Effective communication lies at the heart of human connection. It helps us collaborate with each other, solve problems and ...

Why are some sounds easier to remember than others? A study on made-up words points to the harsh consonants that also dominate profanity.

Intelligence often shows up quietly, not through big words but through thoughtful ones. The way we frame uncertainty, ...

A swear word is like a linguistic punch in the nose. Virtually every language and culture has them—and virtually every language and culture formally disapproves of them. But that doesn’t stop them ...

These four sounds are missing from some of the seven words you can never say on television, and the pattern prevails in other languages too, researchers say. By Elizabeth Preston “Holy motherforking ...

What’s in a swear? The world’s filthiest words typically refer to something vulgar or taboo, for one. But there’s something else swears across the world’s languages have in common. They’re all missing ...