Kuala Lampur, Jan. 21 -- One of the things I learnt early on as a student of linguistics is the concept of semantic markedness.

Consider the phrase "male nurse". Because the role of nurse is stereotypically coded as female, marking "male" highlights its perceived uniqueness. Every day, we all subconsciously mark features that we take as important cues to reality.

This instinct for marking is rooted in our biology. Baby zebras identify their mothers by the distinctive markings on their stripes, and elephants distinguish their clans by unique sensory cues. For animals, semantic marking is essential for survival, helping them navigate a world of kin and strangers.

With humans, we take this further through the power of words. We use antago...