John Gordon Ross

A Man for All Reasons

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Language Stuff

Almost everyone uses language, so inevitably almost everyone thinks they are an expert in it. I don’t consider myself an expert, though most of my work requires at least language competence and sometimes actual skill, but I do follow the blogs featured on this feeds page.

(If you are wondering where the translation-related feeds have all gone, I have put them on their own page.)

Most of the blogs represented here are in English, most of the time, but don’t be surprised to find other languages used. Go with the flow – I occasionally find myself pleasantly surprised at how much I can grasp in languages I have never seen before.

Language On the Net

Language Log » Another dumb Flesch-Kincaid exercise

Sunday 26 October 23:26:34 UTC 2014

E.J. Fox and Mike Spies, "Who was America's most well-spoken president?", vocativ.com 10/10/2014: Using the Flesch-Kincaid readability test—the most well-known reading comprehension algorithm—Vocativ analyzed over 600 presidential speeches, going back to George Washington. We measured syllables along with word and sentence counts, and gave each speech a numerical grade. For instance, a grade of four means the content is accessible … [Link]

languagehat.com » Form and Shape in Maimonides.

Sunday 26 October 21:19:53 UTC 2014

Ludwik Kowalski posted the following question at Wordorigins.org: A theological paper that I am reading contains the following: “… Thirdly, there are those creations, which have form but no shape. These are angels, which have no bodies, but whose form vary from angel to angel.” What is the meaning of the words “form” and “shape” in this context? English is … [Link]

Language Log » Logic from the voice of the earth itself

Sunday 26 October 17:42:51 UTC 2014

On Friday, I gave a talk at the 46th Algonquian Conference. As the conference web page explains, The 46th Algonquian Conference will be held in Uncasville, Connecticut, on the reservation of the Mohegan Tribal Nation. This is the first time in 46 years that the conference will be held on sovereign Native territory. The 46th Algonquian Conference coincides with the … [Link]

Omniglot blog » Hollallu

Sunday 26 October 10:56:16 UTC 2014

I came across a wonderful word in Welsh today – hollallu [hɔɬˈaɬɨ] – which means omnipotence or almightiness. It is a portmanteau of (h)oll (all, the whole, everything, everyone) and gallu (to be able (to), have power (to), can, be able to accomplish (a thing)), and there are a couple of variant forms: ollallu and hollalluogrwydd. Related words include: – … [Link]

Urban Word of the Day » come correct

Sunday 26 October 7:00:00 UTC 2014

To do something (rap, battle, knock boots) properly. Niggas want beef, y'all could see me in the street But you better come correct, cause we move around with heat [Link]

Omniglot blog » Language quiz

Sunday 26 October 6:04:51 UTC 2014

Here’s a recording in a mystery language. Can you identify the language, and do you know where it’s spoken? FacebookTwitter Google+Share [Link]

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