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

languagehat.com » Spoken Sanskrit.

Saturday 16 January 23:43:59 UTC 2016

A post by Victor Mair at the Log discusses the phenomenon of Sanskrit as a spoken language. I was surprised that this “astonished” Mair, but I have an old friend who spent time in India learning the language that way, so I have long been aware that it has as widespread a spoken tradition as, say, Latin. At any rate, … [Link]

Urban Word of the Day » nah bihh

Saturday 16 January 8:30:00 UTC 2016

No girl. Aka, get the fuck out. "Can I come over tonight?" "Nah bihh, you not special." [Link]

Language Log » The Finn-donesian of "The Force Awakens"

Saturday 16 January 1:00:13 UTC 2016

For my language column in the Wall Street Journal this week, I describe how some alien-speak in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" ended up being created by a young Finnish YouTube sensation, tailor-made for Indonesian actors. We could call it "Finn-donesian," though the character Finn doesn't actually speak it. Rather, the dialogue was designed for the Kanjiklub gang, who briefly face … [Link]

Language Log » Rooster Caponizing Competition

Saturday 16 January 0:09:46 UTC 2016

Sign at the Hakka Cultural Museum in Kaohsiung, Taiwan: From David Deterding's blog, "Language in Brunei": "Caponizing" (1/1/16) yānjī bǐsài 閹雞比賽 ("capon contest / competition") OR yān jī bǐsài 閹雞比賽 ("caponizing contest / competition") This website about festivals and events in Hualian, Taiwan refers to a " rooster-castrating contest" that is part of the Hakka Carnival series there. Here is … [Link]

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