Language commentator Geoff Nunberg considers the commonalities between different proverbs from around the world.

Language commentator Geoffrey Nunberg comments on recent activity at the federal level regarding bi-lingual education policies, and a proposed constitutional amendment to make English the nation's official language.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg on the practice of giving names to military operations, like the misconceived Operation Infinite Justice that was pulled from use.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg comments on the way English speakers use the suffix "e" and "i" to lump together most nationalities in the Middle East (Kuwati, Iraqi...). He says the practice has its roots in the 19th and 20th century colonial period, and says a lot about how we view people in that region.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg unpacks worries about different kinds of cultural and technical illiteracy--which he believes could more accurately be described as ignorance. Nunberg says we should be more concerned with the often overlooked problem of functional illiteracy.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg comments on language as a source of national pride and independence.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg has completed a computer-generated summary of a large number of Republican convention speeches delivered this week. The software analyzed the frequency of key words and recurring themes and produced a five sentence platform for the party.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg wonders if present day warning signs will be comprehensible to future generations.

Language commentator Geoff Nunberg reflects on how changing modes of speech in motion pictures signify a character's personal transformation. The 1938 version of Pygmalion is a great example -- but the trope can be found in several other films.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg has some thoughts on the literal meaning of "the body politic."

Earlier this month, there was a national uproar when a Michigan state legislator was disciplined for using a clinical sexual term during a debate. According to linguist Geoff Nunberg, it was just one of many such incidents that reflect a trend he calls the New Reticence.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg discusses political language and the word democrat, with a small "d."

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg considers how we talk about torture.

Chess master Garry Kasparov may have lost to Deep Blue, but linguist Geoff Nunberg says there are some areas where humans will beat computers -- at least for now.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg comments on a new CD of Elvis ballads sung in Latin by a Finnish singer.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg considers the word "appeasement," which is being used in the debate about the war in Iraq. The word doesn't have favorable connotations.

Language commentator Geoffrey Nunberg on the efforts of France's culture guardians to keep American expressions out of the language.

How many words are in the English language? 500,000? 1 million? Our linguist says there is no way to really count all the words. What's more, he wonders why people even care.

As the Ebonics controversy continues into its second month, linguist Geoff Nunberg comments on standard English.

Fresh Air linguist Geoff Nunberg considers the evolution of the meaning of the "e" word.