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Links Thursday: Language
Aug. 27th, 2009 11:40 pmFinally watched last week's Psych and...
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I also watched yesterday's Leverage, which was fun and nice and continues to make me :D. But I just realized I really want an Ocean's 11/Leverage crossover where Rusty and Sophie occasionally meet up to pull cons and drink cocktails and bemoan the clueless men in their lives (Danny Ocean and Nate Ford, respectively).
***
And here are some articles on language. The topic tonight was going to be torture because I am still upset about Obama continuing Bush's policy of extraordinary rendition, but I felt so happy after watching Psych, I decided to go with something lighter.
Hangman Spare That Word: The English Purge Their Language
Time Magazine, October 2008
"The available lexicon may soon get slimmer. The lexicographers behind Britain's Collins English Dictionary have decided to exuviate (shed) rarely used and archaic words as part of an abstergen"t (cleansing) process to make room for up to 2,000 new entries."
Short, interesting look at some rarely used and endangered words. I especially like "skirr" and "fubsy."
A Brief History of the F-Word
Time Magazine, April 2008
"Take away the right to say 'f___' and you take away the right to say 'f___ the government.."
A short, entertaining look at one of my favorite words, with some thoughtful discussion of the First Amendment thrown in.
Excuse me, do you speak Klingon?
Salon, June 2009
"Despite being unremittingly mocked by journalists and linguists over the past 120 years, Esperanto has innumerable advantages over every other proposed universal language. You've actually heard of it, for one thing."
Technically a book review, but also a fascinating look at invented languages. Well worth the read.
Why Swearing Helps Ease Pain
Time Magazine, July 2009
"According to a new study by British researchers, saying the F word or any other commonly used expletive can work to reduce physical pain — and it seems that people may use curse words by instinct."
Weird and wonderful and a great excuse for screaming out "Fuck!" next time you stub your toe. Also, it quotes Steven Pinker, and, boy howdy, do I have a mindcrush on Stephen Pinker.
Have a good weekend y'all.
***
I also watched yesterday's Leverage, which was fun and nice and continues to make me :D. But I just realized I really want an Ocean's 11/Leverage crossover where Rusty and Sophie occasionally meet up to pull cons and drink cocktails and bemoan the clueless men in their lives (Danny Ocean and Nate Ford, respectively).
***
And here are some articles on language. The topic tonight was going to be torture because I am still upset about Obama continuing Bush's policy of extraordinary rendition, but I felt so happy after watching Psych, I decided to go with something lighter.
Hangman Spare That Word: The English Purge Their Language
Time Magazine, October 2008
"The available lexicon may soon get slimmer. The lexicographers behind Britain's Collins English Dictionary have decided to exuviate (shed) rarely used and archaic words as part of an abstergen"t (cleansing) process to make room for up to 2,000 new entries."
Short, interesting look at some rarely used and endangered words. I especially like "skirr" and "fubsy."
A Brief History of the F-Word
Time Magazine, April 2008
"Take away the right to say 'f___' and you take away the right to say 'f___ the government.."
A short, entertaining look at one of my favorite words, with some thoughtful discussion of the First Amendment thrown in.
Excuse me, do you speak Klingon?
Salon, June 2009
"Despite being unremittingly mocked by journalists and linguists over the past 120 years, Esperanto has innumerable advantages over every other proposed universal language. You've actually heard of it, for one thing."
Technically a book review, but also a fascinating look at invented languages. Well worth the read.
Why Swearing Helps Ease Pain
Time Magazine, July 2009
"According to a new study by British researchers, saying the F word or any other commonly used expletive can work to reduce physical pain — and it seems that people may use curse words by instinct."
Weird and wonderful and a great excuse for screaming out "Fuck!" next time you stub your toe. Also, it quotes Steven Pinker, and, boy howdy, do I have a mindcrush on Stephen Pinker.
Have a good weekend y'all.
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