Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Tony Thorne @tonythorne007.bsky.social · 6h

‘Erotica’…’verified adults’

Kate Devlin 🎃👻🍂 @drkatedevlin.bsky.social · 17h

If you build it, they will come.
www.bbc.com/news/article...

OpenAI boss says ChatGPT will soon allow erotica for verified adults

CEO Sam Altman says upcoming versions of the popular chatbot would enable it to behave in a more human-like way - "but only if you want it".

www.bbc.com

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Reposted by Tony Thorne

Dr Jennie Orr @drjenniferorr.bsky.social · 1d

We will soon be announcing a new Fellowship through the British Association for Romantic Studies which supportsthe work of independent researchers. It's a tight deadline but if you fall into this category or know anyone who does, watch this space @bars.bsky.social

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Tony Thorne @tonythorne007.bsky.social · 9h

Please. Soon.

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Tony Thorne @tonythorne007.bsky.social · 19h

Several of these allow for more than one correct answer although I’m guessing whoever set it didn’t realise that. Absurd. Embarrassing.

Tony Thorne @tonythorne007.bsky.social · 19h

I always think it’s a typo. Police notice.

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Nestor @nes-tor.bsky.social · 22h

New Spanish Royal Decree! Attention!Attention!

"British Citizens residing in Spain are required by His Majesty Felipe VI and the Constitutional Government to pass the DELE C2 Spanish language examination. Non-compliant citizens will face deportation."

The Independent @the-independent.com · 1d

Migrants will need A-level standard English to work in UK

www.independent.co.uk

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Reposted by Tony Thorne

Cambridge University Press - Linguistics @cambup-linguistics.cambridge.org · 22d

The first book-length analysis of memes from a linguistic perspective, proposing a new approach to the study of multimodal genres.

The Language of Memes by Barbara Dancygier & @lieven.bsky.social, Out Now

#LangSky #Linguistics 🐦🐦 #BookSky

https://cup.org/3IDqYNf

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Reposted by Tony Thorne

Cadernos de Linguística @cadlin.bsky.social · 23h

Language contact leaves traces in writing.
This study shows how multilingual print culture records the social and political life of communities — tracing encounters, boundaries, and belonging across historic publications.
doi.org/10.25189/267...

A social media card from Cadernos de Linguística with a mint-green background. At the top, the text reads “READ IN CADERNOS DE LINGUÍSTICA.” Below, there is a black-and-white image of a vintage German advertisement for wicker baby carriages from 1906. Under the image, the title says “LANGUAGE, ADS & IDENTITY.” The caption explains that this ad, published in a German-language newspaper in Georgia in 1906, shows how German settlers lived between two worlds, mixing German and Russian to build a shared culture in a multilingual empire.

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Reposted by Tony Thorne

Leslie @rbfchampion.bsky.social · 1d

If you make content on TikTok, even if it's just talking into the camera, and you find you have to alter your words, hold up signs, use emoji, etc. to get your video seen, I want to hear from you! Survey: bit.ly/myttsurvey #AcademicSky #PhDSky #PhDChatter #Blackademia #Psychology

Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management

The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.

bit.ly

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Tony Thorne @tonythorne007.bsky.social · 23h

It’s absurdly flawed. Several of the gaps allow for more than one option. Do those marking it know that??

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 23h

This is the cloze test - part of the C2 Proficiency exam required of some foreign language learners who want to work/study here.

It's TOUGH. You have to put one word in the gaps.

Link to test itself
www.flo-joe.co.uk/cpe/students...

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Tony Thorne @tonythorne007.bsky.social · 1d

Albeit an hilarious one

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Yoïn van Spijk @yvanspijk.bsky.social · 1d

The word 'word' is etymologically related to the word 'verb'.

'Word' was inherited from Proto-Germanic.

'Verb', on the other hand, was borrowed from Latin 'verbum', which also simply meant "word".

They have a common Proto-Indo-European ancestor.

Zoom in on my new infographic to learn more:

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Reposted by Tony Thorne

Julia Snell @snelljulia.bsky.social · 1d

Please join me on 12th November at my @universityofleeds.bsky.social professorial inaugural lecture on ‘Language Diversity and Social (In)justice’. More info here, including a link at the bottom to book a ticket (which is free but we need to track numbers): ahc.leeds.ac.uk/english/even...

Professor Julia Snell's Inaugural Lecture: 'Language diversity and social (in)justice'

Drawing on research conducted over 20 years, Prof. Julia Snell interrogates the assumption that modifying children's speech will lead to educational success and social mobility.

ahc.leeds.ac.uk

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Babel: The Language Magazine @babelzine.bsky.social · 1d

📖 Happy World Novel Week 2025!

👀 Butteries and wagger-pagger-baggers - read Katie Wales on Charles Dickens and university cant: babelzine.co.uk/wp-content/u...

Babel article: Charley Dickens and university slang

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Tony Thorne @tonythorne007.bsky.social · 1d

Hysterical and horrific

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Cadernos de Linguística @cadlin.bsky.social · 2d

Court judgments aren’t crafted by one voice. Rodrigues & Azevedo show how a judge weaves in words from the prosecution, defense, accused, witnesses, and police — and how verbs of saying and quoted testimony guide the reasoning toward acquittal for lack of intent. doi.org/10.25189/267... #linguistics

Graphic announcing a new article in Cadernos de Linguística. The title reads: “In View of the Foregoing, I Rule: An Analysis of Polyphony in a First-Instance Criminal Judgment through Ducrot’s Framework.”
Below the title, the authors are listed: Simone Ramos Silveira and Gioconda Maria Medeiros Azevedo, both affiliated with Universidade Federal da Paraíba. The layout is minimalist, with light beige background, dark gray text, and small green circular markers next to each author’s name.

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Andy Adams @flakphoto.news · 2d

For those of you on Instagram

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King's Global Affairs @kings-sga.bsky.social · 2d

The Trump era has upended global development: USAID dismantled, peacekeeping defunded, health programmes suspended.
Prof. Andy Sumner explores what this means for aid & multilateralism.
👉 Blog: eu1.hubs.ly/H0nFNT00
#GlobalDevelopment #InternationalAid #KingsCollegeLondon

King's Online Blog. What does the Trump era mean for global development? Professor Andy Sumner. International Development MSc Programme Director.

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Tony Thorne @tonythorne007.bsky.social · 2d

They are probably geese

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Tony Thorne @tonythorne007.bsky.social · 2d

Bien sûr capitaine!

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English and Media Centre @engmediacentre.bsky.social · 2d

EMC CPD Face-to-Face: Starting to Teach AL Media Studies

LAST CHANCE TO BOOK!

Book by 8am on 15th October
buff.ly/P2kzeGz

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Reposted by Tony Thorne

Yorkshire Bylines @yorkshirebylines.co.uk · 2d

✍️ Words, and the corruption of the US government

The language used by media to report Trump’s grip on America and the role played by the US government

By J 'Masharubu' Strauss

Words, and the corruption of the US government

The language used by media to report Trump’s grip on America and the role played by the US government

yorkshirebylines.co.uk

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Tony Thorne @tonythorne007.bsky.social · 2d

…metro…dodo?

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Mel Wardle @melwardlepoet.bsky.social · 2d

Aston Society of Poetry’s next special guest Harry Fletcher will be sharing his poetry and speaking about his experiences as Young Poet Laureate of Staffordshire 2024-2025. If you’d like to hear Harry please contact Mel or Marcello for the Zoom link! Open mic spots available!

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Tony Thorne @tonythorne007.bsky.social · 2d

Sakyamuni has assured me that it is

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