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 » Variations of the Name for a Fire Pit.
Elif Batuman has a story in last week’s New Yorker, “Constructed Worlds,” that appeals to me greatly. It’s an evocation of what it’s like to find yourself immersed in the college experience that is often laugh-out-loud funny (I did in fact laugh out loud, and even kept reading bits to my wife even though she had already read the story); … [Link]
Language Log » Creeping English in Chinese
Many years ago, I predicted that — due to the exigencies of technological change and the increasing tempo of life — China would willy-nilly gravitate either toward romanization of Mandarin (and the other Sinitic languages) or the gradual adoption of English for many aspects of written communication (e.g., business, science, medicine) because they are perceived as faster and more efficient. … [Link]
Language Log » A Japanese English portmanteau that failed
Sign on a store front in Nagasaki: 
JEWECOLOGY characterizes itself as an "eco style jewelries recycle store". The Japanese are inordinately fond of portmanteau words: "Japan: crazy over portmanteaux" (7/26/16) "What's in a name — Pikachu, Beikaciu, Pikaqiu?" (5/31/16) — see in the comments "Sino-Nipponica" (7/26/15) — also in the comments "Quadrilingual Washlet Instructions" (8/22/09) Some of them, like "cosplay", … [Link]
Language Log » Editing wars at London Bridge Street
As of the time of writing, you only get one hit if you ask Google to show you all the pages on the web containing the word sequence in order legally to minimise. That lone hit leads you to an anonymous leader in The Times (there is a paywall) in which this sentence occurs: Companies are gaming the system in … [Link]
Urban Word of the Day » alternative facts
The worst of the four classifications of lies: lies, damned lies, statistics, alternative facts. Alternative facts are distinguished from the other damnable lies by the addition of gaslighting the listener. After backing up her false statements with alternative facts, Kellyanne Conway threatened the "dishonest" media for suggesting that she might be lying.
[Link]
languagehat.com » 12 Words Peculiar to Irish English.
Stan Carey posts about words or usages “characteristic of Irish English (aka Hiberno-English), whether integral to its grammar or produced on occasions of unalloyed Irishness.” A couple of samples: 1. Plámás is an Irish word borrowed into Irish English meaning ‘empty flattery or wheedling’. It’s sometimes used witheringly in reference to political speech, for some reason. 5. Fooster (often foosther … [Link]
0 responses so far ↓
There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.
You must log in to post a comment.