Arika Okrent

In English we have a few different ways to write the sound of a kiss: muah, smack, xxx. They get the idea across, but none of them imitate the actual sound of a kiss.

English isn’t the only alphabet, and not every alphabet will fit into “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Here are some other songs from around the world to help them learn their ABCs.

Not all authors’ dedications are nice. Some—like these—are just plain mean.

Language is so deeply embedded in almost every aspect of the way we interact with the world. What would our thoughts be like without it?

Sometimes there are words that you've seen, read, and maybe even used in conversation whose meaning you can never keep straight.

You may hear an "Erin go bragh" or two, but even on the most Irish of holidays, we don't hear much of the Irish language—which is a shame.

Perfectly innocent Latin or Greekisms that just happen to sound like something else.

Silent letters are the scourge of spellers and a stumbling block when learning how to write in English—but they're often hidden remnants of how the words passed through different languages on their way to English.