Have you ever stopped to realize that when you say kantor (office), visit a dokter (doctor), or buy a karcis (ticket), you are speaking a living slice of history? The development of the Indonesian language, or Bahasa Indonesia, is deeply intertwined with the archipelago’s complex colonial past. For nearly
The history of today's multi-ethnic world is deeply linked to the colonial history of intermixing, known as creolization. In fact, the roots of globalization may have actually begun with the creolization of the Americas. Those from the United States are probably most familiar with the term creole
English is a consistently evolving language. As time progresses, vocabulary shifts, new vernacular develops, and even the alphabet may be subject to change. Although alterations within alphabets may seem unnatural or unheard of, one of the prime examples of these alphabetized changes was the letter “thorn,” written as þ. This
In English, there is never only one way to say something. People can ask, inquire, or question. Slurping hot soup on a cold winter day might make one feel cozy, homey, snug, or comfortable. When first assessing the usage of these words, it may seem redundant to use various terms
Have you ever thought what it would be like if grammar didn't exist? Here's that same sentence without grammar: “Thought you ever what if existed grammar?” It doesn't make sense, but what actually is grammar? Grammar is the structure of language. It's
Languages are presumed to gradually transform, altering in subtle, almost imperceptible ways as time progresses. However, not all linguistic change is predictable and moderately paced. Between the 15th and 17th centuries, English went through an extremely prominent linguistic transformation that altered the way the language sounded at its root. This
Stretching across the Arctic, a very cold and remote area of the world, Inuit languages carry centuries of history and culture. Spoken across Alaska, Canada, and Greenland, these languages are living evidence of survival and resilience in the Arctic. Inuit languages belong to the Eskimo-Aleut family, which developed thousands
Urdu is a major language in South Asia, spoken by 70 million people as their first language and by 100 million as their second language. It is the national language of Pakistan and one of the 22 scheduled languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Urdu is
From time to time, many languages struggle to survive and face oppression from other languages. Most people choose to ignore this tragedy but local speakers try their hardest to conserve their languages. Some succeed, though many fail. Kannada is a language from India, with its roots traceable to ancient inscriptions
Everyone knows that French is considered the most romantic language in the world. But have you wondered why? What makes it so romantic? Here are a few points that make French the most romantic language in the world: Pronunciation French speakers have a soft pronunciation and intonation–their speech is
It is uncommon for languages to disappear abruptly and without warning. Usually, they tend to fade gradually, spoken by fewer people across generations until they eventually cease to exist. Across the globe, thousands of languages have already been lost, and a great number of them remain endangered. However, some languages
In northern Japan, there lies an island called Hokkaido where a language lurks through the villages and forests. For centuries, the Ainu people passed down stories and traditions through a unique language unrelated to Japanese, the main language of Japan, or to any other language, in fact. Today, however, the