Instead, we use an alternative strategy: mapping brain signals to phonemes, the basic units of sound that make up words. In English, there are 39 phonemes, including ch, er, oo, pl and sh, that can be ...

When people talk face to face, they don’t rely on words alone. They move their hands, raise their eyebrows, or nod to help express what they mean. These gestures often carry meaning and help listeners ...