The Layman's Linguist @LaymansLinguist Twitter profile

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The Layman's Linguist

2 years

I am once again asking ESL companies to tone down the blatant racism underlying what they consider a "native English speaker"

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

Everyone should take linguistics classes, part 532796317

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 years

My students: "How do I know when I need a comma?" Me, an expert: "When you feel a comma in your heart."

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

There are various studies on how different gender identities make their voices higher or lower to varying extents depending on culture/language, and Japanese is often cited as an example where a higher pitch among women is considered "preferred"

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 years

Problem: "I want to enjoy Shakespeare but the archaic language makes it impossible to get invested in these characters" Solution:

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

A Korean speaker watched "Squid Game" with the English subtitles on, and she has some thoughts on the translation:

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

This is the kind of Linguistics/TikTok merger we need! (Thanks to @shuhe_ather for sharing!) Some TikTok dance moves are incredibly close to related signs in #ASL & this girl demonstrates the overall trend of these moves becoming "more consistent & linguistically practical."

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 months

I just got to tell one of those "I know everything about the Roman Empire" guys that Julius Caesar did not pronounce his VENI VIDI VICI catchphrase with the modern Italian accent everyone uses for it nowadays The historically accurate reconstruction would be "WEENIE WEEDY WEEKY"

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

5 years

Let's see how big Linguistics Twitter really is! If you teach, study, or just love #linguistics & #language , reply with your area(s) of expertise or interest, follow each other, and/or RT to help others connect! (No pressure, though 👍)

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

5 years

These exchange students are all so cute but the German kid in the back is killing me 😂

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

Translating ancient languages

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

A descriptivist explanation of a common sound change that is selectively highlighted as an excuse for linguistic discrimination? Here for it.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

Ma'am. Are you asking why an ambulance in Scotland has the Scottish Gaelic word for "ambulance" on it?? Anglocentrism truly knows no bounds.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

I have found my new favorite Linguistics TikTok account

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

This reminded me of such a great TikTok about how LGBT+ sociolects subvert or ignore the gendered expectation of pitch that I had to DM @JasonD_Angelo just to ask for special permission to share it with y'all. (One of fave TikTok accounts btw: )

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 years

I know a bunch of y'all have a VERY similar origin story for why we're all here now, don't lie to me

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

Remember, kids: if someone actively discourages you from learning a language, it's probably because they don't know what they're talking about

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 months

This was unironically a common complaint when novels became popular and then again when the daily newspaper was invented

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@dotnetschizo

2 months

everybody on their god damn books. not a single person living in the moment

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 years

Font choice matters (especially on highways)

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 months

It literally just means "place" or "country" so yeah

Wolf of X

@tradingMaxiSL

2 months

4. Is there a reason why this group of countries end their names with “stan”?

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

1 year

"We've deciphered Linear A"

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

Dad signs with daughter and it is very cute (Dad is Deaf, baby is hearing)

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

How to pronounce Kyiv (Kiev) in Ukrainian

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

A short history of Martha's Vineyard Signed Language

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

5 months

DON'T ALWAYS BELIEVE PREFIXES

Kévin Abroad | YouTube

@KevinAbroadYT

5 months

This post was equally funny and frustrating 🤣. At first people didn't know what pronouns were and now it's prefixes???

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

This guy has a series where he calls to cats in different languages to see if they'll come to him and I'm kinda losing it at how well it works

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

I just heard someone say "we skyped over Zoom yesterday" so that's the most recent salt in Skype's wound

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

This is one of the best rundowns of "valley girl" dialect and perception I've ever heard, and all under 3 minutes 👏👏👏

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

6 months

"why are the earliest inscriptions all carved"

@qimmiaqqat.bsky.social

@Pupgirl_Khanate

6 months

"Why did so many early cultures build out of stone"

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

Huh. What do you think the difference between these nationalities and "native English speakers" is? 🤔

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

5 months

A prominent sign in my very conservative rural town's public library: "As librarians, we are not here to judge. We are here to help." 💚

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

The singular form of <pet peeves> is <pet peef>

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

This video of a phonetician reading a spectrogram really puts my IPA-reading skills to shame

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

"Are you even putting on an accent?"

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

1 year

You're John, I'm John, we're all John (etymologically speaking)

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

I can't understand anything in this TikTok but I love every second of it

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

5 years

Searched for linguistics books at my local library and found the one we all deserve

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

1 year

Okay well yes but

depths of wikipedia!

@depthsofwiki

1 year

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

Why is the kanji for <grass> often used to mean <lol> or <haha> in Japanese?

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

If you speak, you have an accent.

first of all, bitch, ...

@thejournalista

4 years

What the fuck is "an L.A. accent"? WE DON'T HAVE ACCENTS HERE.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

5 years

@Agromenes27 @SophieOverett She's just so damn quotable.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

5 years

I have discovered linguistics Tumblr and it is hilarious.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

Ah yes, language change. The thing that has only just started happening in English.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

Couldn't help myself, what an absurd photo

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

11 months

Aww man I'm so sorry you invaded, colonized, and forced English onto so many peoples around the world. Thoughts & Prayers.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

5 years

STOP talking shit about different languages. Greek is BEAUTIFUL German is ENLIGHTENING Swahili is FASCINATING Korean is EXCITING French Arabic is INSPIRING

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

5 years

@cinedependent @MerriamWebster You don't have to tell me twice that you aren't a linguist, so take it from one who is: Language will always evolve; you can evolve with it, or you can be wrong.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 years

It's been a while since I've shared one of these McGurk Effect videos in which the words you hear depend on which words you've most recently read. And I gotta say, I did not expect Barbie and Ken to deliver such a shocking one but here we are. This one's really bending my brain.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

Periodic reminder that "ungrammatical" describes a construction that cannot/does not exist in that language. It does not describe a valid construction used by L1 speakers just because you don't like it.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

Dad's role in convo: •interaction (not just exposure) •mediation •exaggerated intonation •decreased syntax •eye contact •gesturing to TV: reinforces topic Baby's pre-verbal convo: •turn-taking •nonverbal (nods, hands,) •observe & imitate •intonation •gesturing to TV

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 years

Words do not have meanings, they have ✨vibes✨

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

What/Who got you into #linguistics ? I want some STORIES! Bilingual family dinners, quotes from your weird Latin teacher, PBS documentaries you watched in science class, the OED you got for your 6th birthday from a well-meaning aunt. (If you want, RT so we get more stories!)

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

7 months

This is a great example of why I prefer terms like "prestige dialect" over "standard dialect": The dialect most often lauded as the ~correct, proper, standard~ way to speak English is only spoken by 2% of England's population. At its peak that share MAY have risen as high as 5%.

Grid Referee

@KimNimmo2

7 months

@bethanyhgardner @LaymansLinguist I feel they may not be too happy with some UK dialects either. Even though those fit their criteria.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

Got a little stressed out just reading it

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

@Independent Even by Elon standards, this is ridiculous

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@LaymansLinguist

3 years

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 years

I don't "flirt and find dates" on the apps so much as I "get yelled at for not vomiting in terror over new words ruining society" on the apps. Why? Is that NOT everyone else's experience..?

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

When you mock someone's dialect or accent, you're mocking their very identity—whether it targets their hometown, ethnicity, gender, age, or a multitude of other aspects that dictate both our dialect & our identity. This fact may not always seem obvious, but it is always true.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

5 years

@JaimePrimak @MurrayLeeA In his defense he's racist 😂

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 months

Robert Komaniecki

@Komaniecki_R

4 months

Oh you can do a convincing American accent? Let’s hear you say “Rhubarb Murderer”

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

@DanielJamesGil1 @rebellious_junk @tehspid3r You just did. Because it's not that hard.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

A friendly reminder that a true standard dialect cannot exist and that looking down on nonstandard dialects is discriminatory and also just kinda dumb.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

I am once again BEGGING Google to care about the accuracy and quality of their featured search results

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

The baby isn't deaf, by the way; the creator's household simply uses ASL along with their spoken English. I've seen other videos by her and she always signs with CC.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

When did I become a linguist? On the bus in kindergarten, a 3rd grader taunted "ain't ain't a word cause it ain't in the dictionary" so I looked in the dictionary when I got home and the next day I proudly showed the entry to the whole bus. She didn't care but I did. Ohh, I did.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

Is your voice lower in English and higher in Spanish? And is this the first time you've ever noticed it?

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@LaymansLinguist

3 months

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 years

If you can adamantly correct someone's use of <LITERALLY> to mean "figuratively," then it must have been pretty easy for you to discern what they meant after all so maybe relax

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

5 months

An <expat> is a white immigrant who thinks <immigrant> is a dirty word

liz

@inerati

5 months

still don’t get how an “expat” is different from an immigrant

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

Tag your preferred explanation of French. I'm "You have 11 letters. You pronounce 4 of them."

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 years

ASK vs GUESS 🧵 Do you drop fairly clear hints so the other person(s) will guess what you need without asking? Has anyone ever gotten upset with you for NOT picking up on similar clues? Do some people think you're demanding or rude, while others don't seem to mind at all?

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

Supporting bilingual education. We love to see it.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

Those communication skills though

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

Maybe if modern college professors took it upon themselves to inform students of their expectations instead of publicly belittling kids fresh out of high school for not already knowing how to compose a professional email.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

8 months

Because it's easier to linguistically profile people over the phone

Grip Bayless✨

@talleyberrybaby

8 months

Why, as an apartment, does the price say “call for pricing” BITCH HOW MUCH DO IT COST????

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

5 years

Please everyone keep sending me TikToks of toddlers struggling with multisyllabic words, I beg of you.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

6 years

What word(s) did you mispronounce before you heard someone say it out loud? Mine was BENEVOLENT (I'd put the stress on VO). #readingispower #WorldBookDay #englishgrammar #WritingCommunity

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

Them: "Gender-neutral language will never replace grammatical gender; it's too ambiguous and inconsistent." Grammatical Gender:

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

I always assumed <bonfire> meant something like "good fire" but nope it means "pile of burning bones" so that's goth af

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

Today I learned about a series of videos by a Scottish clown who asks people for their pronouns

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

@Morgan_Harris17 Knew this was gonna be a defensive justification dance when he felt the need to drive home that 3 is half of 6.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

Pedants Also Hated SINGULAR <YOU>: A Mini 🧵 <YOU> was originally only plural but got used in the singular for centuries before replacing <THEE/THOU> which enraged grammarians: "The founder of Quakerism wrote a whole book labeling anyone who used SING <YOU> an idiot or a fool."

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

Proud of any linguists who've adapted to the currently evolving definitions of <discourse>

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 months

Not the biggest Duolingo fan these days but this is very funny and good

Prukogi

@AkmaiaSkia

4 months

Odio esta app.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

5 years

@SkepticOnSite @VictoriaJsBae @crockpics Agreed. I like her early songs for the pure nostalgia but that woman had range like the world had never seen and that deserves recognition.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 years

Honorable mention for the best Mercutio of all time

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

Just a periodic reminder that good librarians are an invaluable asset

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

A Deaf creator whose TikToks I've definitely shared a few times explains in layman's terms (my favorite kind) how she translates rap songs into ASL. (If any d/Deaf followers feel like elaborating on the grammars of SLs and/or the translating process, please do!)

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

5 years

This thing where people use “quarantine” to mean “forced isolation" rather than “period of 40 days in which a widow has the right to remain in her dead husband's house" is really confusing, especially for careful readers. But it doesn’t seem to be going away.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 months

Everyone I've told this fun fact to since high school Latin gets mad at me for ruining it but also giggles while repeating it back to themselves. Highly recommend doing this to your friends.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

3 years

Basically the mission statement of this account

Syd Steyerhart

@SydSteyerhart

3 years

Describe your philosophy in one meme.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 months

I will once again request people not use linguistics for evil, and this is a great/horrible example: Fighting against genocide in Palestine does not allow you to pretend *the Hebrew language* is somehow violent. That's not linguistic activism—that's just linguistic antisemitism.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 years

Okay now, admittedly, this is wayyyy too cocky considering my very low-level niche Twitter fame But I'm not gonna lie to y'all: it felt great and I regret nothing

The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 years

📢 THE PRO-EXPAT REPLY GUY IS ALLEGEDLY A LINGUIST AND I AM NOW OFFICIALLY RE-INVESTED IN THIS📢 No but imagine if they follow me though

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

1 year

Turning <GOT YOU> into <GOTCHA> is assimilation—in this case mostly due to where we say CH vs Y There's a lot more muscle movement and time when you go from "T" /t/ to "Y" /j/ Everyday language often follows the Principle of Least Effort, and "T" /t/ to "CH" /tʃ/ is just easier

James - Elden Lord

@JamesDavey

1 year

@LaymansLinguist Is there a term for when English speakers make a 'ch' sound instead of the 't' and 'y' sounds between, say "get you"? Where they say "getchoo" instead of "get you", I mean.

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

9 months

Film Updates

@FilmUpdates

9 months

In honor of the 6th anniversary of Derry Girls, what was your favorite moment from the show?

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

4 years

Does your dialect have a word that means "the middle of nowhere"? What is it and where are you from? Mine is <boonies> (or <boondocks>) but I'm not sure which part of the US I picked it up in.

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@LaymansLinguist

7 months

Yeah well the English, the French, and at least two different versions of Italy already tried their hardest to make your eurocentric dreams come true but, unfortunately for obnoxious racists, that doesn't seem to be how language actually works.

Basil🧡

@LinkofSunshine

7 months

It's insane we live in the 21st century and everyone doesn't speak the same language I'm strongly supporting the spread of everyone learning English, because its the closest we have to a lingua franca, but like if it was French or Italian I'd gladly learn the new language!

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The Layman's Linguist

@LaymansLinguist

2 years

David Crystal talks about revitalizing endangered languages and the ongoing success story of Welsh

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