Language | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/language/RSS feed for LanguageenTue, 11 Aug 2026 19:00:41 +0000This New App Created in Collaboration With the Rainy Lake Ojibwe Community Aims to Preserve Indigenous Language and Knowledgehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-new-app-created-in-collaboration-with-the-rainy-lake-ojibwe-community-aims-to-preserve-indigenous-language-and-knowledge-180989317/Users can browse traditional stories, learn more about notable landmarks and discover family connectionsTue, 11 Aug 2026 19:00:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-new-app-created-in-collaboration-with-the-rainy-lake-ojibwe-community-aims-to-preserve-indigenous-language-and-knowledge-180989317/How Does a Bilingual Speaker's Brain Process Two Languages? New Research Suggests That Both Rely on the Same Neural Wiringhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-does-a-bilingual-speakers-brain-process-two-languages-new-research-suggests-that-both-rely-on-the-same-neural-wiring-180989202/Scientists have long wondered whether different neural mechanisms govern each language within a bilingual speaker’s brain. A recent study of people who speak both English and Spanish hints at a single "grammatical engine"Mon, 27 Jul 2026 20:29:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-does-a-bilingual-speakers-brain-process-two-languages-new-research-suggests-that-both-rely-on-the-same-neural-wiring-180989202/Three Millennia Ago, Humans May Have Spoken Thousands More Languages Than We Have Today, During a Linguistic 'Golden Age'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/three-millennia-ago-humans-may-have-spoken-thousands-more-languages-than-we-have-today-during-a-linguistic-golden-age-180989197/A new study suggests linguistic diversity reached its peak between 1000 B.C.E. and 1000 C.E. before decliningFri, 24 Jul 2026 21:42:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/three-millennia-ago-humans-may-have-spoken-thousands-more-languages-than-we-have-today-during-a-linguistic-golden-age-180989197/Sperm Whales Living in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea Seem to Have Developed a Distinct Dialect From Those in the Westhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sperm-whales-living-in-the-eastern-mediterranean-sea-seem-to-have-developed-a-distinct-dialect-from-those-in-the-west-180989084/All Mediterranean sperm whales were thought to be part of one cultural group, identifiable by a unique pattern of clicks, or a coda. But sound recordings suggest that eastern creatures use a sped-up version of the western whales' codaWed, 08 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sperm-whales-living-in-the-eastern-mediterranean-sea-seem-to-have-developed-a-distinct-dialect-from-those-in-the-west-180989084/Humans and Great Apes Giggle With a Similar Rhythm and Timing, Suggesting We Have Shared Our Style of Laughter for 15 Million Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-and-great-apes-giggle-with-a-similar-rhythm-and-timing-suggesting-we-have-shared-our-style-of-laughter-for-15-million-years-180989031/Understanding how laughter evolved can reveal the secrets of human speechMon, 29 Jun 2026 18:30:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-and-great-apes-giggle-with-a-similar-rhythm-and-timing-suggesting-we-have-shared-our-style-of-laughter-for-15-million-years-180989031/