How many of these languages can you identify?
Month: December 2018
Should you pay attention to what your English teacher says?
I could answer by saying “no, you shouldn’t” — but my colleagues and friends who teach English would be up in arms. Instead, I can say “yes, but question authority” — i.e., ask for evidence, not just rules that are… Read More ›
In Prior’s Wood
Wasn’t it Alan Kay who had said the best way to predict the future was to create it? Yes, it was. Having worked briefly for computer scientist Alan Kay at Atari 35 years ago, I was rather startled to see… Read More ›
The Kosher Wok
Yesterday, as is traditional on Christmas Eve, I had lunch with a friend, a colleague, two of her sons, and two former students at The Kosher Wok in Brookline. The four of us — yes, I said four, not seven… Read More ›
Weird uses of food
“When my very hairy German shepherd dog got tree sap in his fur we couldn’t get it out. I tried rubbing the sap covered hair with olive oil and the sap came off. Saved a trip to the groomers.” That’s… Read More ›
A Quaker Christmas Carol
I can’t resist reposting this Quaker Christmas Carol:
Bury the Lead… or is it the lede?
It’s been nine years since I’ve reviewed an Archer Mayor novel! And my November 2009 review was none too enthusiastic. So I am pleased to report that I am definitely enthusiastic about Bury the Lead, even though the correct phrase should be… Read More ›
The Reckoning
“But this isn’t a courtroom thriller!” That’s what I heard you say, and then you threw it aside because you are a certain type of reader. Maybe you’re that type of reader, maybe you’re not. But you’re right that The Reckoning is… Read More ›
A beautiful concert
Three of my students — Laura Sullivan, Thea Schwallie, and Mimi Gotbetter — joined a dozen other young people in a beautifully inspiring multilingual and multicultural concert yesterday afternoon by the group Youth pro Musica at the Second Church in Newton…. Read More ›
There are only 500 people here — yet they speak 9 different languages!
Let’s follow up my post of November 25 about hyperpolyglots and the book Babel No More by taking a look at a small island where 500 people speak nine different languages, as described in an article in The Atlantic by Michael Erard, author of Babel… Read More ›
Another excellent Asian lunch
A second excellent Asian lunch in one week! Continuing Tuesday’s theme, today Barbara and I went to our local Neponset Cafe for the first time. Everything turned out to be scrumptious. We started by sharing shrimp fresh rolls and beef teriyaki… Read More ›
Dumpling Daughter and Vester
Excellent lunch with great hospitality yesterday at two sister restaurants sharing space in Cambridge: Dumpling Daughter and Vester. I use the word “sister” quite literally, as the owners are a pair of sisters from Weston, Nadia Liu Spellman ’00 and… Read More ›
What’s the difference between honors and regular math classes?
When you were in high school, did you take honors or regular math classes? Or a mixture of the two, depending on the year? In any case, what motivated your decision? What’s the difference between the two levels — or,… Read More ›
How geeky can you get?
‘There’s no excuse for being early,’ said Breslin. ‘No, I suppose not.’ ‘None whatsoever.’ ‘No.’ ‘It is forbidden.’ ‘Yes.’ He looked at his watch, studying it intently for several long moments before returning his gaze to me. ‘So now we’ve… Read More ›
Lexicographers: Fact or Fiction?
Do lexicographers really exist? Or are they like unicorns? Or perhaps they’re like mailmen. Lexicographers are unlikely protagonists of a novel — though of course they might not exist and could still be protagonists of a novel, as hobbits are. You… Read More ›
The first film ever in Babylonian!
What an amazing class project! Claiming to be the world’s first film in ancient Babylonian, it was made by members of an Assyriology class at Cambridge (not our Cambridge: the other one) along with some local residents. Their pronunciation is… Read More ›
Is it Hanukkah, Chanukah, Hanukah, or … ?
This post in All Things Linguistic is the best description I’ve seen yet of why there are so many English spellings of Hanukkah (but the author oddly leaves out “Chanukah” in her list at the end, even though it’s in… Read More ›
Misplaced modifier
Hmmm:
Learning Strategies 