David Britain's Avatar

David Britain

@davidbritain.bsky.social

Sociolinguist. Dad, islomaniac, Kiwiphile, clubber, democrat, swimmer, dialectologist, Fenboy, East Anglian, European, immigrant. Views are my own.

502 Followers  |  484 Following  |  40 Posts  |  Joined: 22.10.2023  |  2.2381

Latest posts by davidbritain.bsky.social on Bluesky


So many groundbreaking linguists, of all persuasions, spent time at Essex at various points in their career: Michael Halliday, Andrew Radford, Peter Trudgill, Viv Cook, Keith Brown, Henry Widdowson, Harald Clahsen, Bob Borsley, Andrew Spencer, Louisa Sadler, Roger Hawkins.... So sad...

12.02.2026 17:07 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Spot on

08.02.2026 13:34 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Always.

30.01.2026 11:57 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

If you are a journalist and you don't know how to talk about the divide in access to education in the UK, start here:

27.01.2026 10:02 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 8    ๐Ÿ” 5    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

as a left-wing American, I feel the need to warn the British something they already know: if you have a choice between milquetoast centrist fucks everyone hates and literal Nazis, please donโ€™t make the same mistake that we did

25.01.2026 12:28 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 163    ๐Ÿ” 59    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 8    ๐Ÿ“Œ 2

Perhaps because they all have an excellent record of supervising and promoting young female and trans scholars and have contributed positively to producing the diversity in the field that you mention?

19.01.2026 08:22 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Post image

Come work with us! ๐ŸŒŸ 3 Postdoc & 5 PhD positions โ€“ย deadline for applications: 20 February.

www.curlew.info/jobs

18.01.2026 19:57 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 24    ๐Ÿ” 16    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
Post image

New paper out w @davidbritain.bsky.social & T. Blaxter: Using data from 50K speakers, we show that many once-distinctive English regional terms have sharply declined. Even the northern backend for โ€˜autumnโ€™ now survives only at low rates, mostly among older, less mobile speakers. tinyurl.com/39uy4x5e

13.11.2025 09:03 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 10    ๐Ÿ” 5    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

An accolade indeed

19.09.2025 20:01 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Post image

Et voila! Case proven.
#solar

30.08.2025 08:04 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 772    ๐Ÿ” 321    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 26    ๐Ÿ“Œ 33

When I was doing my PhD, I propped up the Bulgarian economy drinking their cabernet sauvignon. ยฃ1.99 from the local bottle store.

26.08.2025 08:00 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Grรผsse von Bern! Geniess deine Reise!

26.07.2025 08:52 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Mein Schwager wohnte in Eastbourne! Typische traditionelle englische Seaside-Stadt. Er wohnt jetzt in der Nรคhe von Battle, der auch sehr besuchswรผrdig ist.

26.07.2025 08:52 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Sussex

26.07.2025 08:23 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

๐Ÿค”

19.07.2025 21:24 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

That needs to be standard practice across all journals, but sadly isn't.

17.07.2025 22:34 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

But as a reviewer, you want to be confident that the Editor has prescreened the papers they are sending out to review, and not sending everything out to review...

17.07.2025 22:28 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Aber das muss eine auslรคndische รœbersetzung sein. In England findet man nie Rezepte mit 1.22 oder 2.14 ounces. Gram zu Ounce Umrechnungen wรผrden gerundet werden.

14.07.2025 21:58 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Counterpoint: new Public First research shows every UK resident working adult (on a full time equivalent basis) is ยฃ466 a year better off on average as a result of international students. So letโ€™s just publicise that instead of levying them
www.publicfirst.co.uk/calculating-...

24.06.2025 16:55 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 150    ๐Ÿ” 84    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

And they actually look like they will taste nice too

24.06.2025 20:08 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Usually we get this stuff when there is no real news. However....lol

24.06.2025 20:06 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Sounds like journalistic fluff. I've never heard a Brit express this view either.

24.06.2025 20:04 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I've never ever heard a Brit get worked up about the word 'soccer'. Ever.

24.06.2025 20:00 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

America, what has happened to you?

14.06.2025 15:48 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Post image 25.05.2025 16:35 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4618    ๐Ÿ” 1171    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 69    ๐Ÿ“Œ 54
We the People: Civic Engagement in a Constitutional Democracy | Harvard University Gain a foundational knowledge of American constitutional democracy while crafting your own civic voice and identity.

Harvard launches FREE, self-paced courses focused on democratic principles, understanding the constitution, and crafting your civic voice.

โ€œWe the People: Civic Engagement in a Constitutional Democracyโ€

#AcademicSky
#MomSky

24.05.2025 16:47 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 369    ๐Ÿ” 212    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 13    ๐Ÿ“Œ 12

Every book published in the United States is sent to the Library of Congress. Also, if you are under 16 you cannot use the reading room or order books.

09.05.2025 22:15 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 14620    ๐Ÿ” 4878    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 679    ๐Ÿ“Œ 228

Also zero

10.05.2025 02:39 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Well done Australia!

03.05.2025 12:26 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Dave!

03.05.2025 11:56 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

@davidbritain is following 20 prominent accounts