THE GREAT FRICATIVE SHIFT, GRIMM’S LAW, AND WIFE DOTTIE’S KIN PART 1
I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING or other in Stephen Fry’s Mythos: The Greek Myths Reimagined, when I came upon the Appendices of this marvelous book. In its “Feet and Toes” … Continue reading
PH.D. STUDENT SOLVES SANSKRIT GRAMMATICAL PUZZLE
A RECENT ARTICLE IN Nice News caught my eye for several reasons: First, the grammatical puzzle arose in the linguistics of Sanskrit. I’ve been tantalized by this language after learning … Continue reading
DIALECTS, EVEN ACROSS A CLEVELAND STREET
WIKIPEDIA HELPED IN THE RECENT Berkeley item by noting that this British car name is pronounced/ˈbɑːrkliː/, “Barkly.” A link to “Help: IPA/English” got me thinking about George Bernard Shaw’s saying … Continue reading
TOMORROW’S VISIT
SOME TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO, Santa Claus lore was collected into what has been called “arguably the best-known verses ever written by an American.” Author of ” ’Twas the night … Continue reading
CELEBRATING VIVA MAGENTA—AND ALSO 1797, 716, 107, 356, 2748, AND 2607
WHAT BEGAN IN THE 1950s as a systemization of color pigments has evolved into Pantone and its PMS (Pantone Matching System). Today the company’s standards are used in a variety … Continue reading
FREUDENFREUDE—THE ETYMOLOGY OF HAPPINESS
THE WORD FREUDENFREUDE, “pleasure’s pleasure,” is a feeling of happiness encouraged by another’s success. It evolved from its opposite Schadenfreude, the German word describing the malicious joy resulting from another’s … Continue reading
TO MUM WITH LOVE, WITH BIBLIOPHILIA ADDED
A HEART-WARMING STORY comes from BBC News, November 17, 2022: “U.S. Blogger in Quest to Find Norfolk Mother’s Day Card Writer.” It’s a sweet tale that reminds me of my … Continue reading
“WHEN DID YOU COME TO THIS COUNTRY, DENNIS?” PART 2
YESTERDAY, MARNIE CHESTERTON of BBC CrowdScience opened a discussion of “Why Can’t I Change my Accent?” Today in Part 2, she tells us about pitch, in more ways than one. … Continue reading
“WHEN DID YOU COME TO THIS COUNTRY, DENNIS?” PART 1
IMAGINE: THERE I WAS A (likely) fourth-generation American, and a teacher asked me that question. (I had yet to appreciate sarcasm.) True, as a native-born Clevelander, I spoke a dialect … Continue reading
A GUIDE TO XENOPHOBE’S GUIDES
THESE GUIDES SAY, SATIRICALLY from the start, that xenophobia is “an irrational fear of foreigners, probably justified, always understandable.” Then, removing tongue from cheek, they’re described as “an irreverent look … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 