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 » Pure conversation
In "Annals of literary vs. vernacular, part 2" (9/4/16), we saw how Chairman Xi badly bungled a literary quotation. Now we find that, in the same speech, the Chairman may be said to have misinterpreted a literary term, qīngtán 清谈 ("pure conversation"). On the Btime news website, there's an article titled "Xí zhǔxí suǒ shuō de 'qīngtán guǎn' shì shénme … [Link]
Language Log » Please read this Language Log product
Hurricane Statement Issued: 5:25 AM EDT Sep. 5, 2016 – National Weather Service This product covers southern New England Northeast wind gusts of 30 to 50 mph expected from 10 am to 8 PM this evening on the South Coast… Tim Leonard is quite right to point out that when the National Weather Service refers to its storm warning announcement … [Link]
Language Log » The NOUNs
Back in June, I started a post with this sample of quoted phrases: "Ask the gays what they think and what they do" "The Muslims have to work with us" "I will be phenomenal to the women" "I think the Mexicans are going to end up loving Donald Trump" "I'm the only one in the world who can raise almost … [Link]
Language Log » Still populating
Adam Rosenthal told me in an email recently: 
While trying to enter my address into American Airlines' horribly designed phone app, I was asked to wait, because "States/Provinces are still populating for the first time". What the hell was going on? I'm sure you regular readers will be able to guess. It's nerdview! A classic case, in fact. There is … [Link]
Language Log » Annals of literary vs. vernacular, part 2
Misreading "agriculture" as "clothing" This video of Chairman Xi making a horrendous gaffe was just posted on YouTube: For convenience of listening, the blunder (near the end of this video clip) is repeated several times. The Chairman should have read: qīngguān yìdào tōngshāng kuānnóng 轻关易道通商宽农 ("reduce taxes and make roads easy [to travel on], facilitate commerce and be lenient to … [Link]
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