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 » Particitrousers of the revolutionary movement

Monday 7 September 14:33:43 UTC 2015

Making the rounds on Twitter is this discovery by @KingRossco, from the UK Kindle edition of The Great Leader and the Fighter Pilot by Blaine Harden: There's clearly been an auto-replace in this book to remove Americanisms. Participants -> Particitrousers. pic.twitter.com/GjaIebh5TO — Your pal Rossco (@KingRossco) September 6, 2015 We can surmise that when the UK edition of Harden's book … [Link]

Urban Word of the Day » Net Forget

Monday 7 September 13:15:53 UTC 2015

Net Forget is a person who frequently goes on a website to do something, but completely forgets his/her original intention due to the overwhelming amount of information on the internet. I was on Wikipedia the other day, trying to look up Jay-Z, but I'm such a Net Forget, I ended up looking at cat pictures. [Link]

Language Log » Sea-watcher

Monday 7 September 4:23:04 UTC 2015

President Obama has a strange moniker among netizens in China: Guānhǎi 观海 (“Sea-watcher”). Variants include Àoguānhǎi 奥观海 ("O'sea-watcher"; cf. "Homa Obama") and Guānhǎi tóngzhì 观海同志 ("Comrade Sea-watcher"). How in the world did Obama acquire this bizarre Chinese nickname? When the President visited China in 2009, General Yuán Wěi 袁伟, Director of the National Military Museum, presented Obama with a scroll … [Link]

Urban Word of the Day » Urethra Franklin

Monday 7 September 0:41:35 UTC 2015

1. Any sexual act involving penetration/stimulation of the urethra.2. Another name for one's urethra. 1. Last night, Jane gave me a Urethra Franklin and I have no idea why I agreed to that.2. Ever since I hooked up with that one brunette chick, my Urethra Franklin has burned when I pee. [Link]

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