language as „die einzige Sprache, die man auch trinken kann“, quite literally, "the only language that you can also drink". And by drink in stereotypical German culture, one would allude to beer. Today, we will look at the language which shares its name with a … Continue reading The language you can drink
Australia’s only Papuan language
The Torres Strait Islands contain two of the more unusual examples of indigenous Australian languages. Quite a while ago, we have seen the Kala Lagaw Ya language, which I had remarked as being unusual, as it contained some sounds unusual to the Australian languages, as well as its rather low proportion of cognates with its … Continue reading Australia’s only Papuan language
Evaluating linguistic diversity using a different approach
Previously, and by that we mean about 6 months ago, we covered the various methods where one could use to assess linguistic diversity, which are extensions of biodiversity evaluation methods contextualised in linguistics. We have covered anything from richness to the Greenberg index, and looked at the downsides of evaluating linguistic diversity using these indices. … Continue reading Evaluating linguistic diversity using a different approach
The languages of Asia’s easternmost frontier (Pt 2)
Previously, we have looked at the language predominantly used in the settlement of Uelen, where most of its population being Chukchi. Today, we will look at the language used by its other indigenous people group, the Yupik. We commonly associate the Yupik with Alaska and Yukon, but there are a few hundred Yupik living in … Continue reading The languages of Asia’s easternmost frontier (Pt 2)
The languages of Asia’s easternmost frontier (Pt 1)
The Bering Strait forms the maritime boundary between two continents, Asia and North America. Not only does the International Date Line run through it, separating the easternmost part of Russia and the westernmost part of Alaska by at least an entire day, but it also once formed the land bridge that humans theoretically used to … Continue reading The languages of Asia’s easternmost frontier (Pt 1)
The language in the coldest city in the world
When we talk about very cold places, there are four primary regions that come to mind. Antarctica, Siberia, Northern Canada, and Greenland. After all, they are places commonly associated with being very close to the poles, and have rather harsh winters. But for the coldest city in the world, we might look towards the depths … Continue reading The language in the coldest city in the world
The language in the easternmost settlement in the world*
How do we define easternmost? Going by longitudes, we might gravitate towards the 180th meridian, or 180°E. After all, this is the easternmost you can go before crossing into the western hemisphere of the world, starting first at 180°W. With this definition, we find the 180th meridian crossing through some bits of land. Barring Antarctica, … Continue reading The language in the easternmost settlement in the world*
I tried Lingopie, and this is how it went
The idea of consuming various kinds of media to learn languages is not new. After all, classroom lessons are generally insufficient in teaching us about how a language is used in the real world, particularly in more colloquial speech. While they do provide a physical platform to practice, and understand grammatical patterns and usage, in … Continue reading I tried Lingopie, and this is how it went
A brief introduction to avoidance speech
When we talk about avoidance speech, the first thing that comes to mind is the language one might use when referring to the deceased, or things related to the deceased. After all, in some cultures, they might believe that a deceased person's soul would become a malevolent entity, and death is perhaps the greatest misfortune … Continue reading A brief introduction to avoidance speech
The Language Closet turns 8!
I am not going to lie, 2016 does not feel like 8 years ago, although realistically, it is. Reflecting back on the past year, we have touched on many different topics, ranging from writing systems, to more investigative pieces focusing on certain aspects of language or linguistics. These topics have been driven by an unstoppable … Continue reading The Language Closet turns 8!
When English had its ge- prefix gelost
English is a Germanic language. So too is German and Dutch. While geographically separated by the English Channel, these languages generally have rather similar histories, up until several centuries ago. If you have learned these languages before, you would find that many German and Dutch participles contain the prefix ge-, while English participles lack this … Continue reading When English had its ge- prefix gelost
An exploration on some unusual counting systems
When we compare numbers across various languages, there are perhaps two dominant counting systems we can identify. Intuitively, these rely on counting the number of digits on two hands, or perhaps including the toes as well. Many languages across the world use the former, hence having a decimal (base-10) counting system like Japanese, while some … Continue reading An exploration on some unusual counting systems
Does this language really have only 3 verbs?
Verbs are pretty much a universal occurrence in natural languages across the world. After all, their main function in a clause or sentence is to express a certain action, a certain state, or a certain occurrence in relation to other constituent parts of a sentence. But languages treat verbs differently from other languages, with some … Continue reading Does this language really have only 3 verbs?
Tracking the colonisation of Madagascar using Malagasy
Madagascar is a rather interesting place. With such a lush biodiversity, and famous for its lemurs, this island several hundred kilometres east of continental Africa hosts a substantial number of endemic species. However, unlike other biodiversity hotspots like New Guinea, Madagascar is not particularly known for its linguistic diversity. In fact, it seems anomalous that … Continue reading Tracking the colonisation of Madagascar using Malagasy
Using Hangul to write … other languages?
One of the most defining features of the Korean language is the use of Hangul characters. While we know that Korean is the language Hangul is predominantly used in reading and writing, there are other indeed other languages that use or sort of use Hangul. Previously, and by that, I mean several years ago, we … Continue reading Using Hangul to write … other languages?
Making sense of Irish orthography (Pt Finale)
Just as when I thought that learning the various sounds the consonants make, broad and slender, and the various sounds the vowels make, stressed, unstressed, long, short, and as vowel sequences, I found myself having problems especially when pronouncing words that have vowels flanking both sides, or just one side, of consonant digraphs like 'mh' … Continue reading Making sense of Irish orthography (Pt Finale)
Trying to make sense of Irish vowels (Pt 2)
Previously, I shared the various difficulties I faced when learning the orthography of Irish consonants, and how they are pronounced. But this time, I am faced with a bigger challenge -- figuring out how the vowels are pronounced. After all, the Irish language is no stranger to vowel sequences like "aoi" and "uai", building up … Continue reading Trying to make sense of Irish vowels (Pt 2)
Trying to make sense of Irish orthography, again (Pt 1)
Recently, I have taken an interest in learning the Irish language or Gaeilge again, after taking a somewhat extended break from it to learn languages like Maori. But immediately, I found myself in quite a bit of a pickle when it comes to learning how Irish sounds are written, and how written Irish is read. … Continue reading Trying to make sense of Irish orthography, again (Pt 1)
The most grammatically complex (?) Australian language
What makes a language complex? Is it the grammatical elaborateness of a language, or is it the specific nuances a language can discern through some form of grammatical inflection or otherwise? Investigating this area of linguistics has been mired in controversy and prejudice, as the 19th century view of language complexity hinged on meeting the … Continue reading The most grammatically complex (?) Australian language
Trying to understand Māori months
Recently, I have found myself back in the mood of learning te reo Māori more seriously, as I take larger strides in learning and familiarising myself with the words of the language. While some words sound like loanwords that have entered Māori, some others remind me of languages like Malay or Indonesian. But there is … Continue reading Trying to understand Māori months
When ‘th’ becomes an ‘f’
Let's start off today's essay with a little poll. How do you pronounce the word "three"? Is it closer to a "free", or is it closer to a "tree", or perhaps just a plain old "three"? As we covered really long ago, the 'th' sound is actually a pretty rare sound across the world, but … Continue reading When ‘th’ becomes an ‘f’
A look at Countdown Conundrum
Lately, I have been fascinated with the British game show Countdown, which features word-forming and arithmetic rounds between two contestants. Presented by Colin Murray, and co-presented by Rachel Riley and Susie Dent (in the Dictionary Corner) today, Countdown is one of the longest-running British game shows, and the British version of the French original Des … Continue reading A look at Countdown Conundrum
The Dutch that isn’t
The word Dutch today describes the people that live in the Netherlands, the official language of the Netherlands, and stuff that comes from the Netherlands. But there is one language that has the name Dutch, and yet is not really one. Sure, it is a Germanic language like Dutch is, but it is not intelligible … Continue reading The Dutch that isn’t
The birth of a toneme in Khmer
The languages of Southeast Asia are known for their tones. Sure, there are notable exceptions such as the Austronesian languages spoken in the Malayan Peninsula, but for the majority of languages, including the Kra-Dai languages spoken in Thailand, Laos, and northern Vietnam, Hmong-Mien languages spoken in northern Vietnam and Laos, and the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken … Continue reading The birth of a toneme in Khmer
A platform to learn the indigenous languages of Alaska
Picture a typical language learning application. Things like Duolingo, Babbel, and Memrise would come to mind. These would prominently feature the languages with the most number of learners, major languages like English, Spanish, German, and French. But dig below the surface, and you would find some indigenous languages covered in there as well. On Duolingo … Continue reading A platform to learn the indigenous languages of Alaska
How do you actually read Maya?
If you have visited Maya ruins across Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, particularly in the Yucatan Peninsula, such as Tikal, you might have encountered some stone walls or bricks with some graphic inscriptions on them. They may seem to blend in, or resemble the graphic carvings of figures, deities, or the like they are found with, … Continue reading How do you actually read Maya?
The flags in language selection menus
If we hover onto language selection menus in some websites, we would come across two distinct formats, an entirely text-based menu detailing the name of the language (in some cases, in that respective language), or languages as they are depicted using a country's flag. Examples of the former include Wikipedia and Windows language preferences, while … Continue reading The flags in language selection menus
Simplifying some linguistics terminology
Whenever I am not practising the languages that I am currently learning, I would usually read up on the inner workings of various languages, or how certain writing systems work. In doing so, particularly the former, I would encounter certain linguistics jargon that might just confuse the average reader. I must admit that when I … Continue reading Simplifying some linguistics terminology
The handwriting that schools banned
While trawling the Internet for interesting phenomena in any topics in language and writing, I came across this post that was spread around various pages. This one talked about the time when a certain handwriting was banned in schools across Japan. The reason for the banning was it being "too illegible". In fact, some sites … Continue reading The handwriting that schools banned
India’s only true indigenous alphabet (recognised as an official script)
With over 1.4 billion people, and being the most populous country in the world, India is an incredibly diverse place. With its diversity, also comes many languages, and writing systems used to write them. However, most of these writing systems have a similar pattern. Each consonant letter carries its own inherent vowel, and its vowel … Continue reading India’s only true indigenous alphabet (recognised as an official script)
How do we measure linguistic diversity?
Earth is a diverse place, with millions of species, and thousands of languages. Yet, when we think about diversity, our minds gravitate towards biodiversity, or the variety of life (usually plant and animal) in a particular area. But the same applies to linguistic diversity, or the diversity of languages in a particular area. On The … Continue reading How do we measure linguistic diversity?
Talking about four-character idioms
Today, I want to talk about a certain type of idiomatic expression so ubiquitous in both vernacular Chinese speech and writing, yet, only using a limited number of characters to do so. Almost all of them use just 4 characters, leading to one term called four-character idioms. The Chinese term is called 成語 or chengyu, … Continue reading Talking about four-character idioms
The writing systems that resemble comics (Pt 2)
Previously, we have looked at the Naxi Dongba script, one of the few writing systems in the world where manuscripts sort of looked like comics. But within a similar region of China, is another writing system that resembled comics, and it managed to incorporate colour into meaning. We have briefly given this writing system a … Continue reading The writing systems that resemble comics (Pt 2)
The writing systems that resemble comics (Pt 1)
In southern China, is a writing system that is referred to as the 'wood records' or the 'stone records'. But most people who speak the language it represents do not really know how to read it. Taking a manuscript from this writing system, it would appear very much like a page from a comic book. … Continue reading The writing systems that resemble comics (Pt 1)
Exploring Haitian Creole (Kreyòl)
On Duolingo's language menu, there is an interesting language added rather recently. It is perhaps the only creole to have ever been added to the platform, and with a background in French, I decided to explore this creole further, out of pure curiosity. This creole is known as Haitian Creole, or Kreyòl, spoken by at … Continue reading Exploring Haitian Creole (Kreyòl)
‘Nuclear’, but why do some say ‘Nucular’?
Let us start this week's exploration with a little question. How do you pronounce the word 'nuclear', as in, a 'nuclear reactor' or 'nuclear fission'? As I become more interested in languages, I have become more attentive to the patterns people pronounce certain words. There are two distinct patterns people tend to say the word … Continue reading ‘Nuclear’, but why do some say ‘Nucular’?
It’s time for a new review (Clozemaster)
It is 2024, and some of you might still have "learning a new language" as a resolution for this year. You might have poured through the conventional mobile applications dedicated to serve this purpose. Duolingo, Memrise, perhaps you might have taken up Babbel through some of their sponsored marketing through some YouTube channels. Today, I … Continue reading It’s time for a new review (Clozemaster)
Where did these new words come from?
If you have been anywhere on social media lately, or chatting with your friends, you might have come across some words that just sound, well, new. Words like 'rizz', or 'rizzler', or even 'gyatt' have started to enter popular colloquial use, ushering in a new wave of slang terms used amongst English speakers, typically skewed … Continue reading Where did these new words come from?
The language on the highest mountain of an island
When we talk about the highest points on Earth, we only ever talk about Mt Everest. It is no doubt the top of the world, but its status as the tallest mountain is under debate, since Hawai'i's Mauna Kea, when measured from its underwater base to summit, stands at 9330m, around 500 metres taller than … Continue reading The language on the highest mountain of an island
Which language has the most tones?
This question sounds easy and simple, but the real answer has many more layers to it. Tonal languages are languages where words can differ in meaning in tone or tone changes, in addition to consonants and vowels. There are probably at least a couple thousand of tonal languages in the world, each with differing complexity, … Continue reading Which language has the most tones?
The Languages of North America
When this topic pops into mind, our first instinct may be to gravitate towards English, French, and Spanish, the dominant languages in this region. French and English are spoken in Canada, English and Spanish are spoken in the United States, and Spanish is spoken in Mexico (North America largely includes only the Northern Mexican states, … Continue reading The Languages of North America
A weird way to write Taiwanese Hokkien
Hokkien is perhaps one of the most recognisable languages spoken in Taiwan, Fujian, and Southeast Asia. With more than 13 million native speakers, the Taiwanese variety of Hokkien is spoken by a majority of the Taiwanese population. Tracing its roots to the Hoklo immigration from southern Fujian to Taiwan, this language finds itself mutually intelligible … Continue reading A weird way to write Taiwanese Hokkien
The rise and fall of the Tōyō kanji
To say that Japanese has a convoluted writing system is a rather huge understatement. More accurately described as three writing systems in an orthographical trenchcoat, filtering out which kanji to use, teach, and write in Japanese has posed as a persistent challenge since its first mention in the Meiji period. Previously, we have seen the … Continue reading The rise and fall of the Tōyō kanji
Learning Taiwanese Hokkien
Today, I want to share some bits and bobs about my experiences learning something that I have been wanting to do for a long time. I have been to Taiwan twice in my life, and had great memories from that country. With great food, interesting architecture, and an interesting spread of linguistic diversity, Taiwan is … Continue reading Learning Taiwanese Hokkien
The curious rise of the Antarctic accent
English is a weird language. It is globally known, and to various extents, are spoken to varying proficiencies. With it, also comes its mingling with other languages, and more interestingly, geographical isolation. English has become an ubiquitous language -- spoken almost everywhere on Earth, probably except the uninhabited islands that dot the Earth's crust. The … Continue reading The curious rise of the Antarctic accent
Classical (or Literary) Chinese is … weird
Even as a native Mandarin Chinese speaker, I find some aspects of Chinese literature particularly difficult to understand or interpret. And no, I do not mean the 4 Great Classical Novels or the 四大名著 which are Water Margin or 水滸傳, Romance of the Three Kingdoms or 三國演義, Journey to the West or 西游記, and Dream … Continue reading Classical (or Literary) Chinese is … weird
A brief look into Bernese German (Bärndütsch)
Today, let us look into the book in the middle, the Bernese German translation of The Little Prince. Previously, we have looked at a variety of Swiss German called Züritüütsch, or Zurich German. Among my souvenirs from Switzerland, I did mention that I have a copy of The Little Prince in another Swiss German variety. … Continue reading A brief look into Bernese German (Bärndütsch)
A deeper dive into Swiss German
The Little Prince in Standard High German (left), Bernese German (center), and Zurich German (right) Recently, I went on a trip to Zurich for a convention, and decided to stay a day longer to explore as much of the Altstadt and the Limmat as I could. Naturally, I explored the local bookstores in search of … Continue reading A deeper dive into Swiss German
The simplified Chinese characters you probably have never heard about
For the past month or so, we have been on quite a streak with content surrounding Mandarin Chinese, but there are so many relatively obscure things about writing Chinese that many speakers, both native and non-native, often overlook. Today, we introduce the system of simplified Chinese characters that have dodged most people in the years … Continue reading The simplified Chinese characters you probably have never heard about
That time China tried to simplify characters… again
Simplified Chinese characters are probably what almost every learner of Mandarin Chinese would practice writing. Used predominantly in China, Singapore, and to a lesser extent, Malaysia, this writing system is used by more than a billion people, and does seem like a recent thing. But the history of simplified Chinese characters stretches way further than … Continue reading That time China tried to simplify characters… again
The Other Chinese Braille
Previously, we covered Mainland Chinese Braille, which works pretty similar to a syllabary, but interestingly lacked tone markers on a majority of cases. Today, we will look at another braille system used in China to read and write Mandarin Chinese. Designed and developed in the 1970s, and approved by the State Language Committee of the … Continue reading The Other Chinese Braille
So, how did California get its name?
This is probably the most well-known state in the United States, alongside Texas, New York, and Florida. Among the largest states in the country, with among the highest populations, California is perhaps the state that has exported quite a fair bit of cultural, economic, and technological influences globally, from Hollywood to Silicon Valley. Yet, there … Continue reading So, how did California get its name?
Exploring ‘character amnesia’
Here in the Language Closet, we cover a lot about writing systems, and some interesting bits surrounding the way we read and write. But there is one phenomenon I was introduced to back in high school regarding the loss of ability to write because one is too used to typing on text input media like … Continue reading Exploring ‘character amnesia’
How Chinese Braille works
In a previous post, we looked at the tactile writing systems that came before braille. Many braille systems today are functioning alphabets, with one cell representing one letter. These are variations of the original French braille alphabet, largely due to the goal of braille uniformity to unify the braille alphabets of the world as much … Continue reading How Chinese Braille works
The languages lacking the most common consonants
When we look at the sounds of the world's languages, there are some sounds that appear more often than others. The stop consonants /k/, /t/, /p/ (and their voiced counterparts) are among the most common sounds we hear, but some languages lack at least one of these consonants. One notable example is the lack of … Continue reading The languages lacking the most common consonants
Why does Australia not seem to have any indigenous writing system?
For most of us today, we read and write our languages in various writing systems -- some use alphabets, some use syllabaries, and some decide, why not, just use a bunch of them together. Despite the ubiquity and importance of writing in various societies today, most languages across the world are predominantly only spoken, with … Continue reading Why does Australia not seem to have any indigenous writing system?
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