Channel Title: The Linguistics Channel Channel Description: A charming videoblog-style channel about the basics of linguistics including videos on grammar, morphology, phonology, syntax, semantics, phonetics, pragmatics, language change, etymology, and historical linguistics. Plus, it is somewhat humorous. <video> Word Origins: Crazy Description: Principal Sources: http://www.oed.com ; http://www.etymonline.com What do Maria I of Portugal, King Charles VI of France, and Caligula of Rome all have in common besides being rulers? They were all crazy. In this episode of Word Origins, we discuss the etymology of the word 'crazy'. Crazy's etymological roots are somewhat unclear, but a likely origin comes from the Old French word 'acraser' itself a borrowing from Old Norse. 'Acraser,' whose modern form 'écraser' like the older form means to break, shatter, crush or crack, made its way into Middle English as acraze. Then through a process called aphaeresis the word lost its initial 'a'. Aphaeresis simply refers to the loss of one or more sounds at the beginning of a word, especially in the case of unstressed vowels. As an adjective, crazy meant 'having the qualities of a crack or breach' or 'full of cracks'. Later we started using it for people who were of an unsound or cracked mind. </video> <video> Grammar Spotlight: Less vs Fewer Description: A video explaining the difference between less and fewer and when to use which one. </video> <video> Grammar Spotlight: Affect vs Effect Description: A grammar video describing the difference between affect and effect and when to use each one. </video> <video> Word Origins: Orange Description: A video in which the etymology of the word 'orange' is discussed. Sources: http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/132163?rskey=h964jx&result=1#eid http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=orange </video> <video> A Case for: I Could Care Less Description: A defense of the commonly looked down upon phrase "I could care less." </video> <video> Grammar Spotlight: Lay vs Lie Description: A video explaining the difference between lay and lie and how to use each correctly. For the cat crib featured in the video: http://www.catcrib.com/ </video> <video> Is Grammar Important? Description: A video that discusses how grammar is important and how it is not important. Also, the difference between prescriptive and descriptive grammars is explained. </video> <video> Word Origins: Janitor Description: Part of the Word Origins series, this video discusses the origins of the word janitor. Learn about the etymology and history of this commonly looked-down-upon word and profession. Even Saint Peter was known as a janitor! Find out why! Janitors everywhere will be able to better appreciate the word origin and etymology of the title of their profession. Sources: http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/romangods/p/janus.htm http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/100738?redirectedFrom=janitor#eid http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=janitor&allowed_in_frame=0 </video> <video> Thou, Thee, Thy, and Thine Description: A video giving a brief history of the English language and the curious pronouns thou, thee, thy, thine, ye, and you. </video> <video> A Case for: Literally - Why You're Literally Using Literally Right Description: Literally has two acceptable definitions, yet most people seem to be uncomfortable with the second definition. Find out why 'literally,' literally can be used in both ways and still be correct. Literally-In a literal, exact, or actual sense; not figuratively or allegorically—the primary definition of the word literally. Literally-Used to indicate that some metaphorical or hyperbolical expression is to be taken in the strongest admissible sense; virtually or figuratively—secondary meaning of the word literally. Even knowing both of these definitions, some seem to cringe every time 'literally' isn't used in the same way that it was originally intended. They also think that it is impossible for the word to retain its original meaning in the presence of the somewhat newer use of the word, which is to simply use it as an intensifier. Allow me to present a case for: literally. </video> <video> An Introduction to Phonetics: The Consonants of the IPA, Part I Description: An awesome and very concise introduction to phonetics. Basically I give an introduction to what the study of phonetics is and then proceed to describe and give examples of every consonant sound in the English language. Phonetics is basically the study of the sounds that we use to create words. We create these sounds through the contorting of our lips and tongues among other things. The IPA or International Phonetic Alphabet is a phonetic alphabet that linguists have created which catalogs every sound that exists in every known language. Linguists created the IPA by assigning symbols to all of these sounds. The IPA is very important because it allows linguists to talk about all languages in a standardized language. This makes learning the IPA a necessity for anyone who is interested in the serious study of language. In this video we run through the places of articulation of all of the consonants. In the next video we will go more into manner of articulation. </video> <video> A Message to My Subscribers Description: I'm back! Let me know what types of videos you would like to see on the channel. I hope to continue making content in the coming months, and I would love to know what you want to see. </video> <video> Word Origins: Nerd Description: Part of the Word Origin series, this video talks about some of the prevalent theories behind the etymology of the word nerd. No one actually knows its true origins, but here we discuss the two most likely origins. The earliest recorded use of nerd using the same spelling as today comes from a book by Dr. Seuss published in 1950 called If I Ran the Zoo. A second possible origin, though there seems to be little recorded evidence to support it, is from a back slang of the word drunk. Spelling knurd. Whatever the origin, nerds have certainly come a long ways from their antisocial awkward beginnings. </video> <video> An Introduction to Morphology Description: An introduction to morphology in linguistics describing morphemes, bound morphemes, free morphemes, content words, function words, bound roots, affixes, and the like. Plus Power Rangers. </video>

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A charming videoblog-style channel about the basics of linguistics including videos on grammar, morphology, phonology, syntax, semantics, phonetics, pragmatics, language change, etymology, and historical linguistics.

Plus, it is somewhat humorous.

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