Some things in language matter most when they’re invisible.
The pause before someone speaks. A borrowed word you no longer notice. A letter you don’t pronounce but can’t ignore.
This week’s edition explores the hidden mechanics of meaning, from social intelligence in Korean to silent symbols in Russian, and how languages adapt, borrow, and survive.
Everyday Expressions
Korean: “눈치 (nunchi)”
Meaning: The ability to read a situation, sense unspoken emotions, and understand what others are thinking, often without anything being said.
Why it’s fascinating:
Nunchi goes beyond basic social awareness. It’s about timing, sensitivity, and adjusting your behaviour based on subtle cues, who’s speaking, who isn’t, what hasn’t been said yet. In many contexts, having good nunchi is seen as a social skill you actively develop, not just a personality trait.
Example:
눈치 좀 있어라.
“Read the room.”
(literally: “Have some nunchi.”)
Why people love it:
Because it gives a name to something many cultures value but rarely label. Nunchi shows how language can make invisible social intelligence visible, the kind that shapes relationships long before words do.
Logic Behind Linguistics
Why Languages Borrow Words
Language borrowing happens when speakers adopt words from another language, often because they describe new ideas, objects, or cultural practices.
Examples:
English:
Kindergarten (from German) — literally “children’s garden”
Déjà vu (from French) — “already seen”Japanese:
パン (pan) from Portuguese pão (“bread”)
Why this happens:
Borrowing isn’t a sign of linguistic weakness, it’s efficiency. Speakers fill lexical gaps with ready-made solutions, and over time these foreign words become native.
Books We Recommend
Introducing Linguistics by R. L. Trask
A clear, accessible guide to the foundations of linguistics — covering sounds, words, grammar, meaning, and how linguists study language scientifically.
Why it’s worth reading:
Breaks complex ideas into plain language
Covers the major subfields of linguistics
Uses real examples from many world languages
Shows how language fits into culture, cognition, and communication
Music Without Borders
This Week’s Russian Playlist
We’re exploring the sound, rhythm, and everyday language of Russian through a curated Spotify playlist. From classic ballads to contemporary hits, you’ll hear how Russian expresses emotion, narrative, and social life, not through grammar drills, but through the language people actually use.
Why this is a great learning tool:
Natural speech rhythms train your ear for real conversation
Emotional context helps you remember words without memorising lists
Cultural content connects language to identity and everyday life
🎧 Listen here:
Endangered Languages/Voices at Risk
From the Brink of Extinction: The Return of the Eyak Language
Eyak is an Indigenous language from southern Alaska. Spoken around Prince William Sound and the Copper River Delta. It is part of the Na-Dené language family. Related to Tlingit and Athabaskan languages.
Once used in daily life for storytelling, trade, and cultural knowledge. Eyak declined during the 20th century due to forced assimilation and English-only education. By the early 2000s, it was no longer spoken.
Eyak survives through documentation and revival efforts. It is no longer a living community language. It is not lost either.
Fun Facts Worth Sharing
In Russian, there’s a special “soft sign” , ь , that isn’t pronounced on its own, but it softens the consonant before it and changes the meaning of the word.
For example:
мат (mat) = “swear word”
мать (mat’) = “mother”
Why it’s interesting:
A single invisible symbol can reshape meaning entirely, Russian teaches us that sometimes absence is just as meaningful as presence in language.
Join the Conversation
What’s your favourite example of how language reflects culture? Share your thoughts with our community on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.
The Eyak language: lost, remembered, and rising again 👇🧵 1. Eyak was a unique Native Alaskan language once spoken around the Copper River delta in south-central Alaska. It belonged to the Na-Dené family but stood apart as its own branch.
— Language Learners Hub (@languagelhub.bsky.social) 2026-01-30T17:08:57.836Z
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