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Recent Posts
Loanwords: Helpful or Harmful?
A loanword is a word which has been adopted from another language, although this process is often much more permanent than its name would suggest. Even the word “loanword” is a calque of the German
Language and Cognition
The human ability to communicate through language is truly astounding. It begs the question of why no other animal species can communicate as humans can, and the study of language, alongside psychology, can point us
Entangled Etymologies: Separating Fact From Fiction
If you pick up a baby name book while browsing the shelves of a charity shop, you are likely to come across slapdash etymological work. Whether it’s claiming that Claudia comes not from claudus (‘lame’)
On The Border Between Language and Dialect
There is a wealth of popular linguistic articles in print and online that claim to systematically explain what is meant by the terms, “language” and “dialect”. Many opt for the neat conclusion that a language
The Schwa As A Symbol Of Gender Inclusivity In Modern Italian
In recent years, the need for gender-inclusive language has risen throughout many cultures, as seen in the widespread use of the 3rd person singular “they” and “them” in English. Italian, however, has opted to introduce
Oxford Admissions Tests: A Quick Guide To The LAT (Language Aptitude Test)
What is the LAT (Language Aptitude Test)? One of the most famous and unique Oxbridge admissions tests is Oxford’s Language Aptitude Test, which is effectively a linguistic challenge where applicants are given short examples from
