A show about linguistics, the science of language. Your hosts (in order of coolness): Hedvig Skirgård, Daniel Midgley, and Ben Ainslie (tie for 2nd).
Joined June 2014
- Tweets 12,922
- Following 999
- Followers 6,775
- Likes 11,528
749 Photos and videos
What's your favourite bird? Ben's got his! We're talking about Australian magpies with Dr Stephanie Mason on this episode.
Available on all the podcast things
becauselanguage.com/139-magp…
5
137
Dr Stephanie Mason has studied Australian magpies, and has found that these clever birds combine their calls. What do they sound like? And what does this mean for language?
Find out in our new episode!
becauselanguage.com/139-magp…
@UWAresearch
5
214
liminal
#WordOfTheWeek
The concept of "liminal spaces" is pretty easy once you understand what "liminal" is - it literally means "in between"
These are spaces which are meant solely to connect to other spaces. To be used, but not *inhabited*. You don't usually pay much attention to what's in a hallway
1
211
Why ISN'T that letter called "gay"?
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.
1
387
Because Language retweeted
Jun 1
Happy #PrideMonth from Sesame Street! Join us in celebrating and uplifting the LGBTQIA members of our community. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
16,276
10,740
68,361
5,512,408
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.
Jun 1
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.
1
144
petrosexual
#WordOfTheWeek
May 27
25% of cars sold globally are now #EV..
I'm guessing the petrosexuals know the "fad" will end any day now...
autopunditz.com/post/global-…
1
138
Okay I will
😤
1
95
wake up babe
a new double comparative just dropped
May 28
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”!
6
785
Because Language retweeted
Don’t miss your chance to read the new Cambridge element, Language, Water, Power, by Alastair Pennycook! Free access available until 4 June at
cup.org/4dBbdlg
#cambridgeelements #languageandlinguistics
18
48
3,028
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: becauselanguage.com/138-pop-…
2
5
308
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): patreon.com/posts/video-137-…
Audio: patreon.com/posts/audio-137-…
1
1
6
161
Because Language retweeted
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.
📚 cup.org/492yknp
ALT Understanding Language through Humor by Stanley Dubinsky
1
13
46
2,489
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.
becauselanguage.com/136-thes…
@NatGeo @NatGeoTV #PoleToPole
2
108
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.
becauselanguage.com/136-thes…
Find it on your pod listener.
@NatGeo @NatGeoTV #PoleToPole
3
127
Bean soup theory
#WordOfTheWeek
Apr 24
Can I have an explanation of this phenomenon without using bean soup as an example?
I don't like bean soup.
1
213
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
patreon.com/posts/live-show-…
2
52
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: becauselanguage.com/135-ling…
3
141
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! ❤️
2
2
145