Author | Lightnews

OrenH

OrenH

@langpoljer.bsky.social

720 followers 1.4K following 150 posts

Language, society, politics: A personal view from Jerusalem

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OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · 3d

#LyricsPrompt Nothing
youtu.be/IwOfCgkyEj0?...

Bob Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone

With apologies if anyone has shared this already

("When you ain't got nothing, you got nothing to lose")

Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone (Official Audio)

YouTube video by BobDylanVEVO

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · 6d

Very touching. I can make out some of the names of the Hebrew months (Sivan, Tamuz, Av) and part of Psalms 150:3, "with harp and lyre". "Kinor" is not, of course, a violin as in modern Hebrew

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · 8d

When in Haifa: Try out the cable car to the University of Haifa. It's a must

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · 9d

See under: hyperbole: For the start of the academic year, the municipality invites people to "Study in the center of the galaxy". While medieval maps cast Jerusalem as the center of the world, this takes it to a whole new level
#LinguisticLandscape #AdSpeak

Poster for the start of the academic year in Jerusalem is captioned "Study in the center of the galaxy"; graphic shows an astronaut sitting on a globe and reading a book

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · 10d

Reminds me of the Joni Mitchell line "But he kept my camera to sell" ("California"), which always sounded to me like "But he kept my camera and cell". As you said, not chronologically possible...

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · 12d

This sign I spotted at Lindos (Rhodes) is an interesting example of nominally bilingual signage that in practice, highlights the English and backgrounds the Greek. It's pretty clear who needs guidance for getting around the (lovely) town...
#LinguisticLandscape #Linguistics #Langsky #Greece

Bilingual Greek-English sign showing directions to Lindos Beach, Main Square and St. Paul Beach

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · 13d

This makes a bit more sense if you read it as "Where friends meet" [you can] shop, park, eat and presumably, [watch] films. But that's a lot of brackets for one sign

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · 13d

"Enjoy your meal" is a pretty good alternative to "Bon appétit," which I consider intelligible to English speakers as well

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · 13d

Looks interesting! Thanks for sharing

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · 13d

I'm used to seeing "makhraj" for exit in Arabic, so now I've learned another option

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · 13d

That reminds me of my reaction when the salesperson told me that my shaver could come with an app and evaluate my shaving quality. I said, it just has to get me a clean shave

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · 14d

I think the rationale is for the pronunciation to be similar enough to find the street, no matter which language you're asking in

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · 14d

Beats me 🤷🏻

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · 14d

Sometimes municipal signage does change for the better: After the #Jerusalem municipality revamped their signs in the city center, the Arabic on this "Sukkat Shalom" sign looks much improved, compared to the older, incorrect "Iskat Shalom" version
#Diachronic #LinguisticLandscape #Linguistics

Trilingual "Sukkat Shalom" street sign, with correct Arabic

Old trilingual "Sukkat Shalom" street sign, with Arabic reading "Iskat Shalom" incorrectly

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · Sep 17

Great, now I've learned another word for the pound sign!

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · Sep 17

When icons leave the digital world and appear in real life... not clear to me what the message is here though (beyond "we're digitally literate")
#LinguisticLandscape #Eilat #StreetArt

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · May 8

This howler in Google Maps ("Hose San Martin") is probably the result of an unfortunate transliteration from Hebrew, but that's still no excuse. I assume this was meant to be José de San Martín St.
#transliteration_fails #DigitalLL

An excerpt from Google Maps of Jerusalem presenting "Hose San Martin" Street, which should probably read José de San Martín Street

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · Apr 25

I'm still trying to wrap my head around "mixed thoroughbred" (me`orevet giz`it)

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · Apr 2

Thanks!

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · Apr 2

To my ear it sounds like the Yiddish "kneidlach" for soup dumplings/matza balls, but I don't know if there's an etymological connection

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · Mar 30

I imagine that's more popular in Israel than in the States...

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · Mar 30

Pesach is traditionally a season for holiday-oriented ad copy; here, a play on words between Hebrew/Aramaic phrase for "on one hand-on the other" (meḥad gisa-me'idach gisa) and Had Gadya liturgical song. All that is supposed to whet one's appetite for tuna fish...
#Linguistics #Langsky #DigitalLL

Ad for tuna products, saying "Mehad Gadya" it's tasty and nutritious, and "Meidach Gadya" it's Kosher for Pesach

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · Mar 17

Relatable

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · Mar 13

And this is why diacritics matter:
Hebrew: New (referring to new traffic light)
English: New
Arabic: Iron ("ḥadid" rather than "jadid")
#LinguisticLandscape #Linguistics #translation_fails

Sign for a new traffic light reading "New" in Hebrew and English but "Iron" in Arabic due to missing diacritic ("ḥadid" rather than "jadid")

OrenH @langpoljer.bsky.social · Mar 6

Good idea!