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 » Il Kaulata Maltia.
Karl Farrugia posts about Il Kaulata Maltia – The only extant copy of the first journal in Maltese for the Asian and African studies blog of the British Library: The turning point in the history of Maltese publications was the liberalisation of the press in 1839, which formally came into force in March of that year following a wider drive … [Link]
Language Log » Ask Language Log: Metaphors for megabytes?
From Bob Ladd: I have recently become aware that files that in English are too "big" (for example, to send as email attachments) are too "heavy" in French (lourd) and Italian (pesante). Any chance you can post a note asking for the metaphors in all the other languages that LgLog commenters speak? Update — Based on the comments, there are … [Link]
Language Log » Ask Language Log: Loud Americans?
From Federico Escobar: An old but ongoing comment/joke among several Spanish speakers I know says that English speakers are particularly loud. It's a gross generalization, I know, but one borne out by countless times in which the voices booming over everyone else's in a restaurant comes from the one table with American tourists. A friend says that she feels that … [Link]
Urban Word of the Day » Shanksgiving
Thanksgiving in jail. Bobo had a bummer of a Shanksgiving in jail, but at least he didn’t get shanked.
[Link]
languagehat.com » Lin Shu and The Legacy of the Parisian Lady.
Mikael Gomez Guthart writes for the Forward about a remarkable translator: Although you may never have heard the name Lin Shu, it should be featured in every book on literature history. [Lin] Shu, a self-taught scholar, originated from the region of Fujian in southwest [sic; should be southeast] China. An heir to the Qing Dynasty — the last to have … [Link]
Language Log » Ho Hou2 Ho!: English / Cantonese combo
Seen today by Jeff DeMarco in the IFC mall in Hong Kong: 
Cant. hou2 / Mand. hǎo 好 ("good; fine; well; OK") Other than the numerals yī, èr, sān 一, 二, 三 ("1, 2, 3"), 好 is probably the best known character outside China. It is generally explained as depicting a mother and child, though there are other interpretations, for … [Link]
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