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

Which words do we find beautiful? And do beautifully sounding words stick better in memory? A new study led by linguist ...

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 ...

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 ...

These four sounds are missing from some of the seven words you can never say on television, and the pattern prevails in other languages too, researchers say. By Elizabeth Preston “Holy motherforking ...

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 ...

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 ...

The English language is full of oddities, but some words sound so absurd you’d swear someone made them up after one too many pints. However, they’re real, many with histories stretching back centuries ...