#diction — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #diction, aggregated by home.social.
-
The Art of Fiction by John Gardner https://hokkaidomarket.net/books-info.php?item=1645 #REFERENCE #BOOKS #BOOKSHOP #ADVICE #DICTION #STRUCTURE #bookstodon
-
The Art of Fiction by John Gardner https://hokkaidomarket.net/books-info.php?item=1645 #REFERENCE #BOOKS #BOOKSHOP #ADVICE #DICTION #STRUCTURE #bookstodon
-
The Art of Fiction by John Gardner https://hokkaidomarket.net/books-info.php?item=1645 #REFERENCE #BOOKS #BOOKSHOP #ADVICE #DICTION #STRUCTURE #bookstodon
-
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
And . . . Do Those Sheep Hallucinate Bullshit?
(AI Detective FAILS for Your Consideration)
AI, Reddit, and countless website “facts” pundits: Prepared to exonerate the next serial killer to roam free, while dumbing the world down gigahertz a second!Who is running this Artificial Intelligence? This Fatuous Forensic Criminology? This Whole Worldwide Factoid News Media?
May God Allied Mastercomputer help us!
I don’t want to hear any of the crap from the tech apologists who are going to cry, “Oh, that’s not AI; that’s just glorified autocomplete!”
Your problem, not mine.
If it’s calling itself “AI” or the humans who designed it have labeled it, “AI” – as you can clearly witness from the screen captures – then I judge it as AI.
So . . .FAIL!
. . . Next!
. . . Another killer on the loose . . .
#AI #AI #allen #analysis #analyzed #arthur #ArtificialIntelligence #autocomplete #benicia #biological #ChatGPT #circumstantial #clear #cleared #clears #collocation #comparison #compelling #contractions #DeepLearning #detective #dialect #diction #DNA #evidence #exclude #excluded #excludes #exclusion #fail #failure #fingerprint #Forensic #gaviota #generative #Google #handwriting #idiolect #inconclusive #largeLanguageModel #lee #leigh #linguist #linguistics #link #LLM #murder #Napa #NaturalLanguageProcessing #NLP #phraseology #phrases #physical #Reddit #Riverside #SanFrancisco #serial #solution #spelling #style #Vallejo #writing #ZodiacKiller -
The weird history of Spoonerisms: English's silliest slips-of-the-tongue
https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/history-of-the-spoonerism
-
The weird history of Spoonerisms: English's silliest slips-of-the-tongue
https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/history-of-the-spoonerism
-
The weird history of Spoonerisms: English's silliest slips-of-the-tongue
https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/history-of-the-spoonerism
-
The weird history of Spoonerisms: English's silliest slips-of-the-tongue
https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/history-of-the-spoonerism
-
Earlier today, I had a fascinating discussion with Perplexity that I will copy here for your amusement. If you find anything that is not factual, please let me know, but so that I can delete it. That said, this seems to make sense. Plese note that it did provide sources but I have omitted them for the purposes of better formatting.
Me. "Why are there specific names for groups of animals? I am not refering to scientific classification, but to things like a gaggle of geese and a murder of crows, etc. I find it to be fascinating. And most of them I probably don't even know!"
Perplexity. "The tradition of giving unique names to groups of animals—such as a gaggle of geese or a murder of crows—has a delightfully whimsical and aristocratic origin in the history of the English language. These terms are known as collective nouns or, more specifically in this context, as nouns of assemblage or terms of venery.
Origins and Purpose
Most of these terms originated during the late Middle Ages, particularly in upper-class hunting culture in England. The best-known early source is The Book of Saint Albans, published in 1486 and attributed to Dame Juliana Berners, a noblewoman and prioress. This book, which served as a manual for the social activities and etiquette of the gentry—such as hunting, hawking, and heraldry—included over 160 specialised terms for groups of animals to demonstrate one's refinement and education in polite society.
Many collective nouns for animals that are still known today—like pride of lions, parliament of owls, and leap of leopards—can be traced to this influential volume. The intent was partly practical, to provide language for distinguishing different species during hunts, but the exercise quickly veered into wit and erudition, with terms designed to amuse and show off one's linguistic prowess.
Social and Linguistic Amusement
While some of these collective nouns reflect the animal's behaviour (for example, a murmuration of starlings or a crash of rhinoceroses), others are poetic, tongue-in-cheek, or even satirical, including names for groups of people as a sort of medieval in-joke. The proliferation of these terms was, in part, an elitist pastime: to use the appropriate term was a mark of refinement; failing to do so might make one appear uncouth in upper-class circles.
Survival and Modern Usage
Although only a handful of these terms are used in everyday language (herd, flock, school), many have survived in lists and are recited for their charm or peculiarity. The continued use of such collective nouns, despite their impracticality, speaks to their enduring appeal as a playful testament to the richness and creativity of the English language. Many new, humorous collective nouns have been invented in the modern era as well.sillylinguistics+4
Examples of Collective Nouns
Here are some interesting and lesser-known collective nouns for animals:macquariedictionary+3
•
A parliament of owls
•
A murder of crows
•
A shrewdness of apes
•
A crash of rhinoceroses
•
A prickle of porcupines
•
A leap of leopards
•
A business of ferrets
•
A zeal or dazzle of zebras
•
A bloat of hippopotamuses
•
A scurry of squirrels
•
A murmuration of starlings
•
A cauldron of bats
•
A flamboyance of flamingos
•
A raft of ducks (when on water)
•
A skulk of foxes
•
A wake of vultures
•
A knot of toads
•
A rhumba of rattlesnakes
•
A wisdom of wombats
•
A gaze of raccoons
These are chosen as much for sound and amusement as for practical identification.
In Summary
The specific names for groups of animals arose from a blend of practical need, class-conscious display, and playful linguistic invention among the English aristocracy in the fifteenth century. Their survival and ongoing adaptation highlight the enduring human delight in language, wit, and a touch of the absurd."Me. "This is definitely something that I like! I love wit, wordplay, the aristocracy, and setting one's class apart."
#animals #aristocracy #England #English #diction #language #InterestingFacts #Perplexity #wordplay #words
-
Earlier today, I had a fascinating discussion with Perplexity that I will copy here for your amusement. If you find anything that is not factual, please let me know, but so that I can delete it. That said, this seems to make sense. Plese note that it did provide sources but I have omitted them for the purposes of better formatting.
Me. "Why are there specific names for groups of animals? I am not refering to scientific classification, but to things like a gaggle of geese and a murder of crows, etc. I find it to be fascinating. And most of them I probably don't even know!"
Perplexity. "The tradition of giving unique names to groups of animals—such as a gaggle of geese or a murder of crows—has a delightfully whimsical and aristocratic origin in the history of the English language. These terms are known as collective nouns or, more specifically in this context, as nouns of assemblage or terms of venery.
Origins and Purpose
Most of these terms originated during the late Middle Ages, particularly in upper-class hunting culture in England. The best-known early source is The Book of Saint Albans, published in 1486 and attributed to Dame Juliana Berners, a noblewoman and prioress. This book, which served as a manual for the social activities and etiquette of the gentry—such as hunting, hawking, and heraldry—included over 160 specialised terms for groups of animals to demonstrate one's refinement and education in polite society.
Many collective nouns for animals that are still known today—like pride of lions, parliament of owls, and leap of leopards—can be traced to this influential volume. The intent was partly practical, to provide language for distinguishing different species during hunts, but the exercise quickly veered into wit and erudition, with terms designed to amuse and show off one's linguistic prowess.
Social and Linguistic Amusement
While some of these collective nouns reflect the animal's behaviour (for example, a murmuration of starlings or a crash of rhinoceroses), others are poetic, tongue-in-cheek, or even satirical, including names for groups of people as a sort of medieval in-joke. The proliferation of these terms was, in part, an elitist pastime: to use the appropriate term was a mark of refinement; failing to do so might make one appear uncouth in upper-class circles.
Survival and Modern Usage
Although only a handful of these terms are used in everyday language (herd, flock, school), many have survived in lists and are recited for their charm or peculiarity. The continued use of such collective nouns, despite their impracticality, speaks to their enduring appeal as a playful testament to the richness and creativity of the English language. Many new, humorous collective nouns have been invented in the modern era as well.sillylinguistics+4
Examples of Collective Nouns
Here are some interesting and lesser-known collective nouns for animals:macquariedictionary+3
•
A parliament of owls
•
A murder of crows
•
A shrewdness of apes
•
A crash of rhinoceroses
•
A prickle of porcupines
•
A leap of leopards
•
A business of ferrets
•
A zeal or dazzle of zebras
•
A bloat of hippopotamuses
•
A scurry of squirrels
•
A murmuration of starlings
•
A cauldron of bats
•
A flamboyance of flamingos
•
A raft of ducks (when on water)
•
A skulk of foxes
•
A wake of vultures
•
A knot of toads
•
A rhumba of rattlesnakes
•
A wisdom of wombats
•
A gaze of raccoons
These are chosen as much for sound and amusement as for practical identification.
In Summary
The specific names for groups of animals arose from a blend of practical need, class-conscious display, and playful linguistic invention among the English aristocracy in the fifteenth century. Their survival and ongoing adaptation highlight the enduring human delight in language, wit, and a touch of the absurd."Me. "This is definitely something that I like! I love wit, wordplay, the aristocracy, and setting one's class apart."
#animals #aristocracy #England #English #diction #language #InterestingFacts #Perplexity #wordplay #words
-
@signalapp
In the article that broke this story, #JeffreyGoldberg called #Signal a "commercial" messaging app.
https://archive.is/F9FSeAnd as far as I can tell, most of the media are following his lead on that.
But Signal is #OpenSource, developed and managed by the #nonprofit Signal Foundation. I'd call that non-commercial or barely commercial. I think Goldberg and other journalists mean "non-governmental" or "private sector".
Small point in the big picture. But it's not as if Signal is profiting from the govt business or even the publicity.
-
@signalapp
In the article that broke this story, #JeffreyGoldberg called #Signal a "commercial" messaging app.
https://archive.is/F9FSeAnd as far as I can tell, most of the media are following his lead on that.
But Signal is #OpenSource, developed and managed by the #nonprofit Signal Foundation. I'd call that non-commercial or barely commercial. I think Goldberg and other journalists mean "non-governmental" or "private sector".
Small point in the big picture. But it's not as if Signal is profiting from the govt business or even the publicity.
-
@signalapp
In the article that broke this story, #JeffreyGoldberg called #Signal a "commercial" messaging app.
https://archive.is/F9FSeAnd as far as I can tell, most of the media are following his lead on that.
But Signal is #OpenSource, developed and managed by the #nonprofit Signal Foundation. I'd call that non-commercial or barely commercial. I think Goldberg and other journalists mean "non-governmental" or "private sector".
Small point in the big picture. But it's not as if Signal is profiting from the govt business or even the publicity.
-
@signalapp
In the article that broke this story, #JeffreyGoldberg called #Signal a "commercial" messaging app.
https://archive.is/F9FSeAnd as far as I can tell, most of the media are following his lead on that.
But Signal is #OpenSource, developed and managed by the #nonprofit Signal Foundation. I'd call that non-commercial or barely commercial. I think Goldberg and other journalists mean "non-governmental" or "private sector".
Small point in the big picture. But it's not as if Signal is profiting from the govt business or even the publicity.
-
@signalapp
In the article that broke this story, #JeffreyGoldberg called #Signal a "commercial" messaging app.
https://archive.is/F9FSeAnd as far as I can tell, most of the media are following his lead on that.
But Signal is #OpenSource, developed and managed by the #nonprofit Signal Foundation. I'd call that non-commercial or barely commercial. I think Goldberg and other journalists mean "non-governmental" or "private sector".
Small point in the big picture. But it's not as if Signal is profiting from the govt business or even the publicity.
-
It strikes me that I just love the way Old Hollywood stars like Barbara Stanwyck talk, and I wish that was me...then I realize that it can be me. Practice, practice, practice, and before I know it I'll have the voice of my dreams. 😇
-
It strikes me that I just love the way Old Hollywood stars like Barbara Stanwyck talk, and I wish that was me...then I realize that it can be me. Practice, practice, practice, and before I know it I'll have the voice of my dreams. 😇
-
It strikes me that I just love the way Old Hollywood stars like Barbara Stanwyck talk, and I wish that was me...then I realize that it can be me. Practice, practice, practice, and before I know it I'll have the voice of my dreams. 😇
-
It strikes me that I just love the way Old Hollywood stars like Barbara Stanwyck talk, and I wish that was me...then I realize that it can be me. Practice, practice, practice, and before I know it I'll have the voice of my dreams. 😇
-
It strikes me that I just love the way Old Hollywood stars like Barbara Stanwyck talk, and I wish that was me...then I realize that it can be me. Practice, practice, practice, and before I know it I'll have the voice of my dreams. 😇
-
"JD #Vance’s Combative Style Confounds Democrats but Pleases #Trump"
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/31/us/politics/jd-vance-trump-vp.htmlThe #NYTimes (@nytimes) doesn't understand what "confounds" means. Dems are not "confounded" by Vance's rhetoric. They understand it, answer it, denounce it, refute it, ridicule it.
By contrast. Trump and Vance are confounded by #Harris and #Walz. They're floundering for an effective line of attack.
-
"JD #Vance’s Combative Style Confounds Democrats but Pleases #Trump"
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/31/us/politics/jd-vance-trump-vp.htmlThe #NYTimes (@nytimes) doesn't understand what "confounds" means. Dems are not "confounded" by Vance's rhetoric. They understand it, answer it, denounce it, refute it, ridicule it.
By contrast. Trump and Vance are confounded by #Harris and #Walz. They're floundering for an effective line of attack.
-
"JD #Vance’s Combative Style Confounds Democrats but Pleases #Trump"
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/31/us/politics/jd-vance-trump-vp.htmlThe #NYTimes (@nytimes) doesn't understand what "confounds" means. Dems are not "confounded" by Vance's rhetoric. They understand it, answer it, denounce it, refute it, ridicule it.
By contrast. Trump and Vance are confounded by #Harris and #Walz. They're floundering for an effective line of attack.
-
"JD #Vance’s Combative Style Confounds Democrats but Pleases #Trump"
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/31/us/politics/jd-vance-trump-vp.htmlThe #NYTimes (@nytimes) doesn't understand what "confounds" means. Dems are not "confounded" by Vance's rhetoric. They understand it, answer it, denounce it, refute it, ridicule it.
By contrast. Trump and Vance are confounded by #Harris and #Walz. They're floundering for an effective line of attack.
-
"JD #Vance’s Combative Style Confounds Democrats but Pleases #Trump"
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/31/us/politics/jd-vance-trump-vp.htmlThe #NYTimes (@nytimes) doesn't understand what "confounds" means. Dems are not "confounded" by Vance's rhetoric. They understand it, answer it, denounce it, refute it, ridicule it.
By contrast. Trump and Vance are confounded by #Harris and #Walz. They're floundering for an effective line of attack.
-
2/ I only post this because the misuse of "PDF" is a pet peeve.
Sorry to spell out the obvious. PDF is a file format, not a paywall. It has nothing to do with paywalls. PDFs can be #OpenAccess.A related mistake is to use "the PDF" as a synonym for the version of record, as opposed to some other version, like a preprint or accepted author manuscript. Sorry. Any version can be a PDF, and the version of record can be any file format.
-
2/ I only post this because the misuse of "PDF" is a pet peeve.
Sorry to spell out the obvious. PDF is a file format, not a paywall. It has nothing to do with paywalls. PDFs can be #OpenAccess.A related mistake is to use "the PDF" as a synonym for the version of record, as opposed to some other version, like a preprint or accepted author manuscript. Sorry. Any version can be a PDF, and the version of record can be any file format.
-
2/ I only post this because the misuse of "PDF" is a pet peeve.
Sorry to spell out the obvious. PDF is a file format, not a paywall. It has nothing to do with paywalls. PDFs can be #OpenAccess.A related mistake is to use "the PDF" as a synonym for the version of record, as opposed to some other version, like a preprint or accepted author manuscript. Sorry. Any version can be a PDF, and the version of record can be any file format.
-
2/ I only post this because the misuse of "PDF" is a pet peeve.
Sorry to spell out the obvious. PDF is a file format, not a paywall. It has nothing to do with paywalls. PDFs can be #OpenAccess.A related mistake is to use "the PDF" as a synonym for the version of record, as opposed to some other version, like a preprint or accepted author manuscript. Sorry. Any version can be a PDF, and the version of record can be any file format.
