Otherwords

Is the Southern Accent Disappearing?

When you hear names like Gladys or Herbert or Doris, you probably automatically think of old people, but why is that? Linguists have been studying the science of first names for a long time, and though what's behind a particular parent's choice is deeply personal and often opaque, there are certain trends in baby naming that can reveal a lot about the values and direction of a society.

Is the Southern Accent Disappearing?

7m 33s

  • A Brief History of the Reading Wars?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    A Brief History of the Reading Wars?

    S4 E9 - 8m 35s

    When we read our eyes skim the print, we notice the length of the word and maybe the first letter, then our brains use context clues to deduce what the word should be.But is that really how reading works? Believe it or not, this question is at the heart of a decades-long battle in the English-speaking world–a battle that's been raging amongst educators, politicians, and scientists.

  • Is Body Language Really A Language?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Is Body Language Really A Language?

    S4 E7 - 8m 58s

    Verbal communication covers what we say, the words we’re saying, whether spoken or signed. So, is body language a language? Short answer: no. Body language is not a standalone language in the linguistic sense, however it is an important and necessary form of communication that supplements and emphasizes the verbal communication it's paired with.

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