Because Language

A show about linguistics, the science of language. Your hosts (in order of coolness): Hedvig Skirgård, Daniel Midgley, and Ben Ainslie (tie for 2nd).

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

Why ISN'T that letter called "gay"?

[vivian @vivian39_]

thinking about how Brigham Young invented an alphabet with a letter called "Gay" that looks like an amongus. truly a man ahead of his time. a prophet if you will.

[Sesame Street @sesamestreet]

Happy #PrideMonth from Sesame Street! Join us in celebrating and uplifting the LGBTQIA+ members of our community. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

Oh no voting in Spanish whatever next

Remember, this culture war stuff isn’t just a last resort from people with nothing else to go on. Excluding people based on language/skin colour/sexuality/gender is the point. Lack of representation is 100% what they care about.

[Nancy Mace @NancyMace]

This is South Carolina. We speak English here.

So why is our Republican supermajority legislature wasting taxpayer dollars printing and handing out the “I voted” election commission stickers in Spanish? Asking for a friend.

South Carolina FIRST.

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

petrosexual
#WordOfTheWeek

[Sydney EV 🔋☀️ @sydney_ev]

25% of cars sold globally are now #EV..

I'm guessing the petrosexuals know the "fad" will end any day now...
https://t.co/Vu8NIIySYO

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

Okay I will
😤

[Sesame Street @sesamestreet]

Today is the day to create something great! 💛

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

wake up babe
a new double comparative just dropped

[Grǣġhama @grahamscheper]

Nigh is an archaic word by now, but we use its comparative and superlative forms all the time:

nigh
near (more nigh)
next (most nigh)

These words, especially near, got used as emphases so frequently that they rendered poor nigh obsolete, and now we can also say “nearer”!

[CUP Linguistics @CambUP_LangLing]

Don’t miss your chance to read the new Cambridge element, Language, Water, Power, by Alastair Pennycook! Free access available until 4 June at
https://t.co/DpV7QBoyVH
#cambridgeelements #languageandlinguistics

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

@GaryHaubold @Aliteraryshadow Friendly linguist checking in!
The earliest use of "decimate" referred to a tithe. The killing definition came much later, and the practice wasn't common in Roman times.
And language changes, so if people mean something like "obliterating", that's fine.
https://t.co/eGMRJVJi9J

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

@ArthurCDent There are a lot of non-Chomskyan linguists (hate that that needs to be a category) who are learning from what LLMs can do. It’s cool tech, but it’s also informing linguistic theory.

[tmuxvim @tmuxvim]

I put a prompt injection into my LinkedIn bio and recruiters are messaging me in Old English and calling me Lord.

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

Good news for #Gaeilge: people are using it for normal fun human stuff! It's not just a duty. Laura Pakenham breaks it down for us.
Laura is the author of "Irish: History and Culture Through Language", available from @simonschuster @adamsmedia

Full ep: https://t.co/DE5MxxIrmr

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

New ep: What's going on in our minds when we make sentences? Are we constructing trees? Or do we think of words sequentially?
We're climbing down from the trees with @MH_Christiansen and @YngwieNielsen.

Video (recommended): https://t.co/V7g7RjvVZM
Audio: https://t.co/r5YWm1xdZ8

[CUP Linguistics @CambUP_LangLing]

Understanding Language through Humor by Stanley Dubinsky
Now in its second edition, this book is a thoroughly entertaining, but serious and comprehensive, introduction to linguistics.
📚 https://t.co/dzVrwDtzzk

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

How can climate refugees hold onto their language? Dr Mary Walworth of @CNRS explains that language is a cultural anchor.

She's on our latest episode.
https://t.co/oLGuE6CS6A

@NatGeo @NatGeoTV #PoleToPole

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

People on the island of Enusi weren't just glad to get a visit from Will Smith — they were also keen on meeting linguist Mary Walworth.

We're glad to see her too, as a guest on this episode.
https://t.co/oLGuE6CS6A

Find it on your pod listener.

@NatGeo @NatGeoTV #PoleToPole

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

Bean soup theory
#WordOfTheWeek

[Klara @klara_sjo]

Can I have an explanation of this phenomenon without using bean soup as an example?

I don't like bean soup.

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

Coming very soon — a live episode with television presenter @laurajpakenham about Irish.
All patrons free and paid are welcome. Details here, so click through and sign up!

@simonschuster

https://t.co/qhVS9wTYtK

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

@Stallinguist Great insight. I hadn't realised, but in the COCA corpus, SHERD is always in publications about archaeology; SHARD elsewhere.
Looks like they were both around in Old English, but they settled into different zones.
The AR/ER thing seems to be a bit later. But maybe same thing?

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

Yep, VARSITY is a short version of UNIVERSITY! And it’s a neat example of the ER/AR variation common at the time.
Even today, you can hear “derby” and “darby” in different places. Also “clerk” and “clark”.
Don’t forget SERGEANT, which sounds like “ar”.

[once and future wife geist @wife_geist]

wait is “varsity” short for “uni-varsity”? because if so fuck off

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

Why does this ungrammatical sentence sound fine?
When your grammar says one thing, but your feels say another, you may have found a ✨linguistic illusion✨.
Dan Parker, author of "Agreement Attraction".
Available now from @CambridgeUP

Listen/watch: https://t.co/wNsmSAJRTJ

[Because Language @becauselangpod]

Linguists and language people!
Do a post about your latest research.
Then we can find it and maybe feature it on the show. We are looking for your work! ❤️