Robert Redford, The Great Gatsby (1974)


From a poster for Charles Frohman’s dramatic production, The Hand of Destiny by Pierre Decourcelle, 1896

Why Did “Thieves’ Cant” Carry an Unshakeable Allure?

If thieves’ cant—a language known only to criminals—was the Devil’s cabinet, bourgeois society couldn’t help but peep inside.
A couple expressing affection

The Language of Your Love Life

A woman writing a letter at a table

The Ladylike Language of Letters

A teacup meant to symbolize Brexit.

The Many Metaphors of Brexit

A woman's face lit up in a dark room

People with Depression Use Language Differently

New research shows that people with depression use absolute words, such as "always," "nothing," or "completely," more often than others.
Mr. Knightley and Emma Woodhouse, from Jane Austen's Emma

Jane Austen’s Subtly Subversive Linguistics

Why are Jane Austen books still so beloved? A linguist argues it has more to do with Austen's masterful use of language than with plot.

The Hidden Life of Modal Verbs

hawaii stars lava mana

The Mysterious Mana of Speaking

The Austronesian concept of "mana" helps us understand that behind the monolithic "magic" of modern power and authority, there is a fragile human dimension.
Woman shakes head in blurred motion against business buzzwords

The Tangled Language of Jargon
