Language Log

A recent Dinosaur Comic features a passionate investigation into alleged philosophical plagiarism:

So everybody knows what we're talking about: Baozi (Chinese: 包子), Pao-tsih or bao, is a type of yeast-leavened filled bun in various Chinese cuisines. There are many variations in fillings (meat or vegetarian) and preparations, though the buns are most often steamed. They are a variation of mantou from Northern China. (source) Early on in […]

I have often sung the praises of Google Translate (see "Selected readings" below for a few sample posts), but now I've learned about an online translator that, for many languages, may be even better.  Since we've been discussing phenomenal developments in AI quite a bit lately (see also under "Selected readings" below), now seems as […]

Registration is open for Artificial Intelligence in Language Education Please join us for Penn Language Center's annual Language Educator Symposium, co-sponsored by Educational Linguistics at Penn GSE   ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE in LANGUAGE EDUCATION   Symposium: Saturday, March 25, 2023 at the Kislak Center, Van Pelt Library Pre-Symposium Workshop: Friday, March 24, 2023 in the Collaborative […]

Following up on their query which formed the basis for "Ashkenazi click sounds" (1/27/23), Dana F. appends this additional valuable information: I have been searching for a while and have not been able to find anything on Youtube (my theory is that it is used in casual speech only, and people might not do it […]

As you might expect, they mostly have to do with the pandemic.  Here are the top ten from Zhang Ru and Xie Anran, Sixth Tone, "The Chinese Online Slang That Took Over the Internet in 2022" (12/20/22): 1. tiān xuǎn dǎgōng rén 天选打工人 The chosen laborers Derived from the Chinese term da gong ren — […]

As I observed in "Alexa down, ChatGPT up?" (12/8/2022), there's reason to fear that LLMs ("Large Language Models") like ChatGPT will force major changes in writing education, by offered a cheap and easy way to generate essay assignments. A small sample of the extensive published discussion: Stephen Marche, "The College Essay is Dead", The Atlantic 12/6/2022 Daniel […]

Glat perch Label in a Chinese fish market:

Two recent developments seem to point in opposite directions. On one hand, there are R&D cutbacks as voice assistants are seen as failures. On the other hand, there's widespread enthusiasm for the impressive capabilities of ChatGPT, including suggestions that it will take over internet search (Ben Cost, "Rise of the bots: ‘Scary’ AI ChatGPT could […]

From RfP: I’m one of those writers who will do just about anything to avoid using the same word—or, worse yet, the same phrase—within a short run of text. So imagine my horror this morning when, after hastily responding to a comment on your post about “Parse depth in essays vs. novels”, I noticed the […]

Jon Jackson, "Writer Behind Trump's Rally Music Wants to Distance Himself From QAnon", Newsweek 9/20/2022: Former President Donald Trump on Saturday appeared at an Ohio rally for J.D. Vance, a Republican nominee for Senate. Afterward, Trump received much attention for what many people have claimed was a QAnon element to his appearance. When Trump took […]

Update 9/21/2022 — See "'Mirrors' composer rejects Richard Feelgood and Donald Trump" for confirmation by the original composer of the plagiarism documented below. Alan Feuer and Maggie Haberman, "Trump Rally Plays Music Resembling QAnon Song, and Crowds React", NYT 9/18/2022: Former President Donald J. Trump appeared to more fully embrace QAnon on Saturday, playing a […]

Intriguing t-shirt that is making the rounds these days: (source)