For example, a catchier version of a word, such as aeroplane rather than flying machine, is more likely to persist. For many decades, linguists used a tree approach, says Pagel. Comparisons, however, ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Language is how we interact, ask for help, and hold meaning in community. We use it to organise complex thoughts and share ideas.

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Siri or Google Assistant are developed by the global north and trained in English, Chinese or European languages. In comparison, African ...