Archives for the 'linguistics' Category

Birth of an Idiom

Published on 4 May 2008 at 7:38 pm. 2 Comments.
Filed under pols, science, linguistics.

How deep is Obama in trouble? Kerry deep. Surber reaches back to the previous known example to describe the process by which dwarf stars implode. I’m beginning to think, even calculating in the hope-change axiom, and correcting for inexperience, we’re looking at grand and terrible example of Blair’s law, a sort of transcendent beclownment that alters the very fabric of the […]

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Politically Incorrect Usage

Published on 4 May 2008 at 9:04 am. 1 Comment.
Filed under linguistics, ancient mysteries.

Greek Lesbians sue to prevent Greek lesbians from misappropriating the word “lesbian.” Reuters via Andrew Bolt:  

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Yer Gotta Learn How to Say G’Day

Published on 9 Jun 2007 at 10:20 pm. No Comments.
Filed under Oz, linguistics.

Speak Strine like an Aussie:
“Mate.” (compliments of Heinrichs)
“Mate.” (compliments of Blair)
“Dude.” (compliments of Driscoll)

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Pirate Talk

Published on 8 Jun 2007 at 1:31 pm. 4 Comments.
Filed under linguistics.

Slate article attempts to debunk the notorious pirate exclamation, “Arrrrrr!!!”  Proves only that we … just … don’t … know … how pirates talked.  Lower class Brit/polyglot/Caribbean is probably a fair guess, but I could have guessed that, and I’m no scholar of piratics. More likely more “ayes” than “arrrrrrs” in conversation, though I wouldn’t doubt some […]

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