When we use language, it seems so easy to understand what other people are saying that it is hard to appreciate the complexity of the act of carrying on a conversation. Obviously, we miscommunicate at ...

For example, the following sentence lends itself to two possible interpretations: (1) Old men and women left the theater. What does “old” modify in this sentence? “Men” or “men and women”? In other ...

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Why did language evolve? While the answer might seem obvious — as a way for individuals to exchange information — linguists and other students of communication have debated this ...