English, the universal lingua franca, is full of historical peculiarities and idiosyncrasies that can confuse even the most seasoned language learner. American English, particularly, is swimming with ...

Precise definitions for “bussin,” “chitterlings” and “cakewalk” will be distributed to the world in 2025 with a new dictionary issued by Oxford University Press. Last year, Oxford University Press ...

Oxford University Press and Harvard University are collaborating to create the Oxford Dictionary of African American English (ODAAE). Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Director of Harvard University’s Hutchins ...

What has happened to proper grammar usage and the proper pronunciation of American English? “Gonna” and “wanna” have replaced “going to” and “want to.” People use “different than” instead of ...

"The People’s Tongue: Americans and the English Language" is available Feb. 14. (Courtesy Restless Books) In his new anthology, “The People’s Tongue: Americans and the English Language,” editor Ilan ...

In this course, you’ll practice the sounds of American English that might sometimes be confusing. You'll practice both consonant and vowel sounds. You’ll also learn about the things that give English ...

Mr. Stavans is the Lewis-Sebring professor at Amherst College and a consultant to the Oxford English Dictionary. He is the author of the forthcoming book “The People’s Tongue: Americans and the ...

If you’ve ever been confused by British English, you’re not alone. One big reason is vocabulary. Many everyday words are completely different from what American English speakers use. For example, ...

Broadway, as always, is giving us lessons on language and its connection to music. The stellar new production of “Purlie Victorious,” not seen on Broadway since 1961, is Exhibit A. The show is not a ...