Linguistically Speaking...

Human language gives us the capacity to arrange our verbal ideas by stringing together words and phrases for constructing and organizing symbolic references to objects and abstract ideas. This evolutionary leapfrogging in language seems likely to have coincided with increased intelligence and the development of mindfulness or consciousness of the human species. Language is profoundly tied to intelligence and learning. The English language is the tongue of this author, but other language pages will be added if the readers will submit them to me by email. Your submissions would be appreciated.

The English Language

"Arts & Letters Daily", published each Monday through Saturday, delivers a rich content of news articles, essays, gossip, art trends, criticism, culture, language ideas, and book reviews at . Utilities for searching and reference are linked from the main news page.

Michael Quinion's collection of language pages, engagingly explores the etymology of the English language at "World Wide Words".One section of this web site, Turns of Phrase lists words and phrases that are so new, you won't find them in a printed dictionary; antiquated terminology is clarified and the evolution of the language sandwiched in between. You will find indexes to articles and book reviews about the English language, usage note tips, search by keywords linked to Web sites, phonetic keys available with pronunciation symbols as well as archives of back issues of a weekly newsletter. This is a very handy reference to have and it is I noticed during my last visit, the current subjects of interest in the "Questions and Answers" section were "going to hell in a handbasket" and "to wit". "In Brief" has shorter references to new words. The "Topical Words" page sheds light upon those terms in vogue, the "hot topics" we need to be conversant about if we are to keep up with the fast pace of technology. "Weird Words" is a collection of old and/or odd words and phrases.

International Languages

Don't miss Tyler Chambers' excellent "Human-Languages Page" for Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish translations. There are approximately twenty-three additional languages supported at this web site, as well.

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