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
Omniglot blog » Have you got your snap?
On an episode of Uncle Mort’s North Country, a comedy drama on Radio 4 Extra that I listened to today, I heard the word snap used for a packed lunch. I’e heard it before, but wasn’t sure where it came from. The drama features two characters from Yorkshire: Uncle Mort and his nephew, Carter Brandon, who both speak with strong … [Link]
Language Log » "Ni hao" for foreigners
A video titled "The Chinese tourists accused of bad behaviour in Thailand | Channel 4 News" was posted to YouTube on 2/22/15, but it has been recirculated in this article by Didi Kirsten Tatlow about Chinese travel abroad during the recent National Day holiday: "With Its Tourists Behaving Badly, China Embarks on Some Soul-Searching" (NYT, 10/10/16). I do not wish … [Link]
Language Log » Definiteness, plurality, and genericity
Mollymooly's comment on yesterday's post ("The Donald's THE, again") deserves general attention: 1. A leopard is bigger than a cheetah, though both have spots. 2. The leopard is bigger than the cheetah, though both have spots. 3. Leopards are bigger than cheetahs, though both have spots. 4. The leopards are bigger than the cheetahs, though both have spots. 5. Your … [Link]
Urban Word of the Day » inaccurism
1. An unintentionally inaccurate statement or idea; possibly common and often used. 2. A pervasive disorder, characterized by a tendency to make inaccurate statements. 1. In political discussions, Frank angers his friends with his persistent inaccurisms. 2. Embarrassed by propagating the fake internet story, Lucy blamed it on her inaccurism.
[Link]
languagehat.com » Bock.
I forget why I looked up bock, as in bock beer ‘strong dark German beer,’ but I was startled to see in the Wikipedia article this origin story: The style known now as bock was a dark, malty, lightly hopped ale first brewed in the 14th century by German brewers in the Hanseatic town of Einbeck. The style from Einbeck … [Link]
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