Phonological systems and the sounds of the world’s languages show a large diversity. The simplest, such as Hawaiian or Rotokas, only have 12 sounds in their phonemic inventory (Maddieson 1984), while more complex systems such as Changana or !xun have 121 and 141 contrastive segments (Janson & Engstrand 2001, Koenig 2006). Why are the sound systems […]
KNAW Conference on Diversity and Universals in Language, Culture, and Cognition Recently the Language Diversity: Genesis, Historical Development, and Cognition Program, initiated by Pieter Muysken (Nijmegen), Maarten Mous (Leiden), and John Nerbonne (Groningen) has been funded by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). The main aim of this program is to link […]
On 24-26 October, the KNAW Conference Diversity and Universals in Language, Culture, and Cognition will take place at Leiden University. This event will bring together leading experts from linguistics, anthropology, cognitive science and neighboring fields to pursue answers to questions concerning diversity and universals in human behavior. Within the various disciplines of humanities different thoughts exist about […]
The Pyrenees mountains between metropoles Barcelona and Bordeaux, Toulouse and Bilbao, are quite modern, juggling tourists, pilgrims, winter athletes, and the principality of Andorra between its peaks. However, the spotlight over this region has exposed in the foothills and the valley of Ossau, on the French side, a tradition quite different than those aforementioned. Unlike […]
The Canary Islands was named for the dog population, from the Latin “canarius” and became the name for a species of yellow birds. On top of this the Canary Islands is a recognized paradise for flora and fauna. So you might think when you hear whistling penetrating the air from the nearby gorges and summits […]
Imagine two old ladies who have just mouthed their dentures. The first is readying to give her most esthetic smile, the second whistles for room service to hurry up. There’s a chance the second lady is Greek from a particular village in the southeastern corner of the island of Evia. The collection of scattered stone […]
In the Pontic mountains facing the Black Sea a flurry of white tents and wooden stands take shape in the lush and narrow valley. Kusköy, a remote Turkish village, is poised to become a center of attraction for the duration of its annual festival. Hazelnuts, tea, and other local products bellow out their aromas into […]
Thank you to translator Barbara A. who worked on this project. Background During the last five years, the Municipality of La Falda in Argentina saw rapid growth in its influx of foreign tourists. La Falda is a city located in the province of Córdoba, Argentina where the main economic activity is tourism. The authorities decided […]
