UMassLinguistics

Sad news from our department 😔 - Obituary: Professor Charles (Chuck) Meyer blogs.umb.edu/umassl...

Episode 129-When Knowing Too Much Holds You Back  We tend to think expertise is always an advantage, but what if knowing too much can actually hold you back? In this episode, we explore the surprising research showing that experts can struggle wit…

DIESOL #podcast: When Knowing Too Much Holds You Back

'Vibe coding' named word of the year by Collins Dictionary The art of making an app by describing it to artificial intelligence (AI) tops 10 new terms on the shortlist.

'Vibe coding' named word of the year by Collins Dictionary #BBC

Bay Area Cantonese school works to preserve language and culture For more than 70 years, the Shoong Family Chinese Cultural Center in Oakland has been teaching Cantonese and Mandarin to Bay Area schoolkids.

Bay Area Cantonese school works to preserve language and culture;For more than 70 years, the Shoong Family Chinese Cultural Center in Oakland has been teaching Cantonese and Mandarin to Bay Area schoolkids.

Miltiadis Marinakis Endowed Professorship of Modern Greek Language and Culture: In Ohio, the Heart of Hellenism Beats Strong - tovima.com Students who studied the Greek language at Ohio State University speak about the importance of the establishment of the Miltiadis Marinakis Endowed Professorship, their experiences, and the value of Greek culture.

Miltiadis Marinakis Endowed Professorship of Modern Greek Language and Culture: In Ohio, the Heart of Hellenism Beats Strong

The Linguistic Structures That Make Goofy 'Dad Jokes' Funny in Their Own Way "Name Explain" looked at the linguistic structure behind goofy "Dad Jokes", noting that they fall under the larger umbrellas of anti-humor and puns.

The Linguistic Structures That Make Goofy ‘Dad Jokes’ Funny in Their Own Way #video

Designing Language in Imagined Worlds: Introducing Fictional Linguistic Landscapes This month we published Fictional Linguistic Landscapes by Osman Solmaz. In this post the author explains the power of this pedagogical approach. What if language classrooms resembled fan communiti…

New blog post!

"What if language classrooms resembled fan communities more than formal learning environments? What if learners created protest posters for an imagined dystopia, or mapped the linguistic graffiti of a desert planet in a sci-fi novel?"

Read on here:

‘Tiny’ AI model beats massive LLMs at logic test Nature - Technique could be used as a cheap way to boost ability of other AI models.

'Tiny' AI model beats massive LLMs at logic test
Technique could be used as a cheap way to boost ability of other AI models.

If you have any questions about the department or working at Uni Greifswald, feel free to reach out. I'm also on the Grundschule English team. 😊

News in Canada: Supreme Court weighs whether N.B. lieutenant-governor must be bilingual www.cbc.ca/player/pl...

The history of English #podcast: A Dutch Treat historyofenglishpodc...

Ep 214: Dr. Anne Paonessa - Essential Connection Skills | Teaching MLs What do high-achieving schools have in common? Connection. Today’s classrooms need to move beyond traditional teaching methods; they need strategies that will re-engage students and build on meaningful connections. This book equips educators with evidence-based strategies that are layered into existing instruction, thus improving attendance, reducing behavior issues, and fueling higher academic outcomes. Essential Connection Skills offers practical solutions to help educators reignite the joy of learning through purposeful, reflective interactions. These strategies empower students to build connections, embrace multiple perspectives, and develop the social and academic tools necessary for success. Inside you'll find: Chapter-by-chapter resources and techniques Assessment recommendations Targeted strategies for culturally and linguistically diverse students Techniques to help students develop self-reflection skills By cultivating authentic engagement, Essential Connection Skills restores a sense of community and purpose in classrooms and empowers students with the lifelong skills they’ll need to succeed. To access resources and join the conversation around Essential Connection Skills, visit annepaonessa.com.   Here's an Language Magazine article written by Anne that shares more about her process. https://languagemagazine.com/2025/10/21/improving-outcomes-through-the-power-of-connection/    If you choose to buy the book using this link, it helps offset the costs associated with hosting this podcast. https://amzn.to/3JonSNF

Teaching MLs #podcast: Dr. Anne Paonessa - Essential Connection Skills

Switzerland wants ‘fifth language’ to join prestigious UNESCO list One professor highlights that Swiss yodelling is distinguished by its unique vocal technique

Switzerland wants ‘fifth language’ to join UNESCO cultural heritage list; One professor highlights that Swiss yodelling is distinguished by its unique vocal technique

San Antonio schools see increase in bilingual students As dual language programs expand, San Antonio schools currently face a shortage of fully certified bilingual and ESL teachers.

There are more bilingual students in San Antonio schools, but not enough certified teachers

La langue inclusive : lorsque des mythes font leur entrée dans les politiques publiques En voulant interdire des mots comme « iel » ou « toustes », Québec ravive un vieux débat où la science et les droits fondamentaux s’entremêlent.

#DANSLESMÉDIAS | ✍️ Alexandra Dupuy, doctorante en linguistique analyse les effets du décret interdisant certaines formes d’écriture inclusive dans l’administration publique québécoise. L’article explore les effets sociolinguistiques et politiques de cette mesure.

Plan to enhance Irish learning in schools announced A new policy and a plan to strengthen the teaching, learning and use of Irish language in schools has been announced.

Plan to enhance Irish learning in schools announced

Hayward Elementary School will switch to new format of Spanish immersion education Developmental bilingual education can serve more Spanish-dominant students who benefit from bilingual instruction, district leaders said.

Hayward Elementary School will switch to new format of Spanish immersion education /via ACTFL

"A Laboratory for Studying the History of Language": A Conversation with Linguist Brian Joseph About the Balkan Sprachbund - tovima.com American scholar discusses his groundbreaking new book on linguistic convergence, the role of Greek in shaping regional languages, and why preserving dialects matters

“A Laboratory for Studying the History of Language”: A Conversation with Linguist Brian Joseph About the Balkan Sprachbund

New Zealand’s fastest-growing language celebrated with flair Punjabi communities nationwide mark the country's sixth Punjabi Language Week with vibrant cultural performances.

New Zealand’s fastest-growing language celebrated with flair

TWTS: The bloody evolution of bloodletting Historically, bloodletting and bloodshed have been different things, but the line has blurred. Linguist Anne Curzan breaks down the evolution of words.

That's what they say #podcast: The bloody evolution of bloodletting

‘Ghost words’ and their history. Rules for ‘between’ and ‘among.’ Wilsoning. Podcast Episode · Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing · 10/28/2025 · 14m

Grammar Girl #podcast: ‘Ghost words’ and their history. Rules for ‘between’ and ‘among.’ Wilsoning.

Donald Trump loves to point: Linguistics professor explains the president’s body language An academic in the U.K. has analyzed President Trump’s use of the everyday gesture as a tool for conveying his populist message.

Donald Trump loves to point: Linguistics professor explains the president’s body language; An academic in the U.K. has analyzed President Trump’s use of the everyday gesture as a tool for conveying his populist message.

Manitoba pushes for bilingualism. What would that look like for the province? - Yahoo News Canada Manitoba's government says it wants the province to be "truly bilingual." The premier has said that could come with official status in the law, but experts argue the focus should be on how to use existing legislation to improve the delivery of public services in French.

Manitoba pushes for bilingualism. What would that look like for the province? #CBC

Too much social media gives AI chatbots ‘brain rot’ Nature - Large language models fed low-quality data skip steps in their reasoning process.

Too much social media gives AI chatbots ‘brain rot’

UNESCO ratifies International Greek Language Day resolution The UNESCO General Assembly has officially ratified a resolution recognising February 9 as International Greek Language Day.

UNESCO ratifies International Greek Language Day resolution

'Concern' over exodus of Welsh-speakers to English universities Half of the pupils from Welsh-medium schools who started at university this year have left Wales.

'Concern' over exodus of Welsh-speakers to English universities #BBC

Slang terms like ‘six-seven’ have no definition. But they’re loaded with meaning | Matthew Cantor Older generations are demanding explanations of the viral phrase – but slang doesn’t have to make logical sense

Slang terms like ‘six-seven’ have no definition. But they’re loaded with meaning

Are pets called 'pets' because we pet them? | PET WORDS In this episode, Rob and Jess dig into the origins of the words we use for our furry, feathered, and occasionally scaly companions.

Words Unravelled #podcast: Are pets called 'pets' because we pet them? | PET WORDS

Two of our awesome PhD program alums are presenting at MATSOL's virtual Emerging Scholars Circle SIG Meeting on 11/13! Join us for Dr. Gutiérrez's and Dr. Nguyen's presentations. See here for details: matsol.memberclicks....

Allusionist 219. Making Trouble — The Allusionist A change of scene for one episode: recently the brilliant poet and performer Molly Naylor interviewed me for her podcast Making Trouble, about creativity, and she kindly let me run a version of that episode here for you. We're talking about ideas, but also long-term creative careers, mortality, podcasting, external validation, and Molly offers some great prompts for either sparking ideas or making a dinner conversation a bit more lively.

The allusionist #podcast: Making Trouble