Human languages are known to have grown and changed considerably over the course of history, often reflecting technological, ...

The study of language evolution and learning addresses the complex interplay between cultural dynamics and biological predispositions in shaping human communication. Researchers employ experimental ...

The words "mama", "cookie", and "paper" might seem innocuous and common enough, but they share a linguistic quality that's statistically rare within the world's collective lexicon: They all contain a ...

An international team from Fudan, Harvard, and Stony Brook has identified shared statistical patterns in the vocabularies of 22 languages, using AI and centuries of linguistic data. The study found ...

Words like 'this' and 'that' or 'here' and 'there' occur in all languages. Researchers show that such 'demonstrative' words are used to direct listeners' focus of attention and to establish joint ...

For more than 150 years ago, the assumption that language is a singular event has hampered progress in explaining its evolution. Another obstacle was the failure to recognize that certain social ...

Researchers from Fudan, Harvard, and Stony Brook used AI and statistical methods to study the evolution of 22 languages, uncovering shared structural patterns in vocabulary change. The study found ...

A photo by Seán Roberts on a recent hike near his house in Wales, which prompted him to recall the conclusion of a research paper he co-authored on the impact of environment on language. "Ultimately, ...