The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. Among the myriad abilities that humans possess, which ones are uniquely human? Language has been a top candidate at least since ...

Language is one of the few faculties that still seems to be uniquely human. Other animals, like chimpanzees and songbirds, have developed elaborate communication systems, but none appears to convey ...

My son is a wizard. He walks into the kitchen, looks at me and utters the magic words: “Can I have a cheese and tomato sandwich, please?” A few minutes later, just such a snack appears in front of him ...

Lots of people say they want to learn a language, but the task itself can be daunting if you don’t know where to start. I remember approaching college eager to learn Italian. Fortunately, Stanford ...

There’s a good chance learning a new language is one of your New Year’s resolutions, unless you’re hoping Google Translate will be enough for your next international adventure. Either way, you’ll need ...

Learning a new language later in life can be a frustrating, almost paradoxical experience. On paper, our more mature and experienced adult brains should make learning easier, yet it is illiterate ...

Linguists give the lowdown on whether it is possible to forget your native language. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

If you stumble when you need to talk to someone in a language that isn’t your native language, do you think: “I just don’t have the knack for languages” or “Maybe I am not cut out to learn another ...

Sign language is a language you express by using your hands and face instead of spoken words. It’s most commonly used by people in the Deaf community. How many types of sign language are there? There ...

The long-held idea that language learning is better before adulthood is up for debate. Adults have a number of advantages when it comes to learning a second language, and it comes with major benefits.