A team of scientists claim they have demonstrated a super-family of languages the spans most of Europe, northern Asia and some of the Arctic. But are other linguists convinced by their evidence? Lauren Gawne and the Fully (sic) team look at their findings.
READ MOREArticles by Lauren Gawne
Finding the right words: The NDIS and apology for forced adoptions
The passing of the NDIS and the apology for forced adoptions both happened last week (believe it or not), and both highlighted the importance of choosing one’s words carefully when talking to or about marginalised groups such as disabled people or those affected by forced adoption. Lauren Gawne explains why we should give marginalised people the right to choose the best way to talk about these issues.
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OzCLO 2013: A competition to unlock languages
I still remember those moments from my childhood when I realised that language was something with its own patterns and rules. Sitting in a local Italian restaurant and realising I could figure out what the Italian words were by comparing them to the English translations in different dishes. Or the time my mind was blown [...]
READ MOREThe relationship between language and culture for Sherpa speakers
Lauren Gawne writes: Given that the average PhD thesis would take a full day to read aloud, it’s no mean feat for a research student to distill the importance of their work into just a couple of minutes. That is what University of Melbourne research student Sara Ciesielski has done in this two minute animated [...]
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Competition: Name the languages on the Yarra Trams posters
Lauren Gawne writes: As part of the ongoing campaign Yarra Trams to remind Melbournians that trams are heavy things these posters have been popping up all over town: Can you name all 25 of the languages? The Fully (sic) team have worked it out but now it’s your turn! The first person in the comments section below to name [...]
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Putting a price on London and the Olympics
Lauren Gawne Writes: With the 2012 London Summer Olympics now only hours away, the world is set for a fortnight of fun and games. While the organisers may want us to remember them as a the greenest games ever, it is an event that is more likely to be remembered for missile launchers on public [...]
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Bogan in the Oxford English Dictionary
Lauren Gawne writes: Every three months the Oxford English Dictionary announces a brace [Thanks to pedants Terry Reilly and Cyberfish - Ed.] a bevy of words that have found a new and legitimising home in its venerable list. This quarter there were such excellent additions as bling, dance-off and Super PAC, as well as those [...]
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NZ Herald ignores facts, perpetuates fears
The NZ Herald reported on a research paper on migrant intergration and specifically multilingual signs, but as Lauren Gawne writes, their article didn’t faithfully represent the research.
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The Fully (sic) 2012 Eurovision wrap-up
Lauren Gawne writes: There were the obligatory white pants, smoke machines and flame throwers, as well as a rise in the popularity of female drummers, beards and women showing their knickers to the world. Eurovision 2012 had a very solid final and apart from Sweden’s breakout hit Euphoria (above, a genuinely good dance song with crab-walk [...]
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The monolingual mindset isn’t just an Aussie problem: A Kiwi case
Lauren Gawne writes: We reported a week ago that the Monolingual Mindset cropped up again in Victoria, with the Department of Human Services declining to have a residents’ survey translated for the roughly 60% of intended surveyees for whom English is not a first language. It seems that there are similar attitudes towards languages other [...]
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