Category Archives: humanities

mihi est igpe atinle

The romanceconlang list (dedicated to the design of fictional descendants of Latin, spoken presumably by people of other timelines) has lately discussed expressions parallel to “It’s Greek to me” in other languages. So far: Danes: Hebrew, Volapük Italians: Turkish French: … Continue reading

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prosody never travels well

Geoffrey Nunberg alerts us that in Arabic both Iraq and Qatar are accented on the first syllable. I wonder why we got it wrong. (Link from languagehat)

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a marriage of words

Do be-all and end-all always go together? Can something be a be-all but not an end-all, or vice versa?

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what you gonna do with those shoes?

BBC: Decoding Iraq’s symbols of celebration (thanks to Lee Gold for the link)

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my new drug habit

I’m now taking Wellbutrin @ four dollars a day. Full dose since Friday. Sleep slightly disturbed. My housemate says I’m less irritable. I’ve had just one depressive episode since I started on half-dose (the previous Friday); normal average would be … Continue reading

Posted in me!me!me!, medicine, psychology | 1 Comment

the language barrier

Leaving the house today, I heard a neighbor mention to a visitor that he had taken Russian in hi-skool. “So did I!” said I. So he asked: “Kogdá idú?” I remember just enough to know that this means When am … Continue reading

Posted in California, language, me!me!me! | 1 Comment

my favorite example of funny-foreigner-talk

Achille Talon: Le Roi des Zôtres ZOTRTRUPPEN! Mitt eine grosse Köningsdeklaraverdung, ich kanonnert vertradukverlang: Grenadiersoldaat Prumpf nicht mehr mit militär obligazionen verankikineerd ist, und Kolonel der zpezial personnäl Achille I.er Royalenkommando vernommert immediääterdung ist und vier semänen kongépayé kan mitt … Continue reading

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