John Gordon Ross

A Man for All Reasons

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Language Stuff

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 » Wyoming.

Friday 5 May 22:31:27 UTC 2017

I remember reading about this years ago, but I’d forgotten it because it’s so counterintuitive: the state Wyoming, to quote that Wikipedia article, “was named after the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania, with the name ultimately being derived from the Munsee word xwé:wamənk, meaning ‘at the big river flat.'” The name is so indelibly associated with a western state that my … [Link]

Language Log » White dude challenges Chinese speakers in Shanghai

Friday 5 May 17:00:50 UTC 2017

Jayme, his gangling arms covered with colorful tattoos, sallies forth onto Nanjing Road, the busiest shopping street in Shanghai, and tests the local denizens and tourists on their language skills (reading, writing, and pronunciation): Jayme catches them on one “error” after another (very few respond to his questions correctly). Some people who have seen this video assume that, since it … [Link]

Urban Word of the Day » accidental blowjob

Friday 5 May 7:00:00 UTC 2017

when you didn't really plan on giving a blowjob but you did anyways. "I just wanted to make out with him, but it turned into an accidental blowjob." [Link]

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