Browsing Month July, 2006
Fast Thumbs at Timpanogos High
Seems a 18-year-old from Provo, Utah, just set the world record for what’s called “competitive texting.” Ben Cook managed to type out, on a cell phone: “The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human.” That he managed to more…
Talk to Me, Baby!
A Reuters story about the new trend of parents teaching sign language to their hearing infants: “It is about empowering children to communicate. They can communicate with you at an early age and not be frustrated,” according to a teacher at a sign-language class for babies in Los Angeles. Maybe, although others chalk it up more…
Rhymes with Orange?
If I hadn’t been reading A Capital Idea, then I wouldn’t have known about these neat-o T-shirts for verbivores. Lots of other interesting stuff for language lovers there, too.
Welcome Learning Magazine Readers!
A special welcome to readers who found their way here thanks to the the latest issue of Learning magazine! (Speaking of learning and magazines, did you know that the English word “magazine” has its roots in Arabic?)
Today’s Word: Notflix
I’m indebted to Claire Zulkey for introducing me to the useful term “Notflix,” meaning “to send a movie back to Netflix before you’ve watched it.” I don’t yet subscribe to Netflix, but I can certainly relate to the sense of guilt and failure upon returning a DVD to the rental store before getting around to more…
Mac the Knife?!
What in the world were the engineers at Apple thinking when they designed the new MacBooks with such sharp edges? Here’s a picture of what I’m talking about. Many other users are now complaining about this – even posting pictures of the red marks on their wrists left by “Mac the Knife.” One guy’s wrists more…
It Had To Happen, I Suppose
Just came across this video of Ali G interviewing Noam Chomsky (or as Ali calls him, “Norman Chomsky”). In it, they address some linguistic FAQs (and a few other not-so-FAQs). Maybe not as funny as his interview with Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros-Ghali, but still: Respek!
Today’s Word: Formication
Formication — spell it carefully, now! — is an “abnormal sense of ants crawling over one’s skin.” It’s from Latin formica, meaning “ant,” and no relation to Formica kitchen countertops. Remember a while back when I was marveling at how scientists measure the size of ants’ heads? Well, here’s an even more mind-blowing story. Seems more…
Leonards Latkovskis
While nattering on yesterday about reading the Batrachomyomachia in Greek, I was fondly remembering being introduced to that text by my extraordinary tutor, Professor Leonard Latkovski. A few hours later, I was reminded that yesterday was the 15th anniversary of the polyglot professor’s death. His daughter Stephanie sent around an email suggesting that those of more…
