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 » ASLS, not ASSoL…

Tuesday 5 April 22:33:15 UTC 2016

Apparently I wasn't the only one to be taken aback by the Antonin Scalia School of Law — see Jacob Gershman, "George Mason Tinkers With Name of Scalia Law School to Avoid Awkward Acronym", WSJ 4/5/2016: Days after George Mason University’s law school announced that it was renaming itself after Justice Antonin Scalia, the school is slightly adjusting what it’s … [Link]

Wordorigins.org » Internet/Web vs. internet/web

Tuesday 5 April 13:05:00 UTC 2016

I like fivethirtyeight.com. Nate Silver and his crew have pioneered a new form of journalism, one based on data rather than punditry, but like anyone else, they get into trouble when they stray outside their wheelhouse. Most recently, a blog post on their website took on the announcement that the Associate Press (AP) has changed their stylebook to use lowercase … [Link]

Omniglot blog » Throats and trees

Tuesday 5 April 12:20:39 UTC 2016

One Scottish Gaelic expression I learnt last week was “Tha craobh air mo sgòrnan” or literally “There’s a tree on my throat”. This is the Gaelic equivalent of “There’s a frog in my throat”, which is used when you are rendered temporarily speechless due to a small amphibian taking up residence in your oesophagus, or when you have a sore … [Link]

Urban Word of the Day » homie fund

Tuesday 5 April 7:00:00 UTC 2016

When you spot ur homie something like money, chronic, drank or whatever not expecting him to pay you back. Simply cause you know he's gonna spot you some time in the future. Homie1: Damn this steak is 20 bucks! I only got 10. Homie2: I got you. Don't worry about it, just put it on the homie fund. … [Link]

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