John Mansfield
@johnbasil.bsky.social
my job is just LANGUAGING
Pinned
John Mansfield
@johnbasil.bsky.social
· Nov 16
Our Anthropological Linguistics group at Uni Zurich has a webpage now:
www.isle.uzh.ch/en/AnthroL.h...
www.isle.uzh.ch/en/AnthroL.h...
Reposted by John Mansfield
This is an artificial mouth created by Japanese researchers. It uses artificial vocal cords, a trachea system, and a flexible silicone mouth that moves and shapes sound in real time.
It sounds so human-like!
It sounds so human-like!
December 28, 2025 at 9:53 PM
This is an artificial mouth created by Japanese researchers. It uses artificial vocal cords, a trachea system, and a flexible silicone mouth that moves and shapes sound in real time.
It sounds so human-like!
It sounds so human-like!
Reposted by John Mansfield
From the superb Félix Vallotton exhibition at MCBA Lausanne, this is one of many striking and unusual landscapes: Le rayon, 1909, Private collection. Read about the show (the best we've been to this year) on our blog: art-exhibitions.blogspot.com/2025/12/thro...
December 23, 2025 at 5:24 PM
From the superb Félix Vallotton exhibition at MCBA Lausanne, this is one of many striking and unusual landscapes: Le rayon, 1909, Private collection. Read about the show (the best we've been to this year) on our blog: art-exhibitions.blogspot.com/2025/12/thro...
I'm very grateful to have been awarded grant funding from the European Research Council @erc.europa.eu . I like that this grant scheme allows for untried methods.
@johnbasil.bsky.social has received an ERC grant for the project “Conceptual Diversity and the Evolution of Abstract Thought”, to develop a method for reconstructing the evolution of abstract concepts, especially spirituality, ethics, and social relations.
evolvinglanguage.ch/studying-the...
evolvinglanguage.ch/studying-the...
Studying the Evolution of Abstract Thought - NCCR Evolving Language
In the new ERC-funded project, “Conceptual Diversity and the Evolution of Abstract Thought” (CONCEVO), Mansfield will lead a team of researchers to develop a method for reconstructing the evolution of...
evolvinglanguage.ch
December 19, 2025 at 10:55 AM
I'm very grateful to have been awarded grant funding from the European Research Council @erc.europa.eu . I like that this grant scheme allows for untried methods.
biggest problem with coding is doing something quick-and-dirty just to get the process working, then you forget and it becomes part of the code... months later you find this hacky little thing spreading its corruption
December 13, 2025 at 10:31 AM
biggest problem with coding is doing something quick-and-dirty just to get the process working, then you forget and it becomes part of the code... months later you find this hacky little thing spreading its corruption
so lucky to have Jane Simpson as a PhD boss, what a great role model. She does academia with integrity and generosity; her life work is both brilliant analysis of Australian languages (with more to come), and hundreds of people she helped along the way.
researchportalplus.anu.edu.au/en/persons/j...
researchportalplus.anu.edu.au/en/persons/j...
December 12, 2025 at 8:26 AM
so lucky to have Jane Simpson as a PhD boss, what a great role model. She does academia with integrity and generosity; her life work is both brilliant analysis of Australian languages (with more to come), and hundreds of people she helped along the way.
researchportalplus.anu.edu.au/en/persons/j...
researchportalplus.anu.edu.au/en/persons/j...
Reposted by John Mansfield
I'm teaching Statistical Rethinking again starting Jan 2026. This time with live lectures, divided into Beginner and Experienced sections. Will be a lot more work for me, but I hope much better for students.
I will record lectures & all will be found at this link: github.com/rmcelreath/s...
I will record lectures & all will be found at this link: github.com/rmcelreath/s...
December 9, 2025 at 1:58 PM
I'm teaching Statistical Rethinking again starting Jan 2026. This time with live lectures, divided into Beginner and Experienced sections. Will be a lot more work for me, but I hope much better for students.
I will record lectures & all will be found at this link: github.com/rmcelreath/s...
I will record lectures & all will be found at this link: github.com/rmcelreath/s...
Reposted by John Mansfield
I wonder what the Microsoft people think "Do not ask again" means
December 4, 2025 at 1:23 PM
I wonder what the Microsoft people think "Do not ask again" means
THE DUFFER BROTHERS
December 1, 2025 at 9:31 PM
THE DUFFER BROTHERS
Reposted by John Mansfield
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
November 27, 2025 at 4:24 PM
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Reposted by John Mansfield
CogSci in Aarhus is hiring, open rank (assi, asso or full prof).
We want somebody working on and teaching computational modelling of cognitive processes and/or social processes. Students are amazing, work/life balance very satisfactory, and colleagues are nice!
international.au.dk/about/profil...
We want somebody working on and teaching computational modelling of cognitive processes and/or social processes. Students are amazing, work/life balance very satisfactory, and colleagues are nice!
international.au.dk/about/profil...
Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Full Professor of Cognitive Science - Vacancy at Aarhus University
Vacancy at School of Communication and Culture - Linguistics, Cognitive Science and Semiotics, Dept. of, Aarhus University
international.au.dk
November 26, 2025 at 11:38 AM
CogSci in Aarhus is hiring, open rank (assi, asso or full prof).
We want somebody working on and teaching computational modelling of cognitive processes and/or social processes. Students are amazing, work/life balance very satisfactory, and colleagues are nice!
international.au.dk/about/profil...
We want somebody working on and teaching computational modelling of cognitive processes and/or social processes. Students are amazing, work/life balance very satisfactory, and colleagues are nice!
international.au.dk/about/profil...
Reposted by John Mansfield
🚨NEW PUBLICATION ALERT!🚨
The 'Design Features' of Language Revisited (w/ @mperlman.bsky.social @glupyan.bsky.social Koen de Reus & @limorraviv.bsky.social)
Feature Review out now in #OpenAccess in @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social! #language #linguistics
Paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...
The 'Design Features' of Language Revisited (w/ @mperlman.bsky.social @glupyan.bsky.social Koen de Reus & @limorraviv.bsky.social)
Feature Review out now in #OpenAccess in @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social! #language #linguistics
Paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...
November 25, 2025 at 7:49 PM
🚨NEW PUBLICATION ALERT!🚨
The 'Design Features' of Language Revisited (w/ @mperlman.bsky.social @glupyan.bsky.social Koen de Reus & @limorraviv.bsky.social)
Feature Review out now in #OpenAccess in @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social! #language #linguistics
Paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...
The 'Design Features' of Language Revisited (w/ @mperlman.bsky.social @glupyan.bsky.social Koen de Reus & @limorraviv.bsky.social)
Feature Review out now in #OpenAccess in @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social! #language #linguistics
Paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...
Reposted by John Mansfield
How are we still making discoveries about the 5000-year-old ancestor to English, Latin, Czech, Hindi and many other languages?
In our latest episode we get enthusiastic about figuring out Proto-Indo-European with @dannybate.bsky.social!
In our latest episode we get enthusiastic about figuring out Proto-Indo-European with @dannybate.bsky.social!
110: The history of the history of Indo-European - Interview with Danny Bate
Before there was English, or Latin, or Czech, or Hindi, there was a language that they all have in common, which we call Proto-Indo-European. Linguists have long been fascinated by the quest to get a
soundcloud.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:42 AM
How are we still making discoveries about the 5000-year-old ancestor to English, Latin, Czech, Hindi and many other languages?
In our latest episode we get enthusiastic about figuring out Proto-Indo-European with @dannybate.bsky.social!
In our latest episode we get enthusiastic about figuring out Proto-Indo-European with @dannybate.bsky.social!
my understanding of semantics comes from Guess Who
November 20, 2025 at 8:33 PM
my understanding of semantics comes from Guess Who
enjoying the vibe of an academic article, without really being able to say exactly what it was about
November 18, 2025 at 7:22 PM
enjoying the vibe of an academic article, without really being able to say exactly what it was about
I just sent an "oops sorry here's the attachment" email, but still without the attachment
November 18, 2025 at 7:25 AM
I just sent an "oops sorry here's the attachment" email, but still without the attachment
Reposted by John Mansfield
“social reproduction” is so cool bc it could just mean whatever you want it to mean
November 17, 2025 at 12:13 PM
“social reproduction” is so cool bc it could just mean whatever you want it to mean
Reposted by John Mansfield
Since 7th Oct 2023, Israeli prisons have become torture camps of the worst kind.
www.972mag.com/98-palestini...
www.972mag.com/98-palestini...
New data reveals 98 Palestinian deaths in Israeli custody since October 7
Post-mortems of the deceased and testimonies from former detainees suggest many died from torture, medical neglect, and food deprivation. According to a leaked Israeli intelligence database, dozens we...
www.972mag.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Since 7th Oct 2023, Israeli prisons have become torture camps of the worst kind.
www.972mag.com/98-palestini...
www.972mag.com/98-palestini...
Our Anthropological Linguistics group at Uni Zurich has a webpage now:
www.isle.uzh.ch/en/AnthroL.h...
www.isle.uzh.ch/en/AnthroL.h...
November 16, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Our Anthropological Linguistics group at Uni Zurich has a webpage now:
www.isle.uzh.ch/en/AnthroL.h...
www.isle.uzh.ch/en/AnthroL.h...
Reposted by John Mansfield
Struck this morning by how the win wasn’t from the UC system itself pushing back—it was its worker power through *unions* and aligned groups like @aaup.org defending UC interests, even though admin itself wasn’t.
There’s some kind of lesson here
There’s some kind of lesson here
One reason why elite schools (Columbia, Brown, Cornell) caving to Trump’s illegal impoundment and extortion is so galling — a betrayal, really — is that they would have won had they fought. By giving up, they guaranteed every other school will have to fight harder.
Judge bars Trump from immediately cutting funding to the University of California | CNN Politics
The Trump administration cannot immediately cut federal funding to the University of California or issue fines against the school system over claims it allows antisemitism or other forms of discrimina...
www.cnn.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Struck this morning by how the win wasn’t from the UC system itself pushing back—it was its worker power through *unions* and aligned groups like @aaup.org defending UC interests, even though admin itself wasn’t.
There’s some kind of lesson here
There’s some kind of lesson here
Reposted by John Mansfield
#Vacancies: we are looking for not just one but three #postdoctoral researchers interested in bridging #genetics, #archaeology and #linguistics in exploring the #humanpast. shorturl.at/B3Qdd @haam-community.bsky.social @cschlebu.bsky.social
Postdoctoral position in Palaeo-population genomics at the Center for the Human Past - Uppsala University
Postdoctoral position in Palaeo-population genomics at the Center for the Human Past, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University
shorturl.at
November 10, 2025 at 7:49 AM
#Vacancies: we are looking for not just one but three #postdoctoral researchers interested in bridging #genetics, #archaeology and #linguistics in exploring the #humanpast. shorturl.at/B3Qdd @haam-community.bsky.social @cschlebu.bsky.social
„Find a political home, be it a nonprofit, mutual aid group, or a community garden, so you have a network of people you want to be with as things get harder.”
This is a great piece from @whitneycwimbish.bsky.social, who was out all day in NYC reporting. It's about Mamdani but from the perspective of the organizers and volunteers who helped him to victory, and who won't stop organizing to help him carry out his agenda.
prospect.org/2025/11/05/n...
prospect.org/2025/11/05/n...
New Yorkers Say Yes to Mamdani, That’s Spelled M A M D A N I - The American Prospect
By 3 p.m. Tuesday, New York voters had already surpassed the turnout of any mayoral election since 2001, casting 1.4 million votes. Volunteers and advocates say the best thing to do today is celebrate...
prospect.org
November 5, 2025 at 5:53 AM
„Find a political home, be it a nonprofit, mutual aid group, or a community garden, so you have a network of people you want to be with as things get harder.”
PhD on *interactional and neural processes in conversation*, to work with the delightful Prof Adrian Bangerter in the charming Swiss city of Neuchatel...
www.unine.ch/ipto/emploi/
www.unine.ch/ipto/emploi/
Emploi - Institut de psychologie du travail et des organisations
www.unine.ch
October 30, 2025 at 1:45 PM
PhD on *interactional and neural processes in conversation*, to work with the delightful Prof Adrian Bangerter in the charming Swiss city of Neuchatel...
www.unine.ch/ipto/emploi/
www.unine.ch/ipto/emploi/