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

Language Log » Hakka now an official language of Taiwan

Wednesday 3 January 22:50:35 UTC 2018

In China and in the Sinophone diaspora, although Hakka may be relatively few in number, they are disproportionately influential in practically every realm of society, politics, and culture: government, the military, literature, film, cuisine, business, academia, and so on and so forth. "Hakka made an official language" (Taipei Times, 12/30/17) Hakka is to be made the primary language in townships … [Link]

Language Log » Plain as what on your face?

Wednesday 3 January 19:01:45 UTC 2018

David Smith, "Trump Tower meeting with Russians 'treasonous', Steve Bannon says in explosive book", The Guardian 12/3/2017: Bannon has criticised Trump’s decision to fire Comey. In Wolff’s book, obtained by the Guardian ahead of publication from a bookseller in New England, he suggests White House hopes for a quick end to the Mueller investigation are gravely misplaced. “You realise where … [Link]

Urban Word of the Day » Brand Dropping

Wednesday 3 January 8:30:00 UTC 2018

Mentioning that you're wearing an expensive brand of clothing, using an expensive piece of technology, or bragging about other items that you own which are of high value. Brand Dropping is similar to name dropping, the main difference is mentioning merchandise in lieu of a person. Jon: Dude! Watch it, if you spill that drink on my $ 350 Zegna … [Link]

languagehat.com » What Is to Be Done?

Wednesday 3 January 1:20:17 UTC 2018

I said here that I was “bracing myself” to read Chernyshevsky’s famous 1863 novel ; I knew it was not a good novel, but I couldn’t ignore a book that had such powerful influence (Joseph Frank wrote “No work in modern literature, with the possible exception of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, can compete with What Is to Be Done? in its effect … [Link]

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