The Secret Inca “Language” Hidden in Knots

We’ve packed your update with gems: a practical tool to sharpen your skills, a quick tip you can try today, and a cultural deep dive that’ll change how you see communication.

Whether it’s mastering pronunciation, learning smarter, or uncovering how the Inca “spoke” through knots, you’ll find something to inspire your language journey.

Don’t just memorise single words—learn chunks of language. For example, instead of just learning coffee or please, practise full phrases like “I’d like a coffee, please” or “How much does this cost?”.

Why is this useful?

Start by collecting 5–10 everyday chunks you can use this week—you’ll be surprised how quickly your conversations flow.

Word: Sobremesa (Spanish)

Meaning: The time spent lingering at the table after a meal, chatting and enjoying each other’s company. It reflects the cultural value placed on connection, conversation, and slowing down—something many languages don’t have a single word for.

Try this: Next time you eat with Spanish speakers (or even on your own learning journey), learn 3–5 phrases you could use during sobremesa.

From casual chit-chat to asking questions. It’s a great way to practise natural conversation in a relaxed setting.

In English, you work for everyone. Friends, strangers, elders, even groups. But in many languages, the word changes depending on respect, familiarity, or number.

This isn’t about politeness alone—it’s about how cultures encode relationships directly into their grammar. The way you say “you” instantly shows social context, identity, and belonging.

It’s a reminder that language isn’t just communication. It’s culture in action.

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Bonus tip: Use our weekly “Quick Language Tips” to practise one new phrase every day. You’ll be amazed at the progress that adds up in just a month.

Spanish once had a formal second-person pronoun that disappeared—and it’s the reason usted exists today.

Originally, Spanish used vos (like modern-day Argentina still does) for respect. But over time, people started saying vuestra merced (“your mercy”) to show even greater politeness. That phrase eventually shortened to usted.

Here’s the shocking part: usted literally began as a way of calling someone “your mercy”—and now it’s just the everyday formal “you”!

In ancient Peru, the Inca didn’t use writing as we know it. Instead, they recorded information using quipus, intricate systems of coloured strings and knots. Each knot’s position, size, and colour carried meaning, often used for keeping records of population, harvests, and taxes.

What’s fascinating is that quipus weren’t just numbers—some researchers believe they may have encoded storytelling or even a form of language.

It’s a powerful reminder that communication goes far beyond spoken words or written alphabets.

What’s your favourite example of how language reflects culture? Share your thoughts with our community on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.