Most of us learnt that ‘a’ goes before consonants and ‘an’ before vowels – and most of us were only half-right. This Learning ...

Steve in Glendale wrote to tell me about a snag he hit recently when writing about a blogger on a National Public Radio website. “When I just typed ‘a NPR blogger’ it didn’t sound right. It sounded ...

LPs - but is one 'an LP' or 'a LP'? A question from Marta in Poland: I am writing to ask about indefinite articles before a consonant sound. I know this is the reason we say 'a university' although 'u ...

Adjust the colors to reduce glare and give your eyes a break. Use one of the services below to sign in to PBS: You've just tried to add this video to My List. But first, we need you to sign in to PBS ...

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 ...

Would you drive a SUV called a Himmer? Phonetic symbolism refers to the notion that the sounds of words, apart from their assigned definition, convey meaning. A new article applies this theory to ...

Learn how experience teaches the brain to distinguish between the words in languages over time.

A MAP BOUNCING around social media shows “languages where the word for ‘mother/mom’ takes an m-sound”. It puts old maps of defunct empires to shame; scores of countries are shaded red. There are two ...