UMassLinguistics

📢 Interested in applying for our MA program for the fall?Or perhaps one of our certificate programs?The deadline is coming up! MA program deadlines for application is April 1 (No Joke!) This weekend would be a good time to start an application 😀.Questions❓❓❓ Let us know! www.umb.edu/academic...

Stop Protecting Chomsky Podcast Episode · The Vocal Fries · February 27 · 55m

The Vocal Fries #podcast: Stop Protecting Chomsky

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo scholar takes closer look at musical lexicon in celebration of Hawaiian Language Month | Kauai Now Nicholas ‘Kealiʻi’ Lum uses social media to unpack poetic soul of Hawaiian music, uncovering unique phrases that make songs distinct.

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo scholar takes closer look at musical lexicon in celebration of Hawaiian Language Month

Infographic: The Transatlantic Divide in Language Learning This chart shows the share of primary and secondary students learning a foreign language.

The Transatlantic Divide in Language Learning

AI and bilingualism at the centre of Professor Ioannis Galantomos’ Macquarie Uni visit Visiting Sydney as part of his sabbatical, Ioannis Galantomos, Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Thessaly.

AI and bilingualism at the centre of Professor Ioannis Galantomos’ Macquarie University visit

This 12-year-old is enchanting people with her Yiddish singing. Her klezmer musician dad explains why. Many of Dinah Slepovitch’s performances, accompanied by her father Zisl Slepovitch, can be found on YouTube

This 12-year-old is enchanting people with her Yiddish singing. Her klezmer musician dad explains why. /via ACTFL

Third gen dancers from across Australia flock to Melbourne for Antipodes Festival performances Greek dance groups from across the country are performing on Melbourne's Lonsdale street on Saturday for the Antipodes Festival.

Third gen dancers from across Australia flock to Melbourne for Antipodes Festival performances /via ACTFL

Is ICE causing a drop in student enrollment? School leaders say yes. Officials from Massachusetts cities including Chelsea and Lynn say the falling enrollment could translate to budget cuts.

School leaders from local cities with large immigrant populations say fears of stepped-up federal immigration enforcement is driving a drop in student enrollment numbers. “As ICE raids continue across the commonwealth, immigrant families are living in fear.” https://bit.ly/4rMoNs5

Wait are folks still doing “I asked the chatbot why it did something” discourse?

It’s never too late to learn a language – adults and kids bring different strengths to the task While a young language learner can more easily acquire a native accent, adults retain the ability to learn new languages well into later life.

It’s never too late to learn a language – adults and kids bring different strengths to the task

Holding the Pendulum Steady A moderated dialogue on multilingual literacy, language development, and the science of reading Abstract As states and districts increasingly adopt policies aligned with the science of reading, questions persist about how these shifts intersect with the education of multilingual learners. This article presents a moderated dialogue among leaders from WIDA, educators and administrators from Floyd County Schools in Georgia, and a university-based linguist from the University of Georgia, which took place during The Reading League’s Ninth Annual Conference in Chicago, IL. Through structured discussion, participants explored points of alignment and questions related to language development standards, literacy instruction, assessment, and

Holding the Pendulum Steady; A moderated dialogue on multilingual literacy, language development, and the science of reading

StoryBundle's In Translation bundle to benefit Global Voices Lingua: Interview My primary goal was that the bundle be representative of our broader world, without a focus on the regions most already represented in collections of translation.

This month, @storybundle.bsky.social launched a global storytelling bundle focused on translated books which will support @globalvoiceslingua.bsky.social, our network of volunteer translators who bring underreported stories into dozens of languages.

lingua.globalvoices.org/2026/02/stor...

Banished and Un-Banished Words We finish our discussion of the words people would like to see banned from the English language in 2026 and then we uncover some uncommonly odd things about one particular prefix.

You're Saying It Wrong #podcast: Banished and Un-Banished Words

How the War Department Learned to Stop Worrying and Love AI (with Naomi Klein), 2026.02.09 AI boosters and the US military are engaged in a lethal love affair. Award-winning journalist Naomi Klein joins Emily and Alex to discuss how glitchy technology supports global imperialism — and vice versa. Plus, we explore which Dr. Strangelove characters are currently running the US war machine...

Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 #podcast: How the War Department Learned to Stop Worrying and Love AI (with Naomi Klein)

Central Unified Board commits to exploring Dual Language programs in Spanish and Punjabi In January, the Board of Trustees affirmed its commitment to developing a Dual Language Bilingual Education program in Spanish and Punjabi.

Central Unified Board commits to exploring Dual Language programs in Spanish and Punjabi

The Multilingual Myth A recent study suggests that people in multilingual countries age more gracefully. But this may have more to do with wealth, healthcare, and structural advantage than language.

The Multilingual Myth; Why wealth, not words, may drive healthy aging. /via NABE

USask to launch Indigenous language certificate in Michif - News The Indigenous Language Certificate is designed to help educators develop proficiency in speaking and teaching Heritage/Southern Michif through Indigenous teaching methodologies.

USask to launch Indigenous language certificate in Michif

Proof That Jim Crow Era Was Not That Long Ago And Why This is Important to Know; Jim Crow laws were in place not that long ago. Even though many photos from that time are in black and white, the history is far from ancient and the remnants are all around us. www.theroot.com/proo...

Scientists reveal why human language isn’t like computer code Human language may seem messy and inefficient compared to the ultra-compact strings of ones and zeros used by computers—but our brains actually prefer it that way. New research reveals that while digital-style encoding could theoretically compress information more tightly, it would demand far more mental effort from both speaker and listener. Instead, language is built around familiar words and predictable patterns that reflect our real-world experiences, allowing the brain to constantly anticipate what comes next and narrow down meaning step by step.

Scientists reveal why human language isn’t like computer code

Panama City Trilingual School students take cultural learning to the stage Students at Panama City Trilingual School performed at the school’s annual international festival, showcasing cultural dances and traditions for their families.

Panama City, FL Trilingual School students take cultural learning to the stage

Mapping language: CSULB researchers seek California's 'coolest' Spanish Survey says: Los Angeles area Spanish speakers proclaim they converse in the Golden State’s coolest version of the language.“Everyone associates the city’s Spanish with coolness,” graduate student Alejandra Rivas ‘24 said.  Rivas is among the Cal State Long Beach students contributing to “Perceptual Dialectology in California: Latinx Perspectives,” an ongoing study revealing what Spanish speakers living in the Golden State think about regional varieties of the language and its distinctive blend with English – Spanglish.

Mapping language: CSULB researchers seek California's 'coolest' Spanish

TWTS: Not all sounds resonate The way some people use "resonate" doesn't resonate with all of our listeners.

That's What They Say #podcast: Not all sounds resonate

Mother Language Day: The disappearance of Sami Languages Did you know one language falls silent every two weeks? Interview with Dr. Tanja Kupisch, Professor of General Linguistics at Lund Uni.

Mother Language Day: The disappearance of Sami Languages

Turn on a Dime (episode #1675) Every subculture has its own secret lingo, whether you’re talking about surfers, cab drivers, or coffee-shop baristas. A new book uncovers the slang of everyone from stunt performers to department…

A way with words #podcast: Turn on a Dime

Mother tongue education as a lever for learning and equity

What shorter sentences means for the English language - ABC listen Are sentences getting much shorter or is it just our attention spans? 

What shorter sentences means for the English language #ABC #audio

How to, Like, Stop Saying Filler Words Filler words serve important cognitive and social functions, but you can rein them in when it matters.

How to, Like, Stop Saying Filler Words

Where are the most endangered languages in the world? | Arts and Culture News | Al Jazeera February 21 is World Mother Language Day. Al Jazeera looks at the most spoken languages and which ones are endangered.

Where are the most endangered languages in the world? February 21 is World Mother Language Day. Al Jazeera looks at the most spoken languages and which ones are endangered.

China prioritises regional expertise over language fluency in academic shift Some 450 regional studies centres have been set up across more than 180 institutions nationwide since Ministry of Education launched project.

Why Chinese universities are ditching language degrees for strategic regional expertise; Some 450 regional studies centres have been set up across more than 180 institutions nationwide since Ministry of Education launched project

Why a group of digital linguists are trying to revitalise the long-extinct Phoenician language | Middle East Eye Academics are sceptical about whether the ancient Semitic language can ever be accurately reconstructed but a group on Discord have taken up the challenge

Why a group of digital linguists are trying to revive the long-extinct Phoenician language. Academics are sceptical about whether the ancient Semitic language can ever be accurately revived but a group of budding linguists on Discord have taken up the challenge