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Dropping out is. Yeah.
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comparativelyinternal · 2 months
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one of those false etymology posts but with the actual etymology of the word
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comparativelyinternal · 7 months
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you know how mathematicians have the journal of recreational mathematics, right? where they publish stuff like, ‘oh i found this cool property of this one seemingly boring number’, or, ‘this is literally nonsense but it sounds ~scientific~’ and it’s all great fun to read?
well
behold, the journal of recreational linguistics
with such delightful papers as ‘tennis puns’, ‘animals in different languages’, and ‘gifts from a homonymous benefactor’
excuse me while i go read all 50 volumes in one sitting
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comparativelyinternal · 7 months
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Thinking about how the day I was told, by someone with a doctorate in linguistics no less, that if any of us wanted to have a career in linguistics we needed to learn computer programming and at least two programming languages, was probably one of the first steps towards me feeling alienated from my degree programme
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comparativelyinternal · 9 months
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we need to destigmatize dropping out of college I am so serious. like dude if u realize that is Bad For You then you can just Leave. I am so fucking serious. just stop. there are other options and you don’t need to force yourself through shit you can’t do and go into debt. i promise you can just Not.
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comparativelyinternal · 10 months
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I propose a new gender-neutral counterpart of 'lord' and 'lady.’
As many linguists among us already know, 'lord' is from 'hlafweard' — meaning ‘bread warden’ — and ‘lady’ is from ‘hlaefidge’ — meaning ‘bread kneader.’ These definitions are not gendered by nature, but the fact remains that they are gendered in their modern forms. And so we must piece together a similar meaning that may then be shortened to our modern standards.
I recently saw a reblogged post of someone else touching on this topic who suggested ‘bread eater’ and ‘hlafetan,’ which then consequently became ‘ledan.’ However, there are two issues with this suggestion.
1. ‘Bread eater’ would actually be ‘hlafæta,’ and it already has a meaning — ‘household servant.’
2. ‘Hlafetan’ actually translates into ‘bread to eat.’
This isn’t to say that ‘ledan’ can’t be used at all, though. In fact, I propose that it would actually be a great alternative to ‘heir’ while also having the bonus of being a true title and not just a descriptor.
But for a true equivalent of lord/lady, I’d go with ‘ladren’ from ‘hlafdrihten’ — meaning ‘bread master/ruler.’
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comparativelyinternal · 10 months
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comparativelyinternal · 11 months
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Where's the ablative you COWARDS
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comparativelyinternal · 11 months
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"idk I heard this wasn't true" how about I cite a source right through your god damn eye
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hey what's up with the "!" in fandoms? i.e. "fat!" just curious thaxxx
I have asked this myself in the past and never gotten an answer.
Maybe today will be the day we are both finally enlightened.
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The 2023 Gender Census is now open!
[ Link to survey ]
The 10th annual international gender census, collecting information about the language we use to refer to ourselves and each other, is now open until 9th May 2023.
It’s short and easy, about 5 minutes probably.
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After the survey is closed I’ll process the results and publish a spreadsheet of the data and a report summarising the main findings. Then anyone can use them for academic or business purposes, self-advocacy, tracking the popularity of language over time, and just feeling like we’re part of a huge and diverse community.
If you think you might have friends and followers who’d be interested, please do reblog this blog post, and share the survey URL by email or at AFK social groups or on other social networks. Every share is extremely helpful - it’s what helped us get 40,000 responses last year.
Survey URL: https://survey.gendercensus.com
The survey is open to anyone anywhere who speaks English and feels that the gender binary doesn’t fully describe their experience of themselves and their gender(s) or lack thereof.
Thank you so much!
[ Link to survey ]
Image credit: Avery at Tradescantia Hub
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Beware the Ides of March
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Salvete, Gaius Iuli'us Caesar sum et pilorum album quam nivem habeo et aureos, sed interdum virides lauros et imperium Romanum construxi et eius eram quasi primus Caesar (sic merui nomen meum) et multi indicant mihi me Marcus Crassus similem esse (si non scitis Marcus Crassus, vobis opus est pecunia). Brutus non est filius meus quod est bonum nam ET TU, MI FILI???!?. Iamia sum sed dentes albos et rectos habeo. Pallidam cutem habeo. Etiam, maga sum magicum ludum, nomine Pigverruca, visitans quod desinam (ego sum MMCXIV), veni, vidi, vici. Classicus sum (si vos id non suspexistis) et multas togas emptas in Basilica Iulia habeo. Ratio amo et bellum Gallicum gero. Veluti, hodie omnia Gallia occupata. Omnia Gallia? Certe! Non est vicus parvus inter Aquarium, Babaorum, Laudanum et Brevisbonum. Ambulabam foris Pigverruca. Ninxit et pluvit et Gallia divisa erat in partes tres, quod me fecit felix. Marcus Porcius Cato me observavit. Digitum medium illo monstravi.
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*experiences a moment of linguistic existentialism where i suddenly become hyper aware that the sounds i’m hearing are but sounds that my brain perceives as meaningful when in reality they are noises emitted by the biological functions of another animal*
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One-off survey on gender and language
You are invited to participate in a survey to learn more about how some particular gender-related words are being used.
This survey is open to all, regardless of gender or trans status. It opened on Monday 20th February 2023, and it will stay open for at least a week. If the survey is still open, your response will be counted.
If your birthday is January-to-June, click here to participate.
If your birthday is July-to-December, click here to participate.
Thank you!
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Seen on Goodreads: an innocent Spanish person asks about her odds of enjoying a German book in the original, is clobbered in the face by the reality of German
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ˈsɑri, bʌt wi kənˈvɜrtɪd jʊər ˈbɔɪˌfrɛnd ˈɪntu aɪ-pi-eɪ. jæ, ði ˌɪntərˈnæʃənəl fəˈnɛtɪk ˈælfəˌbɛt. ɪnˈstɛd ʌv ˈbiɪŋ meɪd ʌv wɜrdz naʊ hiz ə ˈstændərˌdaɪzd ˌrɛprəzɛnˈteɪʃən ʌv spiʧ saʊndz ɪn ˈrɪtən fɔrm. jæ, ˈprɪti mʌʧ ˈɛniˌwʌn ˈspikɪŋ ˈɛni ˈlæŋɡwəʤ kʊd ˈfɪɡjər aʊt haʊ tu seɪ hɪm. ˈsɑri
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