language

New terms — like LatinX — are often pushed by activists to promote a more equitable world. But linguist John McWhorter says trying to enforce new words to speed up social change tends to backfire.

The dictionary publisher's guidance on the practice has people riled up. Grammarians say the made-up rule is one big waste of time. Not everyone is ready to let it go.

New research shows that a majority of Indigenous languages in America are endangered. NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Native American language preservationist Alaina Tahlate.

The radio program "Caló: A Borderlands Dialect" features words and phrases from the dialect of Caló, which originated in Europe and made its way to the Southwest. Host Oscar Rodriguez discusses the history and meaning of the words, and why it's important to recognize their heritage.

Are there words and phrases that are no longer acceptable or off-limits in the workplace? What happens if you're unaware that you're using them? It's not always a simple right or wrong, and people might not agree on what they are.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary set out recently to document some of these words on Twitter, and was flooded with responses from people offering their own.

After we published our list of terms likely to loom large in this year's vocabulary, readers submitted their own nominations. Here's a sampling.

In its annual Banished Words List, the faculty of Lake Superior State University also suggests removing from your vocabulary overused phrases such as "Does that make sense?" and "It is what it is."

Google compiled data on the people, entertainment and current events that Americans searched for the most in 2022.

A new study shows that swear words across languages may have more in common than previously thought. Many of them tend to leave out the same sounds.