What Is a Lingua Franca, and How Does It Improve Communication?
Lingua francas are used by people who don't have a language in common—and they have a long, complex history! Here are some lingua francas you'll find around the world.| Duolingo Blog
Lingua francas are used by people who don't have a language in common—and they have a long, complex history! Here are some lingua francas you'll find around the world.| Duolingo Blog
Language is always changing—but some words can resist for thousands of years. What are they, and how do they do it?| Duolingo Blog
Southern France didn't always speak French—it used to be the home of Occitan. Here's what happened to all the Occitan speakers.| Duolingo Blog
It can feel like some words are more meaningful than others—so couldn't languages be simpler? The answer is yes… sort of! Here's why we need useless words.| Duolingo Blog
How do we know what's good or bad in a language? Who decides? Language rules have a lot to do with who's in charge, and not much to do with grammar!| Duolingo Blog
There are many reasons languages can seem similar, and it's not always because they're related. Here's the complex case of Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian.| Duolingo Blog
Translanguaging is all the different ways that bilingual people use their languages to communicate. Here's what teachers and learners need to know!| Duolingo Blog
English is spoken differently around the world—from interesting words to unique accents! Here are 7 English dialects and how they are different.| Duolingo Blog
It's hard for learners to keep their languages apart! Here's how your brain applies words and rules from your first language to a new one.| Duolingo Blog
English and Spanish share a lot of cognates, and they are really helpful for learners! Here are tips for using Spanish cognates to boost your learning.| Duolingo Blog
Which languages count as Romance languages? Learn how Romance languages evolved over time.| Duolingo Blog
Languages are always evolving new words, meanings, and even grammar—but why? Here's why languages change over time.| Duolingo Blog
Learn more about the roots of the English language, and how the English language evolved over time!| Duolingo Blog
Language families come in all shapes and sizes—some include hundreds of languages, and others just a few. This overview covers 22 of the main groups!| Duolingo Blog
Languages constantly evolve and change, so what's ahead for English? Here are 5 predictions about what English will be like in the 22nd century.| Duolingo Blog
Some people stop using their native language regularly when they move abroad. But is it possible to actually forget it? Yes—but the reasons are complicated.| Duolingo Blog
