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)
vulnerable
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 English spoken in Earth’s most geographically isolated island
There are hundreds and thousands of islands, but not all of them are inhabited. Some are not large enough to support communities, while others are located in places that transport networks do not typically reach. Yet, in the South Pacific, there exists an island still inhabited by people. Located more than 5 000 kilometres from … Continue reading The English spoken in Earth’s most geographically isolated island
The Language Closet 