Vijay John
@vijayjohn.bsky.social
American linguist from an Indian (Malayalee) family, studies (or tries) more languages than you might know exist
He/him, they/them, have seen she/her
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VijayJohn5
Mastodon: https://zirk.us/@vijay
He/him, they/them, have seen she/her
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VijayJohn5
Mastodon: https://zirk.us/@vijay
Sometimes it feels easier for me in other languages than in English! 😂
May 5, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Sometimes it feels easier for me in other languages than in English! 😂
I very much lack this talent as well. Sometimes when there are parts that have already been deciphered for me, they don't even help. I've translated a few Afghan songs before but one of my favorites is a song where I have almost no idea what anything means
May 5, 2025 at 5:36 AM
I very much lack this talent as well. Sometimes when there are parts that have already been deciphered for me, they don't even help. I've translated a few Afghan songs before but one of my favorites is a song where I have almost no idea what anything means
Hmm, where are you seeing this? (Link pls?)
May 4, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Hmm, where are you seeing this? (Link pls?)
It is divergent and that's part of the reason why it's so hard to classify
March 24, 2025 at 7:49 AM
It is divergent and that's part of the reason why it's so hard to classify
In Malayalam I'm not sure we have this word at all. At least until the mid-20th century or so at the earliest, we didn't have toothbrushes or toothpaste either. Instead we used burnt rice husk and salt before rinsing with water
January 9, 2025 at 8:16 AM
In Malayalam I'm not sure we have this word at all. At least until the mid-20th century or so at the earliest, we didn't have toothbrushes or toothpaste either. Instead we used burnt rice husk and salt before rinsing with water
All kinds of people, several varieties, and for various reasons! We mainly teach Iranian (more or less Tehrani) Persian for now but are interested in branching out to teach other varieties. Usually people seem to learn it because someone in their life speaks it, but some people are just interested
October 13, 2024 at 4:55 PM
All kinds of people, several varieties, and for various reasons! We mainly teach Iranian (more or less Tehrani) Persian for now but are interested in branching out to teach other varieties. Usually people seem to learn it because someone in their life speaks it, but some people are just interested
I'm afraid not; I've been terribly busy because I now work for a company called Chai and Conversation to help teach Persian!
I do update my Malayalam Word Of The Day thread on Twitter every day, though
I do update my Malayalam Word Of The Day thread on Twitter every day, though
October 13, 2024 at 3:27 AM
I'm afraid not; I've been terribly busy because I now work for a company called Chai and Conversation to help teach Persian!
I do update my Malayalam Word Of The Day thread on Twitter every day, though
I do update my Malayalam Word Of The Day thread on Twitter every day, though
I don't, unfortunately. IMO Bluesky has quickly proven to be at least as bad
September 16, 2024 at 7:50 AM
I don't, unfortunately. IMO Bluesky has quickly proven to be at least as bad
I grew up with a more SFW version of this where the condition is just that the bubbe has "a bort"
(A beard, for those who don't know Yiddish)
(A beard, for those who don't know Yiddish)
August 18, 2024 at 4:37 AM
I grew up with a more SFW version of this where the condition is just that the bubbe has "a bort"
(A beard, for those who don't know Yiddish)
(A beard, for those who don't know Yiddish)
The article is a non-argument. "Gothic is a language isolate" and "it is impossible to learn Gothic fluently" are completely different claims. You can certainly try to learn our best guess at how Gothic was originally spoken, but it is still only a guess. This has nothing to do with other languages
April 5, 2024 at 5:48 AM
The article is a non-argument. "Gothic is a language isolate" and "it is impossible to learn Gothic fluently" are completely different claims. You can certainly try to learn our best guess at how Gothic was originally spoken, but it is still only a guess. This has nothing to do with other languages
No, and from what I understand, very little is known of Gothic because the only surviving sources are Biblical translations, which are heavily influenced by the original Greek
April 3, 2024 at 9:41 PM
No, and from what I understand, very little is known of Gothic because the only surviving sources are Biblical translations, which are heavily influenced by the original Greek
hard to define. It doesn't correspond neatly to national or continental borders in such a way that one culture is completely distinct from another in ways that are always clear
February 18, 2024 at 2:44 AM
hard to define. It doesn't correspond neatly to national or continental borders in such a way that one culture is completely distinct from another in ways that are always clear
My point about "Indian culture" is that India is even more diverse than Europe is, yet people do still talk about "Indian culture." IMO if we can talk about "Indian culture" as something that exists, surely we can talk about "European culture" as something that also exists.
Like I said, culture is
Like I said, culture is
February 18, 2024 at 2:43 AM
My point about "Indian culture" is that India is even more diverse than Europe is, yet people do still talk about "Indian culture." IMO if we can talk about "Indian culture" as something that exists, surely we can talk about "European culture" as something that also exists.
Like I said, culture is
Like I said, culture is
I'm not saying there is a "unique European architecture style" per se either, but I am saying that Europe has some styles of architecture that are not part of the traditions of many other countries and that many of them are related to one another
February 18, 2024 at 2:42 AM
I'm not saying there is a "unique European architecture style" per se either, but I am saying that Europe has some styles of architecture that are not part of the traditions of many other countries and that many of them are related to one another
Indeed it's not just Europe that has them; I thought you already established this. But Europe does have some. Christianity is the biggest religion in Europe as a whole, and it is largely (not exclusively) through Europe that Christianity spread elsewhere
February 18, 2024 at 2:41 AM
Indeed it's not just Europe that has them; I thought you already established this. But Europe does have some. Christianity is the biggest religion in Europe as a whole, and it is largely (not exclusively) through Europe that Christianity spread elsewhere
You're probably right about the US having many Christian sects, but I think there are at least a few in Europe as well - for example, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and the various Eastern Orthodox churches
February 17, 2024 at 9:26 PM
You're probably right about the US having many Christian sects, but I think there are at least a few in Europe as well - for example, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and the various Eastern Orthodox churches
Well, admittedly, my source isn't very reliable, but I do remember someone writing a story about being in Macedonia (I believe it was in a village though I could be wrong). People from various linguistic backgrounds lived there, and Turkish was the language they used to communicate with each other
February 17, 2024 at 9:23 PM
Well, admittedly, my source isn't very reliable, but I do remember someone writing a story about being in Macedonia (I believe it was in a village though I could be wrong). People from various linguistic backgrounds lived there, and Turkish was the language they used to communicate with each other
I think it exists in about the same sense that "Indian culture" exists. Culture is kind of hard to define, but there are many cultural things in Europe that don't exist in many or even most other parts of the world, like (European) architecture and the many, many Christian sects
February 17, 2024 at 6:53 PM
I think it exists in about the same sense that "Indian culture" exists. Culture is kind of hard to define, but there are many cultural things in Europe that don't exist in many or even most other parts of the world, like (European) architecture and the many, many Christian sects
In particular I have some parts of rural Macedonia in mind
It is also very common among Roma in the Balkans to speak Turkish
It is also very common among Roma in the Balkans to speak Turkish
February 17, 2024 at 6:51 PM
In particular I have some parts of rural Macedonia in mind
It is also very common among Roma in the Balkans to speak Turkish
It is also very common among Roma in the Balkans to speak Turkish
In some parts of the region I think Turkish may even be used as the lingua franca between different ethnic groups
February 17, 2024 at 6:45 AM
In some parts of the region I think Turkish may even be used as the lingua franca between different ethnic groups