John Williams, Linguist
@lexicoj0hn.bsky.social
Academic, U of Portsmouth, UK: corpus linguistics, lexicology/graphy, semantics, word play. Also interested in French literature & culture. UCU activist ( @ucu.org.uk )
Also likes: cats, singing, LFC, Lancashire cricket, talking too much
Also likes: cats, singing, LFC, Lancashire cricket, talking too much
Wouldn't it be nice if humans could do this too?
November 20, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Wouldn't it be nice if humans could do this too?
Just wondering if there is a minimum timespan for something to qualify as 'great' in this strong sense (as opposed to the weaker sense of 'that was a great read/meal/holiday')? OK, JFK, with < 3 years in office, is often described as one of the greatest US presidents, but that's with hindsight
November 19, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Just wondering if there is a minimum timespan for something to qualify as 'great' in this strong sense (as opposed to the weaker sense of 'that was a great read/meal/holiday')? OK, JFK, with < 3 years in office, is often described as one of the greatest US presidents, but that's with hindsight
Also from Devon. Good to see that the ancient crafts still survive
November 17, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Also from Devon. Good to see that the ancient crafts still survive
Sir Dreyfus yet no vileynye ne sayde
In al his lyf unto no maner wight.
He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght.
But for to tellen yow his disarray,
To Devel's Isle was he sent oway
In al his lyf unto no maner wight.
He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght.
But for to tellen yow his disarray,
To Devel's Isle was he sent oway
November 10, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Sir Dreyfus yet no vileynye ne sayde
In al his lyf unto no maner wight.
He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght.
But for to tellen yow his disarray,
To Devel's Isle was he sent oway
In al his lyf unto no maner wight.
He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght.
But for to tellen yow his disarray,
To Devel's Isle was he sent oway
Me trying to upload a video for my students. (thanks @jembutters.bsky.social for the inspiration)
October 30, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Me trying to upload a video for my students. (thanks @jembutters.bsky.social for the inspiration)
Elle est jolie, enfin pas trop vil(l)e
October 26, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Elle est jolie, enfin pas trop vil(l)e
I intially read this as if 'rock markets' was a noun compound, designating some kind of financial trading facility for buying/selling granite, limestone, etc - or rare Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin records
October 17, 2025 at 8:43 AM
I intially read this as if 'rock markets' was a noun compound, designating some kind of financial trading facility for buying/selling granite, limestone, etc - or rare Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin records
Beware of cutting English Kemi, people might just run out of adjectives to describe your policies
October 9, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Beware of cutting English Kemi, people might just run out of adjectives to describe your policies
Pleased to have found the original of the Distracted Boyfriend meme - and not too far from home! Full reference in Alt
October 4, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Pleased to have found the original of the Distracted Boyfriend meme - and not too far from home! Full reference in Alt
Every day has its dog
October 2, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Every day has its dog
Mine is on Søren Malling, who seems to be in absolutely every Danish drama
September 25, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Mine is on Søren Malling, who seems to be in absolutely every Danish drama
Now an entire French city has changed gender !! Has anyone told Candace Owens?
August 22, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Now an entire French city has changed gender !! Has anyone told Candace Owens?
#langsky 'begin' and 'start' are very close synonyms, but corpus analysis reveals that 'begin with' (green background) tends to be used with something that is already planned or structured, whereas when you 'start with' (red background) something, you don't necessarily know where it will end
August 14, 2025 at 12:53 PM
#langsky 'begin' and 'start' are very close synonyms, but corpus analysis reveals that 'begin with' (green background) tends to be used with something that is already planned or structured, whereas when you 'start with' (red background) something, you don't necessarily know where it will end
I was frightened to death by this when I was 4. (But Google knows about it so I suppose someone else remembers it too)
August 14, 2025 at 12:03 PM
I was frightened to death by this when I was 4. (But Google knows about it so I suppose someone else remembers it too)
I was X years old (ie, today) when I figured out that the name of the captain of Star Trek Enterprise, launched in 2001, was a hidden homage to the captain of the spaceship (Discovery 1) in 2001: A Space Odyssey: David/Jonathan, Bowman/Archer. Duh
July 25, 2025 at 7:20 PM
I was X years old (ie, today) when I figured out that the name of the captain of Star Trek Enterprise, launched in 2001, was a hidden homage to the captain of the spaceship (Discovery 1) in 2001: A Space Odyssey: David/Jonathan, Bowman/Archer. Duh
#ShakespeareSunday @hollowcrownfans.bsky.social
Fear no more the frown o’ the great;
Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke;
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The scepter, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust. (Cymbeline)
Fear no more the frown o’ the great;
Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke;
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The scepter, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust. (Cymbeline)
July 20, 2025 at 12:01 PM
#ShakespeareSunday @hollowcrownfans.bsky.social
Fear no more the frown o’ the great;
Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke;
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The scepter, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust. (Cymbeline)
Fear no more the frown o’ the great;
Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke;
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The scepter, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust. (Cymbeline)
July 20, 2025 at 11:35 AM
This was my first French 'authentic text'. My aunt brought it back from holiday. At age 11, I barely understood a word, but had a go anyway using a Collins Gem. I did recognize the Bash Street Kids though (Les gosses de la Rue des Claques). Les "Pieds Nickelés" seemed to be a band of lovable rogues
July 18, 2025 at 12:30 PM
This was my first French 'authentic text'. My aunt brought it back from holiday. At age 11, I barely understood a word, but had a go anyway using a Collins Gem. I did recognize the Bash Street Kids though (Les gosses de la Rue des Claques). Les "Pieds Nickelés" seemed to be a band of lovable rogues
New recruit to the university's senior management team
July 18, 2025 at 8:46 AM
New recruit to the university's senior management team
Spotted in a crime novel set on the Isle of Wight. Obviously the middle sentence of the paragraph dates it quite badly
July 12, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Spotted in a crime novel set on the Isle of Wight. Obviously the middle sentence of the paragraph dates it quite badly
#ShakespeareSunday
"She should have died hereafter"
(from Macbeth's famous speech)
Ambiguous. Personally I think the most likely meaning is "I can't deal with this right now", what with Malcolm & Macduff's forces approaching. For an in-depth discussion, see Javier Marias's novel 'The Infatuations'
"She should have died hereafter"
(from Macbeth's famous speech)
Ambiguous. Personally I think the most likely meaning is "I can't deal with this right now", what with Malcolm & Macduff's forces approaching. For an in-depth discussion, see Javier Marias's novel 'The Infatuations'
July 6, 2025 at 11:48 AM
#ShakespeareSunday
"She should have died hereafter"
(from Macbeth's famous speech)
Ambiguous. Personally I think the most likely meaning is "I can't deal with this right now", what with Malcolm & Macduff's forces approaching. For an in-depth discussion, see Javier Marias's novel 'The Infatuations'
"She should have died hereafter"
(from Macbeth's famous speech)
Ambiguous. Personally I think the most likely meaning is "I can't deal with this right now", what with Malcolm & Macduff's forces approaching. For an in-depth discussion, see Javier Marias's novel 'The Infatuations'
Dining away from #CL2025 this evening @ Tropea in Harborne. Not that I don't love you all! (How's that for a double negative @Hilary @Benet)
July 1, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Dining away from #CL2025 this evening @ Tropea in Harborne. Not that I don't love you all! (How's that for a double negative @Hilary @Benet)
I often ask myself those very questions
June 29, 2025 at 6:51 PM
I often ask myself those very questions
Mrs @lexicoj0hn found this old school desk and is burnishing it up for the grandchildren. It was at such a desk that I first learned the words 'inkwell' and 'groove' #Nostalgia
June 28, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Mrs @lexicoj0hn found this old school desk and is burnishing it up for the grandchildren. It was at such a desk that I first learned the words 'inkwell' and 'groove' #Nostalgia