#language nerds

[rougerave]

Hear me out. So Dick and Jason have always known languages. Dick from his time traveling with the circus and Jason from his time sneaking into the library and devouring all types of books when he was still on the streets.

And because of this, they could connect more easily due to their shared love of language. (Cannon can kiss my ass thank you very much.)

They made it a point to learn new languages together, so much so that they even passed Bruce in the number of languages they knew and spoke.

This is the driving factor that brings them close when Jason comes from the whole dead and resurrected drama.

The problem comes that they think everyone speaks the same languages. Like they'll be speaking English one minute then the switch it up to Swahili because they forgot a word in English and then carry on speaking in a different language until they forget a word again and change languages.

Bruce is the only one who can mildly keep up with them, but other than that his completely lost because of the shear speed the switch up the language.

It gets irritating when they're all at the dinner table and the two oldest forget the names of simple things. Like salt.

"Hey Demon spar. Pass the *snaps fingers as he tries to remember the name* the 鹽 (jim4) [Cantonese]."

And poor Damian is so lost so he looks to Dick and Dick goes "άλας (álas) [Greek]" as if that's any better. And the poor baby is just so confused, so he looks to his baba because his baba should know but his baba also looks confused. And Alfred, bless his soul knows Greek so he goes, "The salt Master Damian. Master Jason is asking for the salt."

And the whole table is also very confused and irritated by this whole exchange.

When the eldest two argue, it's explosive and physical and confusing because of the mess of languages, and the only time you hear a spark of English is when one has a black eye and the other has a nose bleed and their both laying on their backs and the only words exchanged is, "Fuck you dickface." and, "Love you too Jay."

They hug it out then throw the middle finger over their backs, limp out the room and opposite ways of the hallway.

All this happens in the full view of the family and nobody asks what words were exchanged, nobody asks what they were fighting about, they just sit shell shocked, each and everytime.

Except Bruce, who gets majority of what was said. He sits with his head in his hands and let's out a dispointed sigh. "All this ruckes because of cake." He stands so he can go call his therapist (Clark).

[popcorn-plots]

pissing myself over this

[tylercolors]

me, an non native english speaker, just found out that "shenanigans" is actually a word with a real meaning

my whole life i thought it was like an onomatopeia, a sound idk if my latino mutuals will relate but i'm surprised

[featherfangart]

Two Sides Of the Same Coin

[sleepy-bebby]

[pancakemolybdenum]

she out on my wild till i go supernova

[itty-britty-blog]

Me: "Nessie" is actually short for "Necessary."

Nessie: *happy Nessie noises*

Scientist: You know, it's actually a diminutive of Loch Ness, the Scottish loch, or lake, where-

Me: Shh. She likes it.

[sertralineman]

old polish* names are metal as fuck, cause they can literally mean something like "the destroyer of peace" (Kazimierz), "the rage has come"(Przybygniew), "the one that praises killing/murdering" (Morzysław), "the one that does not know peace" (Nieznamir), or, my personal favorite, "the one that avenges his comrades" (Mściwoj).

it gets even more badass - because the pre-christian slavic traditions and language were rather poorly documented, and throughout history, there have been attempts to erase the records, we can't actually know for sure what exactly some of them were supposed to mean, or how were they used. we're left with names that could belong to a demonic antagonist in a fantasy book, their sound harsh, their origin shrouded in mystery.

*many of those are names in other slavic languages, too, but i'm talking specifically old polish names because i am polish and that's the language i know the most about.

[wisteriasymphony]

*taps mic* felix is good at improv because he's skilled in coming up with lies on the spot and adrien is good at faking accents because he's skilled in mimicry and conforming to a set of rules/expectations

[nine-frogs-in-a-trenchcoat]

neil josten has the skills to be a hit man capable of taking down mafia empires in an alternate universe but instead he chose to play collegiate exy because ball is life and he would rather be gay and only do crime on the side (ordering hits on rapists) and if that's not character of all time behaviour i don't know what is

[whiteraven90]

Warm-ups and wind-downs with the horsie (I haven't LOOKED AT humans in six months, let alone draw any) Pegasus doesn't neigh and doesn't growl, he honks and hisses. u_u" Occasional yowling/screaming; generic terse English, to tell people to fuck off (unlike Griffin, he doesn't eat people, even when offered 🙃 He will maul people at the drop of a hat tho)

[phoenixkaptain]

Reading the novelization of A New Hope already changed how I saw Luke as a character but Splinter of the Mind’s Eye is going one step further and making me question the very fundamentals thought to be obvious about Luke.

Like, Luke is, for lack of a better term, a nerd. He studied languages and cultures -

“”Yes,” Luke admitted modestly. “I used to study a lot about certain worlds, back on my uncle’s farm on Tatooine. It was my only escape, and educational as well. This,” and he indicated the creature resting a massive long arm on his head and shaking him in a friendly fashion, “is a Yuzzem.””

-he wants to study more languages and cultures-

“Empty doorways beckoned to him and he was tempted, very tempted, to enter one of the ruined structures to find out if its interior was as well preserved as the outside.

This was not, he reminded himself firmly, the time for playful exploration. Their first concern was to find a way out, not to go poking around this ancient metropolis. However wonderful it was.”

Luke wants to know about people. He wants to know about cultures and creatures and he wants to be able to communicate and…

He really just. Is a great Jedi. He jumps between Leia and danger and he befriends the Yuzzem the prison guards thought would kill him and he wants to explore the creepy abandoned ruins of a civilization long past and he uses Anakin’s lightsaber underwater to cut the stem of a lilypad they use as a boat and he comments that the rock formations are almost too beautiful to cut down and he knows how to work Imperial explosives and

He’s a Jedi, man. He’s a Jedi. He’s been a Jedi this whole time, before any of us even knew what that actually meant.

[anonyunknownonearth]

Jason is the type of nerd to know all the actual meanings and layered intentions behind book quotes, references, famous quotes, lit quotes, philosophical quotes, but still make jokes & quips about their literal meanings in daily life. But can anyone else do it? Oh HELL no! For How could someone be so shallow, uneducated, dumb, and illiterate regarding old classics?

Behold an Example below:-

All bets are off if anyone else even tries, and Jason calls in backup if needed. The backup is slightly more terrifying than Jason himself on a normal day, but in this situation? She’s just a confirmation of the offenders demolition. No kidding, it’s Barbara effing Gordon

[heckyeahponyscans]

I found an interesting discussion on a Chinese language forum about the strengths / weaknesses of the various translations of My Little Pony in Chinese. (Like, translations of the actual brand name, not episodes.)

As a non-Chinese-speaker I had to work backwards to figure out the context, because Google Translate translates all the different words for pony into "pony". (Like imagine if English speakers were discussing the merits of calling ponies "ponies" versus calling them "small four-hoofed equines", yet a translation program translated both phrases into the same word. That's kind of the equivalent, I think.)

The original remark was that they watched the My Little Pony movie and were surprised to see there wasn't a character named Baoli (because in Chinese the name of the brand is something similar to My Little Baoli). From that context I assume baoli doesn't normally mean pony and they thought it was the proper name of a main character. Another comment said baoli was chosen because it SOUNDS like the English word for pony (sort of).

Anyway, I found the discussion really interesting. They talk about the pre-G4 generations of MLP having a different Chinese brand name and show G3 Chinese VHS tapes (I think? not sure from the pictures).

My favorite out of context Google-Translate-mangled quote is "My Little Pony is too weird, like a psychopath, no one would talk like that."

[joyswonderland1108]

✨ Korean Lesson of the Day ✨

So earlier in Hobi's live Jimin commented this:

Okay so

🗨️ Jimin said:

나 지금 오랜만에 집청소해요 형 노래들으면서~~~ (Na jigeum oraenman-e jipcheongso haeyo, hyung norae deureumyeonseo~~~) → "I’m cleaning the house for the first time in a while, listening to your songs, hyung~~~"

🧠 Let’s break it down!

나 (na) = I

지금 (jigeum) = now

오랜만에 (oraenman-e) = after a long time / it’s been a while

집청소해요 (jipcheongso haeyo) = cleaning the house

�� (hyung) = older brother / affectionate term from a younger male

노래 들으면서 (norae deureumyeonseo) = while listening to songs

❗️Notice how there’s no “my” in there? That’s totally normal in Korean. No possessive ("my") in the sentence. In Korean, possessives are often dropped when it’s obvious from context. Since he’s talking about something he’s doing, we infer it's 'his' house.

🏠 What if he did say “my house”?

우리 집 (uri jip) = "our house" 🧍‍♂️ But surprise! It actually means “my house” here.

📌 In Korean culture, people often say "our" instead of "my" (e.g., 우리 엄마 = my mom, 우리 회사 = my company). It’s a collectivist thing. It’s soft, humble, and implies shared belonging even when it’s not literal. Cute, right?

So Jimin could have said:

나 지금 오랜만에 우리 집 청소해요 형 노래들으면서~~~ (Na jigeum oraenman-e uri jip cheongso haeyo, hyung norae deureumyeonseo~~~) → “I’m finally cleaning my house, while listening to your songs, hyung~~~”

😌 But he didn’t.

Because he’s Korean. And because the whole house probably still smells like fabric softener and .. ANYGAYS.

[clever-ludicrous]

How to Actually Learn a Language (Without Wasting Time)

Polyglots will do anything to sell you something, so here’s the fastest and most basic technique based on my research.

—

Step 1 – Getting the Absolute Basics In

This is where most people already get lost. If you search social media for how to start, the advice isn’t necessarily bad, but it often makes you dependent on a single resource, usually an app that will eventually try to charge you. Duolingo, for example, has turned into a mega-corporation that perfected gamification to keep you on the app.

Remember: free apps make money by keeping you on their platform, not by helping you become fluent.

At this stage, the goal is not to gain conversational skills but to avoid overwhelming yourself and get a feel for what you’re actually getting into. All my recommended resources are free because I believe learning a language should be a basic right. I wouldn’t advise spending any money until you’re sure you’ll stick with it. Otherwise, it can turn into a toxic “but I paid for this, so I have to keep going” mindset that drains all the fun out of learning.

• Language Transfer – Highly recommended for Spanish, Arabic, Turkish, German, Greek, Italian, Swahili, and French.

• Textbooks – Simply search for [language] textbook PDF, or check LibGen and the Internet Archive. Don’t overthink which book to choose—it doesn’t matter much.

• Podcasts – Coffee Break is a solid choice for many languages.

• YouTube Channels – Join r/Learn[language] on Reddit and find recommendations.

—

Step 2 – The 20/80 Principle

The idea is that 20% of words make up 80% of everyday speech.

What you’re going to do:

Search “Most common words [language] PDF”.

This list is now your best friend

For flashcards, I highly recommend AnkiPro. It lets you import pre-made lists for Anki/Quizlet and has an archive where you’ll definitely find the most common words. But it lacks audio. The real Anki program has it, but only on PC (unless you’re willing to pay $30 for the mobile app). Use AnkiPro for now—we’ll come back to repeating phrases later. In the meantime, find a YouTube video with the most common words pronounced, or use Google Translate for audio.

(Knowt is a free alternative for Quizlet if you prefer that)

These lists will spare you from learning unnecessary vocabulary at this stage. Spaced repetition (which Anki uses) can take longer, but it’s worth it because you want these words to stick. Anki will only introduce a small number of new words per day. Once you start new words, write phrases using them. Doesn’t matter if they’re random just try to use them.

—

Step 3 – The First Breakup With the Language

This isn’t really a step, but I have to mention it. For me (and for other language learners I’ve talked to) this is where motivation crashes.

The dopamine rush is over. Your ego boost is gone. You’re stuck understanding just enough to notice how much you don’t understand, and topics are getting more complex. Everything feels overwhelming, and motivation drops.

This is normal. You have to push through it.

I’ll write a separate post on how I manage this phase, but for now:

• Take a step back and make sure you understand the basics.

• Find something that keeps you motivated.

• Consistency is key. Even if it’s just five minutes a day, do it. (Edit: You can search online for inspiration on scheduled plans. I found one that organizes language exercises into different categories based on how much time you have each day, which seems helpful. https://www.reddit.com/r/languagelearning/s/sSGUtORurM

Personally, I used AI to create a weekly plan kind of as a last resort before giving up on the language, but try looking for pre-made ones first.)

I personally enjoyed story learning during this phase. And don’t forget the frequency lists are still your best friend. For story learning check out Olly Richards books!

—

Step 4 – Immersion

Your brain needs active and passive immersion. The earlier steps were mostly active, and now you’ll start the fun part.

How to Immerse Yourself:

1. Join some kind of community.

• I enjoy Reddit/ r/lean[Language]. Do this in your target language, but also in the language you already speak. Post that you’re looking for a chat partner in your target language. The most people are nice, and the mean ones will just ghost you anyway.

2. Watch shows.

• Subtitles only in your target language or drop English subtitles ASAP.

3. Listen to podcasts.

4. Read

I personally dislike media made for kids (except on low-energy days). For real immersion, pick something for adults.

5. Translate, write, and speak.

Before this, you wrote simple sentences using vocabulary. Now, put them to work:

• Translate texts.

• Keep a diary.

• Write short stories.

• Complain about the language in the language.

It doesn’t matter, just use it.

—

Step 5 – Speaking

Start speaking earlier than you think you’re ready. Trust me. This is probably where most people disagree with me. I do think you should start by focusing on input, but the importance of output isn’t talked about enough.

Now, the real Anki (or any program with phrases + audio) comes into play. At lower levels, it doesn’t make sense to just start talking, since you wouldn’t even be able to recognize your mistakes. Here’s what you’ll do:

1. Repeat phrases out loud.

2. Record yourself speaking.

3. Compare your recording to the original audio and adjust your pronunciation.

If it’s a tonal language (or if you struggle with accents), start this even earlier.

Other Speaking Strategies:

• Shadowing – Repeat after native speakers.

• Reading aloud – Your own texts, books, anything.

• Talking to yourself.

• Talking to natives (if you’re brave).

I’m not here to fix social anxiety, but I am here to help with language learning, so just speak.

—

Final Thoughts

• These steps overlap, and that’s fine.

• This is supposed to be fun. Learning just because you’re “too deep in” or because of school won’t cut it.

• If you’re lost, take a step back.

• I’m not a professional. I just think a straight answer is way too hard to find.

—

If you have anything to add, feel free to share.