Topic description and stories

The importance of language is hard to overestimate, yet few of us are aware of the sheer breadth and diversity of language research.

Launch event

Cambridge Language Sciences launched

15 May 2012

The University launched its new Strategic Initiative in Language Sciences at a special one-day conference at Newnham College on 12 May, attended by...

Read more
Detail from the tablet found at Ziyaret Tepe. Inscribed with Cuneiform characters, the tablet consists of a list of women's names, many of which appear to be from a previously unknown language.

Archaeologists discover lost language

10 May 2012

Evidence for a forgotten ancient language which dates back more than 2,500 years, to the time of the Assyrian Empire, has been found by...

Read more
Oscillogram

Call of the wired

27 Apr 2012

For generations, we have dreamed of machines with artificial intelligence with which we can have real conversations but, despite amazing...

Read more

Early example of the Welsh word for not (dim, line 5) in the 14th-century Mabinogion

It's 'not' history

09 Mar 2012

University of Cambridge linguists have pieced together the curious evolving history of the word 'not' across the languages of Europe. In doing so...

Read more
Arrival of boat, Guernsey

Island language in a sea of change

07 Dec 2011

Norman languages spoken in the Channel Islands for a thousand years are now severely endangered. Cambridge linguist Dr Mari Jones has been analysing...

Read more
Functional neuroimaging of the human brain

The communicative brain

29 Nov 2011

What is it about the human brain that makes language possible? Two evolutionary systems working together, say neuroscientists Professor William...

Read more

Music in action

Music – or language in action?

24 Nov 2011

Music is more than just sound. Sharing many features with language, it has all the hallmarks of a communicative system, as Cambridge researchers are...

Read more
Categorising textual information

Mining the language of science

18 Nov 2011

Scientists are developing a computer that can read vast amounts of scientific literature, make connections between facts and develop hypotheses.

Read more
Sounds recognised from an audio recording

Smart listeners and smooth talkers

16 Nov 2011

Human-like performance in speech technology could be just around the corner, thanks to a new research project that links three UK universities.

Read more

Cambridge English

Testing the World’s English

15 Nov 2011

English language testing, and the research that underpins it, has been elevated to a new level by the increasing global dominance of English, now...

Read more
Sanskrit manuscript dating from 997 AD

Powerful words

09 Nov 2011

Ancient manuscripts that hold important clues to India’s intellectual and religious traditions will be the focus of a new study.

Read more
Word beads

How languages are built

08 Nov 2011

A team of Cambridge linguists has embarked on an ambitious project to identify how the languages of the world are built – from Inuit Yupik to sub-...

Read more

Pages