The Layman's Linguist
@laymanslinguist.bsky.social
Fun facts, exhaustive etymologies, & informative infographics for both linguists & laypeople
Linguistics is a great excuse to just look up fun facts all day
October 27, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Linguistics is a great excuse to just look up fun facts all day
Yep. I was just noting another non-dog usage.
October 27, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Yep. I was just noting another non-dog usage.
Ah yes the uptight Yanks and the easygoing Brits. That old chestnut lmao.
October 27, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Ah yes the uptight Yanks and the easygoing Brits. That old chestnut lmao.
"lol your kids get shot and your poor die needlessly" yeah ha ha what fun I hate people like this so much
October 27, 2025 at 4:48 AM
"lol your kids get shot and your poor die needlessly" yeah ha ha what fun I hate people like this so much
Yeah we're dying in the streets. What a chuckle huh? Fuck you.
October 27, 2025 at 4:44 AM
Yeah we're dying in the streets. What a chuckle huh? Fuck you.
So true. Nefarious little masterminds.
October 25, 2025 at 11:43 PM
So true. Nefarious little masterminds.
The only animals I've ever heard literally say the word we've designated for it are cows. They really do just say "moo."
October 25, 2025 at 11:40 PM
The only animals I've ever heard literally say the word we've designated for it are cows. They really do just say "moo."
A *great* reference!
October 25, 2025 at 11:28 PM
A *great* reference!
(Or, if not dogs specifically, a sharp vocalization in general.)
October 25, 2025 at 11:10 PM
(Or, if not dogs specifically, a sharp vocalization in general.)
Reposted by The Layman's Linguist
I would also argue that, because it's generic, you'll easily find "bark" in situations unrelated to dogs. Like I've heard people bark at others, but not really woof.
So woof is more dog specific I think
So woof is more dog specific I think
October 25, 2025 at 10:39 AM
I would also argue that, because it's generic, you'll easily find "bark" in situations unrelated to dogs. Like I've heard people bark at others, but not really woof.
So woof is more dog specific I think
So woof is more dog specific I think
Oo that's a fun point. And what about when someone responds to an off-putting comment with an exasperated "ohh WOOF"?
October 25, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Oo that's a fun point. And what about when someone responds to an off-putting comment with an exasperated "ohh WOOF"?
I'd be surprised if it didn't come about as an approximation of how some dogs sound. After all, they don't literally say "woof" either.
Take the very similar sounding "arf" for example:
bsky.app/profile/lucy...
Take the very similar sounding "arf" for example:
bsky.app/profile/lucy...
See also: arf
October 25, 2025 at 11:04 PM
I'd be surprised if it didn't come about as an approximation of how some dogs sound. After all, they don't literally say "woof" either.
Take the very similar sounding "arf" for example:
bsky.app/profile/lucy...
Take the very similar sounding "arf" for example:
bsky.app/profile/lucy...
So not only will these men not wrestle with potentially negative interactions, they'll even avoid positive ones in case they get difficult to navigate. I know several guys that have shallow, pleasant friendships with absolutely no risk involved. It's very nice and easy and I worry deeply for them.
October 25, 2025 at 7:16 AM
So not only will these men not wrestle with potentially negative interactions, they'll even avoid positive ones in case they get difficult to navigate. I know several guys that have shallow, pleasant friendships with absolutely no risk involved. It's very nice and easy and I worry deeply for them.
He won't even give advice because what if it's the wrong advice and they get upset. That's bad enough but what if he handles THAT badly and loses a friend too! So he just gives generic platitudes instead of having deep convos even though he's really smart and insightful and cares deeply about them.
October 25, 2025 at 7:13 AM
He won't even give advice because what if it's the wrong advice and they get upset. That's bad enough but what if he handles THAT badly and loses a friend too! So he just gives generic platitudes instead of having deep convos even though he's really smart and insightful and cares deeply about them.
It makes me sad. Everyone besides me encouraged it all his life. Why WOULDN'T you encourage a boy who's already acting happy and charismatic all the time? He never causes trouble! What a gift!
Until he grows up, makes one mistake, & just disappears bc no one taught him healthy conflict resolution.
Until he grows up, makes one mistake, & just disappears bc no one taught him healthy conflict resolution.
October 25, 2025 at 6:46 AM
It makes me sad. Everyone besides me encouraged it all his life. Why WOULDN'T you encourage a boy who's already acting happy and charismatic all the time? He never causes trouble! What a gift!
Until he grows up, makes one mistake, & just disappears bc no one taught him healthy conflict resolution.
Until he grows up, makes one mistake, & just disappears bc no one taught him healthy conflict resolution.
He's always sad and regretful about it but how does he just go back to before? What if he tries his best but it doesn't work?? Better to just walk away.
So now all his other long-term friends are other cishet guys he never shares stuff with. To them he's just a happy jokester with no depth at all.
So now all his other long-term friends are other cishet guys he never shares stuff with. To them he's just a happy jokester with no depth at all.
October 25, 2025 at 6:14 AM
He's always sad and regretful about it but how does he just go back to before? What if he tries his best but it doesn't work?? Better to just walk away.
So now all his other long-term friends are other cishet guys he never shares stuff with. To them he's just a happy jokester with no depth at all.
So now all his other long-term friends are other cishet guys he never shares stuff with. To them he's just a happy jokester with no depth at all.
My close friend is like this. I've seen him go thru all his other friendships and your point about "made it worse" is so insightful. It made him feel even guiltier.
All our lives, I've just fought thru it with him until we're on the other side but, understandably, no one else wants to do all that.
All our lives, I've just fought thru it with him until we're on the other side but, understandably, no one else wants to do all that.
October 25, 2025 at 6:14 AM
My close friend is like this. I've seen him go thru all his other friendships and your point about "made it worse" is so insightful. It made him feel even guiltier.
All our lives, I've just fought thru it with him until we're on the other side but, understandably, no one else wants to do all that.
All our lives, I've just fought thru it with him until we're on the other side but, understandably, no one else wants to do all that.
Yes, very same page there!
October 24, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Yes, very same page there!
I would love the part of that I understood (transcripts) and probably the other part too
October 24, 2025 at 10:50 PM
I would love the part of that I understood (transcripts) and probably the other part too
That's definitely a better outcome than most of my rock bottoms!
October 24, 2025 at 10:49 PM
That's definitely a better outcome than most of my rock bottoms!
Well at least you got something out of it...? Silver... lining...? 😬
October 24, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Well at least you got something out of it...? Silver... lining...? 😬
Okay well my dad just had a bunch of Michael Crichton books so that's not even fair
October 24, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Okay well my dad just had a bunch of Michael Crichton books so that's not even fair
Hmm yeah I see your point. I didn't realize until I came over here that apparently a LOT of people didn't even know it had a use outside of SEO which is wild to me. I didn't even know it affected SEO and here a bunch of people were just putting clickbait in there!!
October 24, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Hmm yeah I see your point. I didn't realize until I came over here that apparently a LOT of people didn't even know it had a use outside of SEO which is wild to me. I didn't even know it affected SEO and here a bunch of people were just putting clickbait in there!!