A swear word is like a linguistic punch in the nose. Virtually every language and culture has them—and virtually every language and culture formally disapproves of them. But that doesn’t stop them ...

Moist. Mucus. Cyst. These are just a few examples of words people hate to hear. They make your skin crawl not only because of the gross visuals that come to mind, but also because of the way they ...

Do you think you have a good vocabulary? We can guarantee you've probably never heard some of these funny words before. Are you one of those people who still giggle when someone says “duty”? Wait ...

Big words, business jargon, and hyperbole intended to pump up your language only have the opposite affect. Check yourself before using any of these. There’s no such word as “irregardless.” The word ...

Why are some sounds easier to remember than others? A study on made-up words points to the harsh consonants that also dominate profanity.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their ...

Ryan McKay receives funding from the NOMIS Foundation. Shiri Lev-Ari does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, ...

What makes some words easier to learn than others? Researchers found that ideophones — words that sound like what they mean — are easier to learn than regular words. This suggests that some of our ...

Plato's dialogue Cratylus begins with a debate. Socrates is asked whether the sounds of words are simply arbitrary conventions, as Hermogenes suggests, or if sounds are reflective in some way of their ...

Julia uses an anchor chart, songs and whole brain teaching to review the 7 syllable types. Julia reviews previously learned skills. Then she uses an anchor chart, songs, and whole brain teaching to ...