I hadn't realized that the bulk of languages have no written form. One of those things that makes sense but just did not occur to me - and the challenge in developing and popularizing written Babanki being SO linked to the project of educating children in it, and how hard that is in a civil war.

i was listening to an older @lingthusiasm.bsky.social episode and was reminded by their pointing it out of something i like about the show: talk about variation within english often focuses on british vs. american, so it's nice when the canadian & australian who host the show add extra perspective

The latest episode of @lingthusiasm.bsky.social featured a really great interview with a Camerounian professor talking about Babanki - the language's structure, challenges in studying African languages (some that could so easily be overcome! Funding!), his interrupted project in Babanki education...

Let's say the original word had a high-low tone. The 2nd vowel disappears so if you speak the word in isolation you're left with one vowel with a high tone. However the low tone is still around, floating, and it lowers the tone of the word spoken just after. 2/2

Linguistics fans will have a blast listening to this fantastic episode of @lingthusiasm.bsky.social that discusses Ross Perlin's LANGUAGE CITY!

Mind blown by today's @lingthusiasm.bsky.social episode. I knew about tonal languages, but I didn't know about floating tones. This is what happens when a formerly 2 vowel word loses its 2nd vowel. The vowel may be gone, but its tone hangs around like a ghost. 1/2

There are many highs and lows in linguistic research: from tones going up and down to emotional highs and lows like a wedding and a war In this episode we get enthusiastic about fieldwork in Babanki with Dr. Pius Akumbu

There are many highs and lows in linguistic research: from tones going up and down to emotional highs and lows like a wedding and a war In this episode we get enthusiastic about fieldwork in Babanki with Dr. Pius Akumbu

🎙️ En el último episodio de su pódcast @lingthusiasm.bsky.social, @gretchenmcc.bsky.social charla con @parasynthetic.bsky.social, sobre los desafíos de traducir «Arroba lengua». 👀 Escúchalo en www.lingthusiasm.com/post/793816227535519744/bonus-103-pos-ya-está-translating-because

Translations are very much acts of creation, especially when it comes to translating a book that is itself about language In this bonus episode we chat with @parasynthetic.bsky.social about how he translated Because Internet into Spanish

Linguistics

Still so psyched about getting to talk with @parasynthetic.bsky.social about his incredibly thoughtful and creative Spanish translation of Because Internet

Oh, I have to hear this one. My former job, as it were.

It's finally here! I had so much fun talking with @parasynthetic.bsky.social about the many creative choices behind translating Because Internet into Spanish, and now that the Spanish ebook is available all over, you can listen to our chat!

Omg, here it is. My first interview in English, about the translation I have most enjoyed… and the most struggling one. What a great, scintillating chat I had with @gretchenmcc.bsky.social… even if talking about what I did with the great mind it all was born from commanded such a big respect 🙈

Translations are very much acts of creation, especially when it comes to translating a book that is itself about language In this bonus episode we chat with @parasynthetic.bsky.social about how he translated Because Internet into Spanish

Our cohost @superlinguo.bsky.social is on Let's Learn Everything!

Our cohost @superlinguo.bsky.social is on Let's Learn Everything!

Whoa, we have 10k youtube followers! Most people listen to us in podcast apps, but if you like getting podcasts on youtube, that's an option! We have three video episodes I want to highlight: one on gesture and two interviews with Deaf linguists (interpreted in ASL and Auslan) Check em out here:

Many cities are host to hundreds of languages that don't show up on official records. In this episode we get enthusiastic about urban multilingualism!

Public and commercial signs illustrate how people think about language. In this bonus we get enthusiastic about linguistic landscapes and the inescapable linguist hobby of taking photos of linguistically interesting signage.

Many cities are host to hundreds of languages that don't show up on official records. In this episode we get enthusiastic about urban multilingualism!

I love that @lingthusiasm.bsky.social released this early bonus episode that uses the definition of a sandwich to explain Roschian prototype theory Is a hotdog a sandwich? The problem with definitions Episode webpage: soundcloud.com/lingthusiasm... Media file: dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3...

Sandwich

My July Newsletter is out! The small print, the fine print, what academic linguists do in the summer, and lots more. lynneguist.substack.com/p/fine-lines

Some thoughts on August, time, space, narratives, perception, connection and more, with a nod to the fascinating book "Gesture: A Slim Guide" by Lauren Gawne @superlinguo.bsky.social of the wonderful @lingthusiasm.bsky.social over at Motherlingual. open.substack.com/pub/malwinag...

Do you take photos of linguistically interesting signage? Join the club!

This episode gave me flashbacks to my hardest undergrad Spanish translation exam, which featured a text about why a 'bocata' is not a 'bocadillo' and not a 'sándwich' either. (All of those translate to 'sandwich' in an English dictionary) I still can't order sandwiches in Spain without shuddering 😆

Is a burrito a sandwich? Is ravioli? What about an ice cream sandwich...? So wait, does any word mean anything anymore? Have we just broken language?? It's okay, linguistics has a solution! In this episode we solve the problem with definitions!

Public and commercial signs illustrate how people think about language. In this bonus we get enthusiastic about linguistic landscapes and the inescapable linguist hobby of taking photos of linguistically interesting signage.

Is a burrito a sandwich? Is ravioli? What about an ice cream sandwich...? So wait, does any word mean anything anymore? Have we just broken language?? It's okay, linguistics has a solution! In this episode we solve the problem with definitions!

Relevant to some of my followers (SFF enthusiasts among others)

INTERNET LINGUISTS COMING TOGETHER.... THIS IS THE CROSSOVER OF ALL TIME FOR ME

If you're inventing a new world, why not invent a new gesture to go with it? In this bonus episode crossover with ‪@emolinsky.bsky.social we talk about fictional gestures in sci-fi & fantasy, including their inspiration from and uses in the real world

From the vault: hear me and @superlinguo.bsky.social talk about why the word for "seal" sounds like "fuck" in so many European languages, shifts in meaning from "sucks" to "rawdogging" and more sweary commentary from the very first Lingthusiasm bonus episode, now updated and free-with-email!

Someone asked us on @lingthusiasm.bsky.social a few years ago whether/how synesthesia was a thing in signed languages and at the time there wasn't research about it that anyone on old twitter knew about but now there is this!

here's the list of book and other recs that we compiled for @lingthusiasm.bsky.social's 100 episodiversary, that's my most current rec list! lingthusiasm.com/post/7741520...

oooh internet linguistics are happening @lingthusiasm.bsky.social @gretchenmcc.bsky.social

💚 LAST CALL 💚 If you want to get this sticker in the mail to show off your enthusiasm for linguistics, you have ONE MORE DAY to sign up to be a patron at the Ling-thusiast tier or higher! patreon.com/lingthusiasm

Does thou want more Lingthusiasm in thine life? Join us on Patreon and you'll get an extra episode each month plus access to our entire backcatalogue, including this episode about stylized Oldey Timey English www.patreon.com/posts/75191548

Oh heck yes

Words change their meanings over time, and when we remind ourselves that etymology isn't destiny, we can also remember we're free to grow and change too You can now contemplate this fun and liberating idea regularly in our stylish merch! redbubble.com/i/sweatshirt...

Short-form videos served from an algorithm are an evolving genre, changing how people talk in them compared to earlier forms of video, and linguists are on it! In this episode we talk with Adam Aleksic aka @etymologynerd.bsky.social about the linguistics of tiktok soundcloud.com/lingthusiasm...

Short-form videos served from an algorithm are an evolving genre, changing how people talk in them compared to earlier forms of video, and linguists are on it! In this episode we talk with Adam Aleksic aka @etymology.substack.com.web.brid.gy about the linguistics of tiktok

Short-form videos served from an algorithm are an evolving genre, changing how people talk in them compared to earlier forms of video, and linguists are on it! In this episode we talk with Adam Aleksic aka @etymologynerd.bsky.social about the linguistics of tiktok soundcloud.com/lingthusiasm...

We've made a tongue-in-cheek quiz that transforms your answers to questions like "You're about to start a massive Lingthusiasm listening marathon. You need to stay fortified and hydrated. Pick a beverage to sustain you" into a Highly Accurate Window Into Your Personality bit.ly/lingthusiasm...

Happy Saturday! Want an extra Lingthusiasm episode to listen to right now for free? We've unlocked our very first bonus episode, about swearing!

Micro-patronage for research communication: the Lingthusiasm podcast as a case study of a sustainable funding model A new OA research article with @jod999.bsky.social in the Journal of Science Communication (JCOM) doi.org/10.22323/146... Blog post summary: www.superlinguo.com/post/7859436...

What your hands are saying (even when you’re not thinking about it) I had so much fun talking about gesture with @grammargirl.bsky.social, this is the first interview I recorded with someone who had read Gesture: A Slim Guide. You can probably hear my delight: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...

An essential addition to any new laptop @lingthusiasm.bsky.social