Ever wondered how many languages there are in the world (and why Google won’t give you a direct answer)? Dive into the fascinating world of linguistics, the scientific study of language, in this fun and interactive course! We'll go beyond "grammar rules" to explore the science behind how we talk and make meaning. Learn to analyze your own speech and languages around the world through puzzles and games based on real-life examples. Uncover what you know when you know a language. By the end of this course, you’ll have a sense of how to crack the code of language using he linguistic tools of morphology (word structure), syntax (sentence structure), and phonology (sound structure). Get ready to be amazed by human language!

Math is all about solving puzzles where we explore patterns, come up with new ideas, and prove them right by carefully building on our starting point. In this course we will explore a specific application of mathematics, namely, the way we can use it for understanding how language works. We will build on basic mathematical and logical notions to get insight into the inner workings of the human psychology of language, with special attention to sound and meaning. Whether you love or hate math, this course is for you because through the study of language it is readily apparent that math can be lots of fun!

Did you know that language, like all natural phenomena, can be observed and investigated in a scientific way? What is unique about language is that everyone has their own personal and infinite data set living inside their brain. Learn to examine that data the way a linguist would, and puzzle over things that you may not realize you know about the language that you use every day. Learn how linguistics, the science of language, relates to your world and what you're interested in.