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 » Empty heart disease

Sunday 27 November 15:36:30 UTC 2016

In "Life is Meaningless, Say China’s Top Students: A Peking University professor reports that students have full course loads and ‘empty hearts’", Fu Danni (Sixth Tone, 11/23/16) introduces us to a newly minted term: kōngxīn bìng 空心病 ("empty heart disease"). The first known usage of kōngxīn bìng 空心病 ("empty heart disease"), which sounds like a serious, heavy designation in psychology … [Link]

Omniglot blog » Language quiz

Sunday 27 November 11:34:12 UTC 2016

Here’s a recording in a mystery language. Can you identify the language, and do you know where it’s spoken? [Link]

Urban Word of the Day » wank shelter

Sunday 27 November 8:00:00 UTC 2016

A safe haven which could be limited to a closet, toilet, single room or a complete house were a male organism is able to produce semen by hand without being disturbed. Kim: Have you seen Dennis?Johan: I haven't seen him in ages Olaf: Dennis has locked himself in his wank shelter. [Link]

Language Log » AI panics

Sunday 27 November 7:37:22 UTC 2016

The last month or so has seen renewed discussion of the benefits and dangers of artificial intelligence, sparked by Stephen Hawking's speech at the opening of the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence at Cambridge University. In that context, it may be worthwhile to point again to the earliest explicit and credible AI warning that I know of, namely … [Link]

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