I've really been enjoying the Monstrum series on YouTube, produced by PBS. They recently announced a spin-off show (of sorts), called Otherwords, exploring weird-word etymologies. For the first episode, they explore the origins of the word "monster."
Image: YouTube
The origins of the word "monster"
How Zoom is changing American Sign Language
As the pandemic has driven adoption and (over)use of videoconferencing software like Zoom, it's required changes in American Sign Language. From Scientific American: One adaptation arises as a result of a video meeting's limited frame size. "The signing space is expansive," says Michael Skyer, a senior lecturer of deaf education at the Rochester Institute of… READ THE REST
How to talk about time in a language that doesn't have any tenses
The Maya language doesn't acknowledge time, not even with prepositions like "before" and "after." These kinds of linguistic tics are often overlooked or outright lost when we talk about translation, but there's also a lot we can learn from them about the powers of perception and language. READ THE REST
History of Prisencolinensinainciusol, the gibberish English song that charmed Italy and the world
NPR wrote about Adriano Celentano's 1972 faux-English-language-hit "Prisencolinensinainciusol" (previously and previously at BB) on its 40th anniversary in 2012: Celentano, now 74 years old, says that he wanted to break down language barriers and inspire people to communicate more. "Ever since I started singing, I was very influenced by American music and everything Americans did,"… READ THE REST
Tired of marketers stealing your data? Winston can protect your home's internet traffic
How do you protect yourself from everybody online trying to get all up in your business? And we aren't just talking about cybercriminals and other malevolent black hats rummaging around the internet either. We also mean all those "legitimate" businesses that use trackers, cookies, and other online tricks to harvest as much usable information from… READ THE REST
These modular wall tiles turn any wall into a technicolor light show for $50
Everybody strives for truly unique home decor. That would seem to make a lot of sense, because who wants the same stuff that everybody else has? Of course, unique often translates to handmade, so unless you've got a knack for carpentry or know a great art dealer, unique can be both tough and costly to… READ THE REST
This farm-to-table subscription box provides healthier and fresher meat
If you aren't horrified by the state of America's food supply chain, then it's because you haven't been paying attention. Prices on food items keep rising, yet the farmers who make that food are taking home less and less. Part of that broken system is because farmers don't sell directly to you, the customer. Instead,… READ THE REST