Is English "weird"? Many of us might feel this is true when we're trying to explain the complex spelling rules of the language, or the meanings of idioms such as "it's raining cats and dogs" to someone who is learning English. ...
Social Sciences
Apr 12, 2019
4
116
Springer Nature published its first machine-generated book, compiled using an algorithm developed by researchers from Goethe University. This collaboration broke new ground with the first machine-generated book to be published ...
Computer Sciences
Apr 9, 2019
0
19
For decades, MIT has been widely held to have one of the best linguistics programs in the world. But what is linguistics and what does it teach us about human language? To learn more about the ways linguists help make a better ...
Social Sciences
Mar 28, 2019
0
599
Within a week of the Salzburg Global Seminar's Statement for a Multilingual World launching in February 2018, the document – which calls for policies and practices that support multilingualism – had received 1.5m social ...
Social Sciences
Feb 21, 2019
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3
Most of us will have entered into consumer contracts with large companies and ticked a box to confirm we understand the terms and conditions – without bothering to read the fine print.
Internet
Feb 4, 2019
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2
Images of extreme weather and alarming headlines about climate change have become common. Last month, dire predictions about our warming planet from the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) were ...
Social Sciences
Nov 27, 2018
0
4
Performing the mental gymnastics of making the phoenetic distinction between words and phrases such as "I'm hear" to "I'm here" or "I can't so but tons" to "I can't sew buttons," is familiar to anyone who has encountered ...
Computer Sciences
Nov 6, 2018
0
5
"Ey oop! Ey oop!", says comedian Michael McIntyre to his audience in Leeds. "That's supposed to be 'hello', according to you." He sticks with his Yorkshire theme for a couple of minutes, mocking nowt, summat and the – as ...
Social Sciences
Sep 26, 2018
0
0
"Most people take language for granted, but not you … You and I both appreciate the power and specificity of words." This quote, taken from the recent Netflix series Manhunt: Unabomber, sums up nicely the notion that language ...
Social Sciences
Aug 22, 2018
0
2
Many of us regularly ask our smartphones for directions or to play music without giving much thought to the technology that makes it all possible – we just want a quick, accurate response to our voice commands.
Computer Sciences
Aug 16, 2018
0
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