Language

Word of Mouth 05.19.2012

Virginia Prescott — Sat, 19 May 2012 02:00:00 +0000

Brogrammers. How to eat a beaver. The hidden importance of invented languages. Why amateurs are the American characters. And unexpected advice for graduates.

From Elvish to Klingon

Virginia Prescott — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:15:33 +0000

Scholar Michael Adams explores invented languages in his book From Elvish to Klingon.

For Japanese Linguist, A Long And Lonely Schlep

Lucy Craft — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:38:00 +0000

A smattering of Yiddish words has crept into the American vernacular: Non-Jews go for a nosh or schmooze over cocktails. Yet the language itself, once spoken by millions of Jews, is now in retreat.

But you don't have to be Jewish to love Yiddish.

Digital Technologies Give Dying Languages New Life

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:41:00 +0000

There are some 7,000 spoken languages in the world, and linguists project that as many as half may disappear by the end of the century. That works out to one language going extinct about every two weeks. Now, digital technology is coming to the rescue of some of those ancient tongues.

Members of the Native American Siletz tribe in Oregon say their native language, also called "Siletz," "is as old as time itself." But today, you can count the number of fluent speakers on one hand.

A Road Trip In Search Of America's Lost Languages

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 19:25:00 +0000

The vast majority of the 175 indigenous languages still spoken in the United States are on the verge of extinction.

Linguist Elizabeth Little spent two years driving all over the country looking for the few remaining pockets where those languages are still spoken — from the scores of Native American tongues, to the Creole of Louisiana.

Practicing for the Spelling Bee? Grab an iPod

Brady Carlson — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:28:40 +0000

This weekend the New Hampshire State Spelling Bee takes place in Concord; NHPR is a sponsor of the event, in which the Granite State’s top spellers hope to make short work of long words the rest of us would probably trip over.

A Campaign to End Awesome? NOOOO!!!!

Virginia Prescott — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:44:10 +0000

British Poet John Tottenham's inexplicable quest to end the life of one of our favorite words.

Love Untranslatable

Virginia Prescott — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:56:25 +0000

We speak with Pamela Haag on the “Top Ten Untranslatable Relationship Words” poignant phrases that cannot be translated into English.