USC Dornsife News

From history to music to podcasts that explore how we can live a more fulfilled life, USC Dornsife scholars/podcast hosts share what they think should be on your “must-listen” list in 2023.

Planning to see the “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu” movie? You might find the popular media franchise holds lessons in how the human mind makes the connection between sounds and their meanings, according to research by USC Dornsife linguist Stephanie Shih.

Dude, check it. Here’s, like, a fresh look at the rad language of L.A., a bomb way of talking that legit shreds way beyond the 405 and the 101.

Researchers at USC Dornsife’s Brain and Creativity Institute find there is something universal about what occurs in the brain when it processes stories, regardless of a person’s origin or language.

In a new study, USC Dornsife psychology researchers and colleagues find a downward trend over the past two centuries in people’s tendency to use positive words.

Slacktivism, lifehack, agender — linguist Edward Finegan comments on the social implications of words newly added to dictionary.com’s database.

USC Dornsife’s Jennifer Achiro, a neuroscience doctoral student in Sarah Bottjer’s laboratory, is first author on a songbird study that could lead to better treatment of language disorders in children.

The ability to read depends upon the cooperation of distinct regions in the brain, according to a new study led by Qinghua He of USC Dornsife’s Brain and Creativity Institute. The findings could lead to therapies for reading problems.

The new minor provides students of all ethnic backgrounds the opportunity to learn about the Persian language and culture — a major step in creating a more compassionate world.