10 years of language hat
July 31, 2012 11:49 PM Subscribe
Here's to ten more.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 12:48 AM on August 1, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 12:48 AM on August 1, 2012 [6 favorites]
I heart LH. Reading that blog makes me feel almost clever and cultured.
posted by Devonian at 1:48 AM on August 1, 2012
posted by Devonian at 1:48 AM on August 1, 2012
I've been reading the Languagehat blog for longer than any other blog I read. Eventually I tend to lose interest in blogs and stop following them, but languagehat has never stopped making interesting posts, and I doubt he'll ever stop. Yay for a decade of goodness!
posted by Kattullus at 2:23 AM on August 1, 2012
posted by Kattullus at 2:23 AM on August 1, 2012
LH was one of the sites that inspired me to have a go at blogging, back in '02. It’s a fine achievement that he’s kept up such a high standard of edutainment over a full decade. Hats off!
posted by misteraitch at 2:57 AM on August 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by misteraitch at 2:57 AM on August 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
Every time I read lhat I have the urge to brush up on my languages and learn Russian (as if). This is a good thing.
posted by ersatz at 3:57 AM on August 1, 2012
posted by ersatz at 3:57 AM on August 1, 2012
dude
posted by Monkeymoo at 4:37 AM on August 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Monkeymoo at 4:37 AM on August 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
Needs more prescriptivism.
Good job, Mr. Hat!
posted by double block and bleed at 5:10 AM on August 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
Good job, Mr. Hat!
posted by double block and bleed at 5:10 AM on August 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
The whole hat thing started when I went to Ireland to study Old Irish
Ah ha! Old Irish is the gateway to hats - I knew it!
posted by rtha at 6:01 AM on August 1, 2012 [4 favorites]
Ah ha! Old Irish is the gateway to hats - I knew it!
posted by rtha at 6:01 AM on August 1, 2012 [4 favorites]
Psssh. What a show-off. I could totally learn like 13 languages, if I, you know, wanted to.
posted by Palquito at 6:07 AM on August 1, 2012
posted by Palquito at 6:07 AM on August 1, 2012
Really awesome. thanks for posting this. I don't dare read LH's blog; I have a day job and other responsibilities.
posted by theora55 at 6:50 AM on August 1, 2012
posted by theora55 at 6:50 AM on August 1, 2012
I've never read languagehat's blog, because I can't read and I am fundamentally opposed to the concept of "language" in all its forms. However, I have long thought that he is a giant among, and high example to, hat-wearers everywhere. Of course I would never say that to his face, because I can neither understand nor use the breathy grunts and squawks that you people call "speech". Actually I can only communicate by changing the colour-markings on my octopoid skin, waving my eight arms around and squirting ink on passers-by. However, it is my dream to one day be pulled out of my oceanic home, boiled, cut into rings, battered, lightly fried and seasoned, and then be consumed by this great man, to whom erudition and compassion are one, along with a side-salad. I hope to indicate that to you all by now turning a striking shade of puce along one side. Thank you.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 7:56 AM on August 1, 2012 [12 favorites]
posted by the quidnunc kid at 7:56 AM on August 1, 2012 [12 favorites]
Excellent, fascinating blog.
Hats on to you, sir.
posted by louche mustachio at 8:04 AM on August 1, 2012
Hats on to you, sir.
posted by louche mustachio at 8:04 AM on August 1, 2012
Although it is a bit hazy, I believe it was languagehat's blog that first tipped me to the existence of MetaFilter.
posted by Falconetti at 8:42 AM on August 1, 2012
posted by Falconetti at 8:42 AM on August 1, 2012
more like languagefat amirite
posted by cortex at 9:03 AM on August 1, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by cortex at 9:03 AM on August 1, 2012 [5 favorites]
Thanks for the kind words, all—I find it hard to believe it's been ten years, but that seems to be the case. One of the depressing things about going through my archives to pick posts for the roundups is seeing how few of the blogs I've linked to over the years are still there; I guess people lose interest, or their lives take unexpected turns, there are a million reasons to stop blogging. For me, posting is like brushing my teeth: if I haven't done it at least once a day, my mouth starts to feel icky, and I worry about caries. (Then I have a bite of the quidnunc kid, boiled, cut into rings, battered, lightly fried and seasoned, and I feel better right away.) Anyway, I hope to keep going until I become so senile my grandkids take the computer away for the greater good of mankind. (For one thing, my archives are an increasingly important substitute for my increasingly porous memory; if I want to know if I've read something, or what I've thought about something, I just plug it into the LH search box.)
It's an odd coincidence that I got a MeFi account just a couple of weeks after starting the blog; otherwise I probably would be "SteveD" or something boring, and no one would remember me from one thread to the next. For better or worse, "languagehat" is memorable. And "languagefat" even more so, you ostentatious nincompoop.
posted by languagehat at 9:18 AM on August 1, 2012 [16 favorites]
It's an odd coincidence that I got a MeFi account just a couple of weeks after starting the blog; otherwise I probably would be "SteveD" or something boring, and no one would remember me from one thread to the next. For better or worse, "languagehat" is memorable. And "languagefat" even more so, you ostentatious nincompoop.
posted by languagehat at 9:18 AM on August 1, 2012 [16 favorites]
So you're saying I should have started a blog back in 2004?
posted by stp123 at 1:10 PM on August 1, 2012
posted by stp123 at 1:10 PM on August 1, 2012
Huh. That solves a question I've had for ages, yet always managed to forget about when I've been in a position to find out:
Which came first: Languagehat, the blog; or Languagehat, the Mefite?
Now the world shall know.
And for the purposes of that statement, I am 'the world', apparently.
posted by CrystalDave at 1:34 PM on August 1, 2012
Which came first: Languagehat, the blog; or Languagehat, the Mefite?
Now the world shall know.
And for the purposes of that statement, I am 'the world', apparently.
posted by CrystalDave at 1:34 PM on August 1, 2012
Your blog is my go-to example of how blogging can be a worthwhile scholarly form, rather than just a personal diary. Congrats on ten years, and long may you reign.
posted by LobsterMitten at 2:51 PM on August 1, 2012
posted by LobsterMitten at 2:51 PM on August 1, 2012
Movable Type 2.63! I'm impressed.
posted by eustacescrubb at 5:12 PM on August 1, 2012
posted by eustacescrubb at 5:12 PM on August 1, 2012
Here's to another ten years of fascination and polemics, and the old, pompous Grand Dismissive and Condescending Tone of the Hat ©.
In all earnestness: congratulations, languagehat, and long may your spirit be summoned.
P.S. You are not as old as you think you are.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 7:16 PM on August 1, 2012
In all earnestness: congratulations, languagehat, and long may your spirit be summoned.
P.S. You are not as old as you think you are.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 7:16 PM on August 1, 2012
> Movable Type 2.63! I'm impressed.
I'm glad somebody is; people keep telling me to get with the times. It's not that I have anything against more up-to-date publishing systems, but 1) it means work for me and especially Songdog, who does the technical stuff and is busy with paying work, and 2) I don't want to change the old school look of the thing, especially taz's gorgeous banner on top. But it is rickety, and updating would probably mitigate the spam-comment nuisance. We shall see.
posted by languagehat at 8:16 AM on August 2, 2012
I'm glad somebody is; people keep telling me to get with the times. It's not that I have anything against more up-to-date publishing systems, but 1) it means work for me and especially Songdog, who does the technical stuff and is busy with paying work, and 2) I don't want to change the old school look of the thing, especially taz's gorgeous banner on top. But it is rickety, and updating would probably mitigate the spam-comment nuisance. We shall see.
posted by languagehat at 8:16 AM on August 2, 2012
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Am I right? Who's with me?
This reminds me of how much I miss when I get out of the habit of reading Languagehat. What a great series of posts!
posted by OmieWise at 12:08 AM on August 1, 2012 [4 favorites]