If you're trying to learn a second language past the age of 12, it's going to be hell, according to research presented today at the conference for the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Well, maybe you already knew that -- but perhaps you didn't know why.
Results tagged “language” from 60 Second Science
Why I can't speak French
"W00t" selected word of the year. W00000000t!
Merriam-Webster has named "w00t" as its word of the year based on an online vote. While "w00t" hasn't made it into the plain ol' dictionary, Merriam-Webster will include the word in its online "Open Dictionary." However, in a backhand to the collective face of the participants, the "top honors it's now been awarded" might improve the word's chances of making it into the regular dictionary next year.
Others are less optimistic: "It's amusing, but it's limited to a small community and unlikely to spread and unlikely to last," said Allan Metcalf, executive secretary of the American Dialect Society. Or, as the kids like to say, "Pwned!"
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Wop, thwop, grumble, Ork, Ah-Ah. I love you too, whales.
Australian scientists in the Humpback Whale Acoustic Research Collaboration program say they've begun to decode the sounds of humpback whales. Team members couldn't be reached for comment, but Pippin the lovable mascot said that he believes this is a new step in mammalian integration: "Purr. Grumble squeak squeak grumble wop. WOoooooOOO. THWOP!"
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