#it’s called linguistics

[perfectlyripeclementine]

calling my lover "mine" but not in the way that my toothbrush or notebook are mine, mine in the way my neighborhood is mine, and also everybody else's, "mine" like mine to tend to, mine to care for, mine to love. "mine" not like possession but devotion.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

hope you feel better soon!

I am riddled with ailments, but I stay silly!

[shaonicwhite]

kind of obsessed with the conlang invented by 12th century composer and mystic hildegard von bingen. she called it lingua ignota and just sort of never explained why it exists or what it’s for? like. girl. why did you do this

in case you're wondering what was up with her, like, in general, she was an abbess who was (1) politically influential, (2) chronically ill, and (3) plagued by visions.

but like seriously girl WHAT was the conlang for. TELL ME

[burningfaith]

[coquelicoq]

what i like especially about the pronouns in the goblin emperor is that this language doesn't just have the T-V distinction (aka informal vs. formal second-person pronouns, in this case 'thou' vs. 'you'), it also has informal and formal first-person pronouns. having BOTH of these distinctions in the same language lets you fine-tune your tone by mixing and matching. with only one axis of formality, when you use informal pronouns, are you being familiar in an intimate way, or in an insolent or dismissive way? when you use formal pronouns, are you being polite or standoffish? you can't tell just from the pronouns; there's ambiguity. but a language where you can use a formal first-person pronoun in the same sentence as an informal second-person pronoun allows you to distance yourself (via the formal first) while also being familiar (via the informal second), thereby achieving the conversational tenor known to linguists as Fuck Thee Specifically.

[uncanny-tranny]

If you need help practicing pronouns, try using the pronouns you struggle with on your pets!

Animals have very little understanding of pronouns and human gender. They won't care if you use he, it, she, xie, bun, literally whatever - they only care about you and their food. They'll be fine! However, your loved ones will appreciate your effort in using pronouns, and using them properly. It's a win-win situation!

[guppygiggles]

This is becoming a trend, now… eheh.

The name he chose is Damon Faraday!

[deepwaterwritingprompts]

Text: Whatever death is like, human language is useless there. Ghosts therefore speak a tongue precious few living are trained to understand. I translate between parties, for a price.

[yonpote]

OH PHIL BEING FULL ON INFODUMPING ABOUT LINGUISTICS THIS IS EVERYHING TO MEEEEEEE

[official-linguistics-post]

Hi sorry Dr. Linguistics what are your pronouns that you use personally and which ones do you think are the most fun to say?

i use they/them but i have the most fun with people who use any pronouns because then i can challenge myself to use a different one every time

[captocie]

i've just seen another post asking what the gender neutral or nonbinary word is for "sir" or "ma'am" and i'd like to put forth "em" as a solution.

"sir" comes from sire, "ma'am" comes from "madam." "em" then, comes from "eminence" as in "will that be all your eminence?" or "will that be all em?"

it's short and quick to say, like both sir and ma'am, and it's gender neutral and stems from a word denoting nobility like both sir and ma'am

[visualtaehyun]

I loved this episode so much 🥹 might write up another post about the emotional core of it and why I think it's the best ep. 11 I've ever seen, considering how much people love to bemoan the 'episode 11 curse' (which I think is just setting yourself up for disappointment). But right now, I'm just here to clarify some of the Thai, as per usual~

Disclaimer: not a native Thai speaker, still learning 🙏

Taking advantage

Aylin: มนุษย์พี่นิสัยไม่ดี ฉวยโอกาส /ma noot phi ni sai mai dee. chuay oh gaat/ = [That's] bad behavior, human senior. Seizing the opportunity. Luna, after getting kissed: นี่มันฉวยโอกาสกันนี่ /nee man chuay oh gaat gan nee/ = This is seizing the opportunity!

ฉวยโอกาส /chuay oh gaat/ is not the same as 'taking advantage of sb.' aka exploiting sb./sth. It means to grab/take a chance or seize an opportunity when it presents itself. In that sense, it's more taking advantage of a situation.

Love

ตั้งใจเรียนนะน้อง รักนะ /dtang jai riian na, nong. rak na/ = Study attentively, nong. Love [you]! รักรักรัก รักๆๆๆๆ /rak x8/ = Love [you] x8 จากพระจันทร์ของน้อง <3 /jaak phra jan khaawng nong/ = from your Moon <3 -> พระจันทร์ /phra jan/ = the Moon

The Sun

สัญญานะ พระอาทิตย์ /san yaa na? phra aa tit/ = Promise? Sun? -> พระอาทิตย์ /phra aa thit/ = the Sun

[slimetutorialfan]

how am I supposed to take linguistics seriously when everything sounds so silly? It started out with diphthongs and fricatives, but then I'm expected to simply accept the fact that the bow-wow theory, the pooh-pooh theory, the ding-dong theory and the yo-he-ho theory are all completely normal terms???

[mjbythebay]

Because there's an eclipse, in latin class my teacher had us translate all these old Roman dudes thoughts and shit on eclipses and incase you didn't know they filled a basin with oil or tar so they could see the reflection of the eclipse and study it, or just watch it like normal because they were also obsessed like we are

[leveragedlibrarians]

AMAZING NEWS BESTIES

[eros-thanatos89]

A "Don" By Any Other Name...

Ok, so. I was just thinking about how the title "Don" is used in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, specifically for high ranking members of the Juarez cartel, and how it confuses me.

Now, admittedly, I am a "no sabo kid" half-Mexican with a very minimal grasp on the Spanish language, gleaned from three years of high school Spanish a million years ago and talking with my Mexican side of the family, none of whom use titles like this (or slang).

But, based on what little knowledge I have, I've always found it odd that kingpins in the Juarez cartel like Hector, Juan Bolsa, and--of course--Eladio, are all addressed with the honorific of "Don". But, Gustavo--arguably equally high ranking, though not a founding member like the other three--is *never* addressed as Don, though he uses the title for all the others. Even Don Juan, who respects Gustavo the most out of all the other capos, never addresses him as "Don Gustavo".

So...is the lack of "Don" to address Gustavo simply because he's not a founding member of the cartel? Or is it a slight; an intentional disrespect done to him by the other members because of his rocky start with the cartel, and to remind him of his outsider status (as a non-founding member, an up-start, a Chilean, a black man, and a queer...), no matter how much money he earns the cartel? A little of Column A, a little of Column B? Something else entirely?

The whole matter of titles is made even more confusing (to me, at least...) because, while Don Hector and Don Juan are titles of respect, Eladio is *the* ultimate "Don" of the Juarez cartel--the head of the organization. So, in his case, the title of "Don" doesn't just denote general respect and high status, but marks him as the Tony Soprano or Tony Montana of the whole shebang.

I don't know why this was just on my mind. But it got me wondering enough to do a little light Googling for linguistic edification, and according to a helpful short article, "Don" was indeed originally a title for men of high status. In modern Spanish, it can be used as an honorific for just about anyone--especially older men--as a sign of respect, similar to "señor". I'll link the article in question, if anyone is also curious (or confused, like me, haha).

Anyways, thanks for joining me in this little linguistic corner of BrBa/BCS fandom.

#justice for DON Gustavo! He deserves the title as much as the rest of the capos, damn it!!