Ukraine War Poses Existential Threat to Mariupol Greeks, Ukrainian Linguist Says at Harvard Weatherhead Talk

Tetiana V. Liubchenko, an associate professor of Greek linguistics at Kyiv National Linguistic University, discussed the displacement of Ukraine’s Mariupol Greek population since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country, during a lecture on Tuesday.

Language Courses Adapt to Connect Students Across Screens and Across Cultures

As Harvard students and faculty settle into virtual classrooms this fall, language instructors across several FAS departments have been developing new methods of engaging students virtually.

Origins of Language Book Talk

Daniel L. Everett, author of the new book "How Language Began: The Story of Humanity's Greatest Invention," speaks about linguistics on Wednesday evening in the Science Center.

Why I Declared: Humanities Edition

Last but certainly not least, Flyby sophomores planning studies in Humanities fields share their declaration process.

A Vibrant Attendance

Members of the greater community participate in the 6th Annual African Languages in the Disciplines Conference. The conference, which took place all day in the Barker Center, included talks on such topics as “Miscommunication during the Ebola Epidemic in Guinea and the Role of Local Languages in the Fight against the Disease.”

Tim Doner '18

Tim Doner '18 can speak over 20 languages. He gave a TEDxTeen talk on "breaking the language barrier" earlier this year in March.

Students To Vote on Reintroducing American Sign Language Courses

Starting on April 21, undergraduates will be able to vote on whether or not to support the reintroduction of American Sign Language courses that may be taken for credit.

Panel from the Mayan city of Cancuén, which includes an example of ancient Maya script.

War of the Words

This past April, language preservation activist Daniel Pedro Mateo was found dead near his home village in Guatemala. While the reasons are unknown, his story still speaks to the political potency minority languages can have as strongholds against assimilation.

Same Story, New Book: Repackaging Humanities at Harvard

Recently, national news outlets have declared a crisis of the humanities. But at Harvard, the plot gets more complicated. The challenges facing Harvard's humanities necessitate changes to course offerings far more than the core of the humanistic enterprise.

Overall Satisfaction with Social Sciences Concentrations among Class of 2012

Graduating social sciences concentrators in the Class of 2012 rated their overall satisfaction with their respective concentrations on a scale of one to five.

Concentration Satisfaction: Class of 2012

As freshmen enter the second week of Advising Fortnight, Flyby presents a complete set of data from the Class of 2012's concentration satisfaction ratings. For all freshmen looking to narrow down the list of potential concentrations, sophomores or juniors curious about their chosen concentrations, and seniors reflecting on their undergraduate careers, here are the stats from last year's graduating seniors on how satisfied they were with their respective concentrations. Check out our four interactive graphs showing overall satisfaction rates among Humanities, Natural Sciences, SEAS, and Social Sciences concentrators in the Class of 2012.

In & Around Language: Girl vs. Woman

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “woman” is defined as “an adult female human being. The counterpart of man.” (“Man,” on the other hand, is not defined as “the counterpart of woman.” Figures.) “Girl,” however, is usually meant to signify “young woman.” Technically, those are correct. But to some, their usage in the wrong context can range from being inappropriate to just plain offensive.

Classes Address Collaboration Policies

Among crowded classrooms and stacks of syllabi, professors outlining their collaboration policies have become a common theme of opening lectures.

Michael J. Silverstein Talk

Linguist Michael J. Silverstein laughs during the question and answer portion of his discussion. Yesterday Silverstein delivered his talk “Discourse and the No-thing-ness of Culture” as part of a lecture series put forth by the Department of Anthropology.

UMass Amherst Learns With Harvard

For the four Harvard undergraduates and eleven graduate students in Linguistics 117r, reaching the basement room where they delve into the thorny morphology and phonology of the little-known languages of the Caucasus may involve a shuttle or a trek by foot.

Mayan Writing Lecture

Brown University Professor Stephen Houston discusses the animism and dynamism of Mayan writing in his lecture: "The Living Sign: Maya Hieroglyphs and Vitalized Writing." The lecture brought students and professionals to the Geological Museum Lecture Hall to examine ancient pictoral writing and its relevance in today's world.

Tea Time