Language and National Security: Q&A with Bill Rivers
When national security threats appear, we need to be equipped to handle them with more than just manpower — we need language experts too. Bill Rivers, executive director of the…
Poetry in America: Q&A with Lisa New
Poetry shouldn't be some imposing, academic monolith: it should be discussed and enjoyed in homes and classrooms everywhere. The Poetry in America initiative, founded and directed by Lisa New, uses…
Pronunciation, Prestige, and Punchlines: Q&A with David Crystal
Pronunciation can be a minefield of silent letters and tricky vowels — and a signal of social hierarchy. But accents and pronunciation also provide endless fodder for jokes. Linguist and…
Talking Black in America: Q&A with Walt Wolfram
A new documentary, Talking Black in America, explores African American English through interviews with linguists, speakers, and educators. Walt Wolfram, director of the Language and Life Project and the film's executive…
Children’s Language Learning in Five Words
Linguist Cecile McKee explores the early stages of language development with five of the first words that English-speaking children say.
Erin McKean: My Five Favorite Words
A short essay listing the five favorite words (and why) by contributor Erin McKean, a noted lexicographer, author of seven books, and founder of the nonprofit online dictionary Wordnik.com.