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Julie Sedivy

The Rise and Fall of the English Sentence

The surprising forces influencing the complexity of the language we speak and write.

November 10, 2017

A Linguist Responds to Cormac McCarthy

If language began as a virus, here’s how it spread.

May 23, 2017

Why Doesn’t Ancient Fiction Talk About Feelings?

Literature’s evolution has reflected and spurred the growing complexity of society.

April 20, 2017

Is the Chinese Language a Superstition Machine?

How ambiguity in language can create unique taboos.

December 20, 2016

This Is Why Americans Are Irrationally Anxious About Terrorism

Many of terrorism’s most profound consequences are felt from a distance.

February 2, 2016

The Strange Persistence of First Languages

After my father died, my journey of rediscovery began with the Czech language.

November 2, 2015