Yesterday I heard the word ‘remoralize‘ for the first time in my life. Or, at least, I heard it as if it were the first time. A friend was talking about politics, in particular voting, and said that people needed to be remoralized. She then excused herself by saying, “I... read more
I first became aware that the worst ‘moist’ was a thing in 2011 or 2012. Moist: Then I was teaching a first-year seminar in the Focus Program at Duke University which means that the students in the class were all about eighteen years old. One the day the word ‘moist’... read more
Singular they splashed into the news on December 9 when Merriam-Webster declared they the word of the year. Of interest to the dictionary makers is the use of singular they to refer to a person whose gender identity is nonbinary, who does not identify as either he or she. Singular... read more
Dictionaries: not the sexiest topic ever. Even the famous dictionary-maker Samuel Johnson, in the title quote, acknowledged himself to be a “harmless drudge.” Nevertheless, an article in the New York Times this past weekend has inspired me. It is Latin Dictionary’s Journey: A to Zythum in 125 Years (and Counting).... read more
Teasers have been on my mind and my desk for a few weeks now. So have blurbs. They are both promotional tools for selling books. Perhaps the best promotional tools for selling books. They’re the triggers that entice potential readers to click and buy. I’ll define a teaser as a... read more
Walt Wolfram Documentary: The Producers The latest Walt Wolfram documentary is Talking Black in America. Walt is the Executive Producer. And Renée Blake is one of the Producers. Walt is Distinguished University Professor at North Carolina State University. In addition, he directs the North Carolina Life and Language Project. He... read more
(Un)translatables – my term – are words in one language that may take a paragraph to explain in another language … and still not quite get it right. (Title Image: Hokkaido University, kanji: ‘Japanese language’) All languages have them. Japanese has some really good ones. (Un)translatables in Japanese: The Bad... read more
Language Matters: The Event Today Friday March 8 a symposium at Duke University entitled Language Matters honors my scholarship. In particular the symposium focuses on the book I wrote with co-author Phillip Carter. The title of the book is Languages in the World. How History, Culture and Politics Shape Language. The event... read more
Adam Schwartz is Associate Professor of Language, Culture and Society at Oregon State University. He is one of three speakers on the symposium panel “Language Matters” at Duke University on Friday, March 8, 2019. “Language Matters” is in honor of me – yes, me! Hae-Young Kim, Chair of Asian and... read more
Street Signs title image: a sign shop on Șoseaua Ștefan Cel Mare It’s always good to know the language of the country you are traveling through or living in because it’s helpful to know what’s going on in the public sphere. Street signs tell a good story. Here are a few... read more
