John Gordon Ross

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 » Cantonese input methods

Tuesday 20 January 23:24:32 UTC 2015

Despite the efforts of the central government to clamp down on and diminish the role of Cantonese in education and in public life generally, the language has been experiencing a heady resurgence, especially in connection with the prolonged Umbrella Movement last fall. "Cantonese resurgent" (12/11/12) "Here’s why the name of Hong Kong’s 'Umbrella Movement' is so subversive" (10/23/14) Revolution" href="http://languagelog.ldc.u~ … [Link]

Language Log » Presidential pronouns: This time it's Ron Fournier

Tuesday 20 January 19:03:39 UTC 2015

Ron Fournier, "Is Obama More Interested in Progress or Politics?", National Journal, 1/20/2015: Count how many times Obama uses the words "I," "me," and "my." Compare that number to how often he says, "You," "we," "our." If the first number is greater than the second, Obama has failed. This leads naturally to a different question: "Is Ron Fournier More Interested … [Link]

Urban Word of the Day » Sidewalk Salsa

Tuesday 20 January 8:00:00 UTC 2015

When you walk up to someone on the sidewalk and you both try to move out of each other's way, and in doing so repeatedly move into each other's way. "Why are you late?" "I got stuck doing the sidewalk salsa." [Link]

languagehat.com » Year in Philology 2014.

Tuesday 20 January 1:24:04 UTC 2015

One of the things I love about the internet is the fact that people immersed in some specialized subject will share their knowledge of the good stuff in the field. I present the estimable Memiyawanzi’s This Year in Philology 2014; surely anyone who enjoys LH will find at least one item of interest. It ranges from Stephen Colvin’s A Brief … [Link]

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