Category: 2024-2025

Flat 85: A Microcosm of Language Contact and Conflict

Since moving into accommodation in London, I have been blessed with a very culturally and therefore linguistically diverse flat. I’m living with other students coming from all sorts of places, such as Manchester, Yorkshire, Pakistan, and even straight from Dubai. Whenever I come home after a day of classes, I’m able to continue my studies…
The Language of Emoji: Silly, Mindless Symbols or a Virtual, Hieroglyphic Lingua Franca?

Why Write About Emojis? I will admit, when I first came up with the idea to write about emojis in my debut published article, I was worried that it was too low-brow and that I should write about something more profound and niche instead. But, I had to stop myself when I realised that this…
Sex, Language, and Hatred

We often wonder how deeply sexism—the patriarchy, even—has clawed itself into society. I do, at least. How far back does it go? Is everything we do, say, based on systemic marginalisation? I’m aware that this sounds stupid, it is unquantifiable. Obviously it is deep. There are many aspects (the fashion industry, sex work, and sports,…
Death’s Dance – a poem

Death’s dance was feverousA passion that burnt everything she touchedThe motions of her movements spinningHer infection making them blush And though she longed to dance as a pairEvery partner would slip through her graspFor a second Death embraced themThe memory leaving her in a trance Shimmering figures lined her pathBeckoning her to go on forwardAnd…
Playing a Game with Wittgenstein

Upon the recent rumors of Noam Chomsky’s death, shockwaves have been spreading across the world, with political commentators and linguists alike grieving the possibility of the world losing one of its most influential voices. A famed critic of imperialist and capitalist world leaders, the alleged news received an outpour of celebration for his contributions to human…
When Mormons Tried to Rewrite the ABCs: The Deseret Alphabet Flop

Would you rather have 5 million dollars or 5 minutes with Joseph Smith? If you aren’t an avid TikTok user like myself, you might not have come across the viral question making its rounds at BYU. And no surprise here, the answer is almost always the 5 minutes with Joseph Smith. BYU is a university…