Linguistics
Preserving China’s minority languages
A language preservation project is working to preserve some of China’s minority languages to ensure they don’t die out, says University of Melbourne expert.
Vocal fry: What is it and why does it still polarise listeners?
Whether you love, hate or are ambivalent about vocal fry, University of Melbourne linguists and voice experts can explain its origins and place in society
Who is nature?
A new film taps into virtual reality and First Nations wisdom to re-conceive Nature as a “who” requiring give and take, says a University of Melbourne expert.
I don’t think that word means what you think it means
Words change their meaning over time. But some words can evolve to mean the opposite of their original definition say University of Melbourne researchers.
How do you crack the code to a lost ancient script?
Linear A, the script of one of the earliest European civilisations, the Minoans, is still undeciphered but a University of Melbourne expert is finding new clues
‘Like’ has totally evolved to become, like, a legit word
The word "like" may be frowned on, but University of Melbourne research finds young women lead the way in how languages and grammar evolve, and it's, like, fine
Words and war: The role of the linguist in conflict resolution
Language can divide, but it is also key to uniting people. Professor Jo Lo Bianco from the University of Melbourne works in conflict zones, including Myanmar.
Preserving precious Indigenous languages
Linguists are using new technology to return decades-old recordings of now near-extinct languages to the Indigenous communities where they were made.
How small talk can lead to big things
Casual conversations between friends provide valuable tools for researchers, offering a rich opportunity to study how language structures deliver social action.