The Best Articles, Videos, and Newsletters in Language
The most useful articles, videos, and newsletters in Language from around the web, curated by thought leaders and our community.
Refind focuses on timeless pieces and updates the list whenever new, must-read articles or videos are discovered.
Top 5 Language Articles
At a glance: these are the articles that have been most read, shared, and saved in Language by Refind users in 2026 so far.
Videos
Watch a video to get a quick overview.
Do conversations with people you don't know intimidate you? Try this
If you're nervous about having a conversation with a stranger, Charles Duhigg, author of "Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language," says one si...
How Language Shapes Thought
Do the languages we speak shape the way we think? For example, how do we think about time? The word "time" is the most frequent noun in the English languag...
Why we say “OK”
“OK” is thought to be the most widely recognized word on the planet. We use it to communicate with each other, as well as our technology. But, it actually started out as a language fad in the 1830’s.…
Lessons from Auschwitz: The power of our words
Classical music mastermind Benjamin Zander concluded his 2008 TED Talk by recounting the heartrending story of an Auschwitz survivor and her brother. This short animated piece highlights that story,…
Louis VI: The language you're fluent in — but forgot how to hear
What if the calm you feel when you hear birdsong isn't a coincidence, but ancient evolutionary wiring ... a signal that once meant safety? Musical ecologist and rapper Louis VI says humans are…
How to ...?
How To Know If You're An Interrupter Or A 'Cooperative Overlapper'
This conversational habit seems like interrupting but it's actually not.
How to Win at Wordle (Without Cheating)
Solve these puzzle questions to level up your Wordle game.
Trending
These links are currently making the rounds in Language on Refind.
Validating LLM Output? Prepare to Be ‘Persuasion Bombed’
New research shows that large language models increase persuasive behaviors when users question their output.
How Ancient Philosophy Lost Its Mind—Twice
The sophisticated language Plato wrote in gave way to a simplified "common" Greek—and with it, a simplified psychology. We inherited a twice-flattened concept of mind.
Bad Bunny, Super Bowl LX, and the Psychology of Connection
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX performance is a classic example of how music can break language barriers and promote collective resilience during turbulent times.
Is It Better to Learn a Second Language as a Child or Adult?
From brain development to accents, aptitude, and motivation, the real science behind language learning challenges the idea that there’s only one “right” age to start.
The Language Trap: How AI Writing Tools Are Standardizing Our Thoughts
As the use of generative AI becomes increasingly common, we must beware of an algorithmic colonization of language and thought. Is AI feeding our minds intellectual fast food?
Short Articles
Short on time? Check out these useful short articles in Language—all under 10 minutes.
4 Reflections on a Life-Changing Poem
The Curiosity Chronicle has quickly become one of the most popular newsletters for growth-minded individuals in the world. Each week, subscribers receive a deep dive that covers topics ranging from…
Wired for Words: Understanding Language and the Brain
After 150 years of mystery, neuroscience has finally cracked the code on how language works in the brain—and the answer is surprisingly elegant.
Nonverbal Communication: What Leaders Say Without Words
Enhance your leadership skills by mastering nonverbal communication in leadership for confident and clear interactions.
«And if you’re calm and quiet, own that too. Your stillness carries weight. Your presence can fill a room without raising your voice.»
A Link Between Language and Longevity?
Are aspects of language and cognition associated with decreased mortality? Recent research suggests that the answer is yes.
The people who 'see' foreign languages: How synaesthesia can help language learning
Synaesthesia is a neurological condition found to enhance memory and learning. Now, scientists say seeing in colour could help when it comes to learning a second language.
Long Articles
These are some of the most-read long-form articles in Language.
The Strange Power of Laughter
An anthropologist explores laughter as a far more complex phenomenon than simple delight—reflecting on its surprising power to disturb and disrupt.
Silence is Power: Sara Nović on Joanne Greenberg’s In This Sign
When it comes to deaf culture, I can be protective. The American deaf community is a diverse and vibrant subculture, with our own rich history, language, and shared values. We are also small, tight…
When Kids Talk to Machines
Language bots are no substitute for teaching children to speak and learn.
Podcast #244 : Language vs Reality with Nick Enfield
Iona Italia interviews linguistic anthropologist Nick Enfield about why language is good for lawyers and bad for scientists.
Essay: Spring, Like Us, Grows Old
An essay about poetry, language learning, and growing older
Thought Leaders
We monitor hundreds of thought leaders, influencers, and newsletters in Language, including:
What is Refind?
Every day Refind picks the most relevant links from around the web for you. Picking only a handful of links means focusing on what’s relevant and useful.
How does Refind curate?
It’s a mix of human and algorithmic curation, following a number of steps:
- We monitor 10k+ sources and 1k+ thought leaders on hundreds of topics—publications, blogs, news sites, newsletters, Substack, Medium, Twitter, etc.
- In addition, our users save links from around the web using our Save buttons and our extensions.
- Our algorithm processes 100k+ new links every day and uses external signals to find the most relevant ones, focusing on timeless pieces.
- Our community of active users gets the most relevant links every day, tailored to their interests. They provide feedback via implicit and explicit signals: open, read, listen, share, mark as read, read later, «More/less like this», etc.
- Our algorithm uses these internal signals to refine the selection.
- In addition, we have expert curators who manually curate niche topics.
The result: lists of the best and most useful articles on hundreds of topics.
How does Refind detect «timeless» pieces?
We focus on pieces with long shelf-lives—not news. We determine «timelessness» via a number of metrics, for example, the consumption pattern of links over time.
How many sources does Refind monitor?
We monitor 10k+ content sources on hundreds of topics—publications, blogs, news sites, newsletters, Substack, Medium, Twitter, etc.
Who are the thought leaders in Language?
We follow dozens of thought leaders in Language, including Grammar Girl is also @[email protected], Aeon+Psyche, Literary Hub, Nautilus Magazine, The Pudding.
Missing a thought leader? Submit them here
Can I submit a link?
Indirectly, by using Refind and saving links from outside (e.g., via our extensions).
How can I report a problem?
When you’re logged-in, you can flag any link via the «More» (...) menu. You can also report problems via email to [email protected]
Who uses Refind?
500k+ smart people start their day with Refind. To learn something new. To get inspired. To move forward. Our apps have a 4.9/5 rating.
Is Refind free?
Yes, it’s free!
How can I sign up?
Head over to our homepage and sign up by email or with your Twitter or Google account.
Keep Learning
Learn something new, guided by experts. Deep Dives are carefully hand-curated series of time-tested articles and videos from around the web.
Get the big picture on your favorite topics.