#how should i use slang and short forms of words?!

[lin-cha]

NDR 3 leaks below

I really like this part of him bcz he has gone throguh lot of shit (hunted where he had to move forward thinking his friendsre dead) and it`s also about leadership qualities. Good leader should see the situation clearly and prioritize really important tasks. But it still doesn`t mean that he acted good in this scene (it was really bad, poor Arin). Give this guy an emathy lesson pls.

DRS3 SPOILERS

sometimes I think I write to lloyd too ooc on LP (for example, offering Jay a mission when all he wants is to find Kaida in chapter 23) but the new clip where Arin tells him that his parents are dead and the FIRST thing Lloyd says is "if wu caused the merge he must have had a good excuse" confirms that nope lol I know there's more context missing from the clip but damn

[desertleviathan]

Help Me Create a Character Part 3

Ok. The second poll wrapped up a couple days ago but I've been busy as hell. So let's move on to part 3 of 6.

In the first poll, we determined our guy was one of the Fair Folk. Aclodoc's Fae have hierarchical organizations where each Rank has a distinct function in their society and supernatural or physiological traits to fit that function (there is considerable mobility between ranks, it just often involves a physical transformation to match the new role). They are also the indigenous people of the Buer Valley, displaced by the Wizards with their cultures heavily disrupted, so lone Fae operating outside the normal parameters of their rank are much more common. And perhaps most importantly, they are a mystery for which I, the author of the setting, refuse to posit an official origin.

In the second poll we determined that our Fair Folk would eschew the bonds of the Four Seasonal Courts, and instead be an adherent of the ancient Tree Man, Orofarne Sawleaf, who is another of the setting's great mysteries. Orofarne may be the oldest non-divine life form on the planet, and even he doesn't remember his origin. But he has sufficient power and harmony with the natural world to serve as a kind of Substitute Monarch, empowering Fae who flock to him for protection as his Druids. He has mortal pupils as well, but they don't become vessels for his power directly the way the Fae who serve him do. Orofarne and his followers are naturally very concerned about the ongoing pollution of the Buer Valley, and tend to oppose the Wizard Oligarchy for ecological reasons first and foremost.

Our third decision to make is a matter of Jobs.

But first, a small digression. Before there was a formal organized rebellion, there was a short-lived philosophical movement agitating for reform from within. When that didn't work and their leaders were assassinated for peacefully raising complaints with the status quo, the survivors radicalized and went underground to regroup. The founder of the philosophical movement was actually a Wizard of high standing, one Magus Alastor Caradoc, who outlined in exhaustive detail all the ways that the Buer Valley's fixation on magical research at any cost was not sustainable, and all the ways that failure to course correct would invite justified violence from oppressed people just trying to survive. His works have become widespread, and he is seen as the father of the modern rebellion.

There used to be a famous portrait of him that has since been removed from Illiaster's official gallery of notable citizens, but copies have been circulated and displaying them indicates some level of support for the Rebellion. Within internal slang of the FreeBIRD Alliance, the organizing body that keeps the various smaller rebel groups coordinated, the elements of this portrait are often used as code for describing different kinds of rebellion members.

The portrait showed Alastor in sky blue robes in some kind of vault or mausoleum standing on the edge of a runic circle in which he was casting a spell. There is a pillar behind him with a torch affixed to it. With one hand he holds a tome and with the other he pours out an ablation. He chants the words of a spell which become glowing sigils in the air, and in the center of the circle a bright light gathers into a marvel, the likes of which won't be clear until the spell is complete.

The six Jobs that the FreeBIRD alliance sorts people into are:

THE TORCH - You are a soldier, a warrior, a gladiator, a brute. You know how to accomplish your goals through violence and intimidation, but you also know how to use your superior combat prowess to protect others who aren't as sturdy.

THE ABLATION - You are a spy, a scout, a thief, an assassin. You know how to work subtly and without being seen, entering places that would rather keep you out, obtaining things that should have been held secure, and striking when you're least expected.

THE CHANT - You are a diplomat, a negotiator, a merchant, a community leader. You know how to accomplish your goals by communicating effectively, whether you're changing the opinions of adversaries or bolstering the spirits of allies.

THE PILLAR - You had better believe this rebellion has a place for the humble worker. Whatever trade or skill or craft you work for your living, the FreeBIRD Alliance can find a way to put it to use, and offer supplemental training on how to branch out from your base abilities and become a fearsome part of a combat unit.

THE TOME - You are a Mage. Maybe an Academy graduate who read Alastor Caradoc's work and agreed with it enough to forsake a life of comfort any privilege, or maybe you learned through some kind of unsavory or unsanctioned means, in which case your very existence may be a crime.

THE MARVEL - Your occupation in the Rebellion will be less about what you know how to do and more about what you are. Perhaps you've gained inherent magical abilities as a result of a lab experiment, or you might be a construct designed for a unique style of combat, or any other origin that could give you something closer to super powers.

Each of these options has a number of sub-types as well, some reflecting specific traditions within the setting, while others are flexible "generic" options.

So which will it be, for our Fair Folk disciple of Orofarne Sawleaf?

[best-non-english-word-torunament]

Word of the week rules and submissions!

What is this?

This is no longer a tournament as that takes too much time and admin. We have also already decided that многоꙮчитїй/ mnogoočitii from Old church slavonian is the best word, so no need to do that again. Instead, I will use this blog to highlight a word (or a couple of words) every week (or other time period if the queue runs out) from languages which aren't English. This will be based on reader submissions with me editing for clarity and adding a blurb about the language, much like in the tournament.

In short, tell me about your favourite words! Let's all learn something new! (My favourite phase of the tournament was definitely research/round one)

Who are you?

I'm a linguistics student and language nerd from Sweden who decided to run a tournament of non-English words because I wanted to highlight language diversity. My native language isn't English, so please be kind if my posts are worded weirdly sometimes (or my username is misspelled lol)

What makes a word good?

There are many ways that a word can be good, but here are some examples: it sounds good/feels good to say, the script looks nice, it denotes an interesting concept, it denotes a concept you like, it does something interesting grammarwise, usagewise or soundwise, it's funny, it's an interesting/fun compound, it has an interesting/fun etymology, it just has good vibes... The possibilities are endless

Rules:

No words in English, but loanwords from English are allowed with good motivation

No conlangs (I love them but the focus is on natural language)

Words from signed languages are allowed and encouraged as long as you can provide an explanatory picture or film for the sign

Words from pidgins are allowed

Words from extinct languages are allowed

Usage should be widespread within a language community (if it isn't/wasn't used in the language it doesn't belong, neither does words only your family/friend group uses, but slang words are allowed)

No words that have appeared in the tournament or previously on word of the week (search for the word on my blog, all words are tagged)

How submissions and posting work (read these before submitting):

Each person is can make two submissions at a time. Please wait until yours have been posted before you submit more

The submission form is currently open. It will remain so until I have too many unposted submissions, then open again when those have been scheduled

If you're able to, please provide an IPA transcription for your word (the International Phonetic Alphabet has a sign for each sound used in any language, which makes transcription of exact pronounciation possible)

You will need to provide a translation/explanation of the word in English since that is the language used on the blog for ease of communication and reach. If the exact translation of a word is part of what makes the word good, please provide that too

It is possible to be credited for your submission if you want to

If more than 5-6 words in the same language are submitted, all of them might not be posted until some time has passed to avoid one language dominating

I reserve the right to pick which words I want to share if I have many submissions and don't want to do all of them. I do this in my very limited spare time because I think language is fun and if it doesn't spark joy I won't do it

Submissions will be fact-checked, edited for clarity and get a short text about the language. If I find something interesting while researching I might add a note about that as well

Have fun! I can't wait to see your submissions and learn something new!

Submit your word(s) through this form

[sahonithereadwolf]

I went down another research hole the other night. Y'all might know about "Big Rock Candy Mountain" from O Brother, Where Art Thou...

But it, like most of the songs from that movie comes from a tradition of American folk songs. Big Rock Candy Mountains very specifically this tradition of hobo ballads. And, like setting aside the overtones of American colonialism that purvey all these sort of "there is a dreamland to the west for you to claim" songs, there is a cultural tradition of these. "Life is a struggle but there is a place where it's not if you can find it" is a very human sentiment.

There are plenty of medieval works on Cockaigne, which has a similar kinda tone to it. A land where the harsh realities of a blue collar or peasant class struggle can not exist.

But did you know about the secret gay lyrics of Big Rock Candy Mountain?

After Harry McClintoc recorded his version of this ballad, which he claimed he wrote in 1895 based off the stories he heard as a kid working on the railroad, a bunch of people took him to court because they claimed he stole and took parts of his song from a bunch of other hobo songs in the same traditions. Sweet Potato Mountain, Hobo's Heaven, An Appleknocker's Lament... As part of the court dispute, McClintock was told by the judge to perform the song. As art of the court record we have a last stanza which is not used in the cleaned up version used for records and "reputable venues". This was recorded as:

"The punk rolled up his big blue eyes And said to the jocker, "Sandy, I've hiked and hiked and wandered too, But I ain't seen any candy. I've hiked and hiked till my feet are sore And I'll be damned if I hike any more To be * * * * * * * * In the Big Rock Candy Mountains." Now NO ONE KNOWS what that last lyric is. However we can make some very educated inferences. This is about gay sex.

And it's not like "Big Rock Candy Mountains" is immune to commentary despite the more sanitized versions you'd see later from the likes of Burl Ives.

I'm thinking very specifically: "In The Big Rock Candy Mountains All the cops have wooden legs And the bulldogs all have rubber teeth" and

"In The Big Rock Candy Mountains The jails are made of tin And you can walk right out again As soon as you are in There ain't no short-handle shovels No axes, saws or picks I'm a-goin' to stay where you sleep all day Where they hung the jerk that invented work In The Big Rock Candy Mountains" Going back to the lyrics "The punk rolled up his big blue eyes"

Punk in this context and original use, especially in it's use in hobo culture refers to a younger man or boy being kept for sex and other menial task.

Which, you know, should put a whole new context to see how it's been used against other forms of youth culture. Hippies, greasers, punks,ect. And at least for me makes it's misuse feel even more slapdash and pathetic.

If you doubt this, it is quickly followed up by the term "Jocker" "And said to the jocker, 'Sandy," a slang term of the era referring to an aggressive and usually straight passing dom top, especially in the context of prison.

To be a little flippant, this is a twink grumbling to a daddy.

As I mentioned before, no one actually knows what that missing lyric is. Or at the very least it's never been made public.

But give it's proximity to "sore" and "more" a lot of guess tend to jump to the word "Whore".

Sam Eskin actually interviewed McClintock for Folkway Records and which, when asked about the lyrics said “the ambition of every hobo was to snare some kid to do his begging for him, among other things,”

This is something you see in a lot of early gay panic lit all the way up through the 80's. Especially as the moral authoritarianism of the Hayes code kicked in. But it also found itself in the early pulp lit where queerness could still exist (if behind a little mask and a performative, if dramatic, finger shake)

Queerness and homelessness were intertwined. Still are, both from my own personal experiences and if you look at the statistics. And it's not much of a leap to understand why. ---

But we do have some offered lyrics from other authors: "To be buggered sore like a hobo’s whore,” Is a popular one, which has it's origins from a 2002 folk music site called mudcat and waaaaay too British to read naturally if you ask me.

“And be cornholed till my ass is raw.” is another one you see passed around a lot. Which feels too forum humor.

George Milburn in 1930 offers "To be a homeguard with a lemonade card.” which is naive and sweet to say the least.

The fact is we still don't know this lyric, gay punchline (or at least gay panic) as it might be. All we know is that Big Rock Candy Mountain "Was never meant to be a parlor song" in McClintock's own words.

Well that and the insight it offers into social perceptions of queerness at the time and how it's shaped and shifted in the future.

What do you think this secret gay Big Rock Candy Mountain lyric is?

[ivyial]

Canonicity in the Context of Ships (and Ship Wars)

Essentially, what makes a ship canon? Does it even matter that a ship becomes canon?

So, disclaimer before we start:

1. This is my interpretation of the meaning of "canon" and what it means for a ship to be canon. As always, I'm open to disagreements and constructive criticism, especially if it can tame the constant aggression in some fandom spaces

2. I like ships, but I don't support ship wars because they're all fucking pointless and if you're a grown adult or close to being one and you're still harassing people over ships on the internet, you're a fucking loser

That being said

As we all know, online fandom spaces have developed their own vernacular over the years: canon, fanon, headcanon, OC, AU, OTP, the infamous 'Dead Dove: Do Not Eat', etc. Fandom slang has also evolved since it was first coined. A prime example of that would be the use of the term "lemon" to refer to erotic fanfiction, which while still used, has suffered a sharp decline in favour of the word "smut" (although smut has its own use and meaning outside of fandoms).

The word "canon" is arguably one of the most important words in fandom, since it refers to the official source material from a game, book, TV show, movie, whatever form of media said fandom is about. In essence, it's the official story: what actually happens and what was intended by the creators. Some universes are easily accessible and the canon isn't really subject to much debate. Most TV shows have very straightforward canon: assuming that everything is contained within, let's say, 5 seasons of 22 episodes each, with no spin-offs, movies, or exclusive bonus episodes, the canon of the show will be laid out in these episodes. That's it. Some other fandoms will be much more obscure: think of game franchises such as Resident Evil, where many games have been released over the years, remade, and some have been largely forgotten and can even contradict the current version of events. In this case, it can be much harder to define what canon is, which events are official and still applicable to the story and which should be discarded completely. (And I have to say, as a law student, canon is weirdly reminiscent of the hierarchy of norms, but that's for another day.)

I could discuss the importance of canon in fandoms, but that's irrelevant to the point of this post. Let's talk ships. I don't need to explain to everyone what a ship is. There's no point of contention there. In most media where romance is either dealt with or hinted at, fandoms, and therefore, shippers, will jump at the opportunity to write about or make art of their favourite ship. However, there's always something rearing its ugly head and contributing to the toxic atmosphere in fandoms: ship wars.

Ship wars are in essence extremely simple, and I'm sure we've all been in a fandom that participated in a ship war, whether we were involved in it ourselves or not. Long story short, shippers argue over which ship will become canon. Writers are toying with the idea of two or more major ships and teasing that both have their chances. So, in the end, it's all about who comes out on top and who becomes official.

The canonicity of a ship is a lot more complicated than the canonicity of media itself. I'd argue that even if the canonicity of the story is simple, it's likely that the canonicity of ships will necessarily be harder to draw conclusions about. So you can imagine how complicated canon is when it comes to ships from franchises that barely know their own canon.

Since I've seen a lot of arguments over canon ships in the Resident Evil fandom as of late, and this is what inspired this post, I will be using this example primarily - and since ideally I'd like this post to reach fandoms outside of RE, I'll be explaining and illustrating my examples. Other fandoms and ships might also be referred to.

1. Canon, semi-canon and non-canon

When it comes to ships, there are 3 main ways to describe them:

- Non-canon: quite straightforward. The ship has not officially expressed any desire (even implicit) to get together whatsoever. They may or may not interact in canon, and if they do, there's just no romantic interest there. Non-canon does not necessarily refer to a ship being into each other but not doing anything about it, as this is characterised as:

- Semi-canon: there's something there. Maybe both characters like each other romantically, maybe it's one-sided, maybe there is potential but it could either sail or be ruined completely by Character A's reaction to Character B's feelings. But overall, the general consensus seems to be that semi-canon ships have not acted on their feelings. This definition is not set in stone - we'll come back to it later.

- Canon: yay, your ship has sailed!! The pairing has officially been confirmed. The characters have acted on their feelings and you have won the ship war.

These are the general definitions of canon ships. And if you think they're clear and satisfactory, in what world are you living?

2. Past canon vs current canon

You finally got around to watching the season finale and there it is: Character A and B confessed and kissed. Finally, it's canon, and you can gloat on social media about how you were right all along.

But then it turns out that by the final season, your ship breaks up, and Character A gets with Character C. Even worse, Character A stays with Character C and the show ends with them being officially together. What the fuck.

So, what does that make your ship? It's officially a sunk ship, sure, but what about its canonicity? Should it be considered canon? I mean, they dated for 2 seasons. So technically, there was a period of time when your ship was canon. It just isn't anymore.

This is the first hurdle we meet when trying to define a ship as canon. It all hinges on the when aspect of it. This is also where ship canonicity differs from story canonicity. Storywise, the ship is rooted in canon since they were together at some point. Shipwise, however, they are not canon anymore, since they have broken up. It's canon that they happened, but they themselves aren't canon anymore.

At this point, I would argue that most people consider that a ship that is together by the end of the show/game/movie/book etc., by the end of canon essentially, is canon. Don't worry, we're still far from having solved this.

3. What does it take for a ship to be canon?

You will have noticed by now that, so far, I have instinctively referred to a canon ship as a ship that is together. I'd argue that this is what most people think of when they think of a canon ship.

But what does it mean for a ship to be together? Do we mean that they have to be a couple? Is it marriage, is it a relationship, is it friends with benefits? Or is it a simple kiss and confession? Do they even have to make out, or have sex, or put a label on their relationship?

This is when we venture into the territory of canon vs semi-canon. Earlier, I defined semi-canon as a ship that has feelings for each other, or is one-sided, but no one has acted on their feelings. Mind you, this is the definition provided by the Internet.

Let's say Character A confesses to Character B. Character B feels the same way, but they don't want to get into a relationship right now. The show ends there. I mean, technically, they like each other, right? That much was confirmed. They acted on their feelings by confessing. Technically, that gets them out of semi-canon territory. But does it get them into canon territory? Nothing came out of the confession, really.

We can't in good faith argue that two characters confessing is enough to make them canon, since the term semi-canon also exists, and could very well apply depending on your own definition of it.

The problem lies in defining what it takes for a ship to be canon. If we go back to the very roots of canon, it's confirmation that a ship has an official romantic nature.

Is liking each other enough? Doubtful: if a main character flirts with a minor side character, who reciprocates, does that make them canon? They're into each other. But it would be ridiculous by fandom standards to deem them canon when the side character might never be seen again and has no real bearing on the story.

Truth is, what makes a ship canon fluctuates depending on the standards set by the media itself. If a piece of media is heavily romance-based, canon will most likely be defined by the ship that makes it out in the end, the one that has proclaimed to be a couple. If the piece of media is not keen on romance, and never creates romantic relationships between characters, it might be enough for the fandom to consider canon a pairing that has simply alluded to being into each other.

Whether the last example is good enough reason to hail a ship as canon depends on the fandom and the shippers. Some might think it's a stretch, some might think it's more than enough.

One possibility would be to look at the writers' intention for the pairing, read interviews if they're available, etc. However, most of the time, franchises have changes in writers over the seasons/games/movies, and it gets even worse when you take into account franchises that are adapted from another source material - say, Game of Thrones vs ASOIAF: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss' intentions for the characters certainly differ from George R. R. Martin's intentions.

I'm going to start using actual examples now, to better illustrate my point. I'll be using Resident Evil ships, like I said. RE, despite having constant ship wars, is not famous for making ships canon or focusing on romance at all. The most you'll get is indicators that two characters are into each other or you'll get established relationships that are not subject to ship wars since they have no other love interest (see Mia and Ethan Winters: married couple, established as part of canon and the validity of their relationship with regards to other characters is never questioned). As a matter of fact, you could probably argue that the Winters are the only canon couple in the REverse.

Most RE ship wars happen as a result of Leon ships, the main ones being Aeon (Ada/Leon) vs Cleon (Claire/Leon). There are other Leon ships out there, mainly Chreon (Chris/Leon), Serennedy (Luis/Leon), Leshley/Eagleone (Ashley/Leon), and many more, but they don't engage in ship wars because they have the common sense to be normal human beings about their ships. (Seriously everyone, chill the fuck out.)

Aeon shippers are known for one thing: banging on and on about how their ship is canon - which, in their eyes, automatically discredits all other Leon ships (what's the point of shipping if it isn't to win, right? I'm obviously being sarcastic). Which, knowing the canon nature of Aeon, makes it the perfect test subject for this discussion and post.

Are Ada and Leon into each other? Sure. Ada confessed to falling in love with Leon in OG RE2, they flirted in OG RE4, Resident Evil: Damnation suggests that they have shared at least one night together, and in RE6, Helena guesses that Leon has feelings for Ada. These events, however, have changed in the remakes: Ada no longer confesses to being in love with Leon in RE2R, though she does kiss him to manipulate him, and they don't exactly flirt much in RE4R. But then, by discussing this, we'd end up discussing what is canon in a game franchise plagued by obscure secondary sources of canon, and that's not what I plan on doing here (I also severely lack the extensive knowledge to do that).

Despite all of this, Ada and Leon never actually get together. It's a constant game of cat and mouse, will-they-won't-they, whatever you wanna call it. Since they are on opposite sides of the same fight, it's practically impossible for them to get into a normal, healthy relationship. Going back to what I said about the canonicity of a ship being defined by the standards set by the piece of media itself, you could argue that Aeon is canon by those standards: since they can't get together, it only matters that they have shown reciprocated feelings towards one another.

However, that's not entirely true, is it? RE hasn't set those standards for romance. It doesn't act on ships, but it hasn't deterred romance as a whole: look at Mia and Ethan Winters. It is possible to get into a relationship in RE - now whether it is possible to get a happy ending is entirely less likely.

But I mean, there are other love interests for Leon that aren't on the side of who he's fighting. Look at Claire, or Ashley, or hell even Jill. We can't, as a fandom, reasonably ignore the flirting that went down between Claire and Leon in RE2R (and Infinite Darkness at times) and Leon and Ashley in both OG RE4 (though he does reject her at the end of the OG) and RE4R. And he was probably trying to flirt with Jill a little in Death Island, too - he's a bit of a whore (affectionate).

How do you even define the canonicity of a ship in a universe like RE, in which most characters can't form normal, healthy romantic relationships? Is it enough to kiss/sleep together (Aeon)? Is it enough to unabashedly flirt and to practically be parents to a practically adopted daughter (Cleon)? Is it enough to share all sorts of romantic tropes and overtly flirt with each other (Leshley/Eagleone)? What happens when you start removing all of the events that used to be canon, but might not be anymore/be part of a different canon than the current one?

4. Conclusion (kind of)

I really want to offer a definition of a canon ship that suits everyone, but every time i come up with one, I bump into yet another wall. Tentatively, we could define a canon ship as a ship that has, by the standards of the piece of media they belong to, acted on their desire to be together in a lasting manner that disproves all other potential ships for the characters. I'm sure that can be perfected, and there might be elements of this definition that can be refuted, but this is how I would characterise a ship as canon. Which would, you guessed it, make pretty much every Leon ship non-canon in the context of the REverse as a whole.

The one true conclusion of this post, however, is that shipping amounts to playing with Barbies and should not be taken so seriously. There are a lot of shippers who know that their ships have no chances of becoming canon, yet still choose to have fun with it, make content for it in their own space, and some of you guys are dicks enough to go and bully them over it. Go outside, take a breath, and understand that canonicity is not the be-all and end-all of shipping.

I went a bit overboard with this and I'm sorry (not really). I'd love to know everyone's opinions on what makes a ship canon, if there's scenarios I haven't considered, etc! Constructive criticism is more than welcome and as always, my ask box is always open <3

[viperwhispered]

Hi! Good luck with your new job! Here's whats been cooking in my brain for now:

Ever heard of code switching? Its essentially when you change the way to talk depending on who you're interacting with. For example, using slang and swear words with friends but speaking very formally with a teacher.

What about Scarabia doing some dynamic switching? Just being able to instantly change how they interact depending on who's around.

When with they're with the Asims or in the Scalding Sands in public, the switch to the master Kalim and servant Jamil dynamic.

When they're at NRC and doing dorm duties, they switch to the dorm leader Jamil and vice leader Kalim dynamic.

When its just the two of them or they're with close friends or in class, they switch to the sunshine-grumpy friend dynamic.

I feel like it would be a major mark for their character development. They're truly equals in the sense that they both have times where one is in charge and moments where they're not bound by expected social conventions. For Jamil, it'd mean moving on from years of psychological conditioning. For Kalim it'd mean moving on from his forced obliviousness and actually stepping up as a proud Scarabian. For both it means forming a genuine friendship outside of the expectations of their society.

Also I feel like Kalim having to be the vice-dorm leader in general would do wonders for his independance. Mostly cause the vice-dorm leader duties seem to have more to do with physical dorm management such as dealing with chores and similar short term problems. Having to learn how to do chores properly so he can support his dorm (he can do it we've SEEN him do it on Bean's Day he can follow instructions just fine) and having to actively be considerate since he's now interacting much more directly with the rest of Scarabia.

Meanwhile Jamil can finally reach his full potential as a dorm-leader as he works through his issues. He'll be forced to delegate and how to balance keeping the dorm running efficiently and the endless parties. I can see him set up a once a week party schedule with special dinners in between.

I'd love to see their dynamic evolve into something like Yzma and Kronk from Emperor's New Groove. Like we got Jamil all serious and scheming while Kalim is in the background just trying to support his bestie and being a sunshine. Kalim may not be the smartest, but is observant when he wants to be and I bet its his "stupid questions" that lead to Jamil noticing any holes in his plans.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love sassy Kalim because I really love sassy Kalim. Just Jamil being snarky as usual while Kalim unexpectadly claps back.

Ex:

Jamil: I always wonder how a monkey like you survived natural selecton

Kalim: Big talk for a zookeeper locked in a monkey cage

Bonus: Should I also mention that I love evil minion!Kalim and villain!Jamil? Again its the Yzma and Kronk vibes for me.

Kalim: *giggling* Funny cause last time he said that you ended up loosing.

Jamil: It's called a cruel irony Kalim. Like my dependance on you.

Kalim: The fact that there's nobody else says a lot more about you than me.

Bonus bonus: Kalim attending the secret vice-dorm leader meetings at the Monstro Lounge where they just drink and complain about the dorm leaders.

Kalim: I'm happy that I'm finally getting to know the real Jamil, but I never expected him to be so . . .

Jade: Murderous?

Kalim: Exactly! Just this afternoon I had to convince him that strangling Ace would be a bad idea, not because murder is bad mind you, but because he'd have no way from getting rid of all the evidence before somebody else found out. When I think of arguing, I imagine great negotiations with other merchant families or debates in class. Not trying to stop my friend from commiting murder cause his morality is so skewed!

Lilia: You get used to it eventually.

Trey: What usually helps is reminding them of the law and the fact that Rook will always find out at some point.

Rook: It's true, I will.

Ty! New job has been draining my brain (as you’ve seen), but that’s what it is when everything’s new. So far I’m reasonably optimistic about the job, tho, but we’ll see how things’ll go.

I do feel like Jamil absolutely very consciously code switches (and probably unconsciously too, because that’s how it works, but still). Kinda part of the whole servant role and carefully keeping up appearances, you know. Makes me wonder how much Kalim does it at the moment, though. 🤔 Like I don't remember seeing him have much of a "formal" register, for example, if that makes sense.

Hadsfhs that minion!Kalim and villain!Jamil dynamic is quite something tho. Quite upends the usual dynamic, but I can definitely see it being in character for them, with the right circumstances. Like, we’ve seen how supportive Kalim wants to be, but he is also capable of sticking to his guns sometimes.

Ah the things Jamil could pull out of him (with Kalim's willing co-operation, too), if he really wanted to.

Makes me wonder just what the journey would be for them to make it all the way there from the current dynamic, tho. All those little changes to upend the situation.

Also ngl I really wanna be a fly on the wall in the vice leader tea time and get all the juicy gossip.

[raccoonfallsharder]

Odd question, but is writing 'cum' as 'come' some sort of an ao3/tumblr thing? Not that I mind, just curious

not an odd question!

honestly i think it’s just a personal preference thing. actual etymology seems to be contested but from what i can tell, cum was used specifically as a noun to refer to sperm starting in the 1920s, and as a verb indicating orgasm starting much later (in porn in the 70s). general thought seems to be that it has no connection to the latin cum and is instead short/slang for come (which is probably why most writers use past-tense came and not some variation on cummed). i also think there are a few other languages where “coming to orgasm” or “arriving at orgasm” (or some shortened form of this) is the most common vernacular. i’ve seen it written both ways in recent formally-published romance/smut novels (in like the last ten, fifteen years?) but prior to that, im familiar mostly with the longform version of the word.

personally? cum as a verb can just take me out of the scene, so i don’t tend to use it in that context (i go back and forth on the noun version based on my mood lol). same with boobs — i won’t use that word unless it makes sense in the context of dialogue. it just feels less sexy to me. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with writing it either way though! writers should use what feels right in the moment imo. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ all words are fucken made up after all, and one of the most beautiful things about language is how it changes

curious if others have more knowledge or stronger opinions on this than i do though!

[lurkingteapot]

thai language study update

It's been two years today since I first started watching a Thai show, the first time I wittingly exposed myself to the language at length. Two years ago, I'm pretty sure I would not have been able to pick Thai out of a line-up with other Southeast Asian languages. A few day from now, it'll be two years since I thought "I'll note down words I catch, phonetically, best I can. Just for fun." About a month from now, it'll be two years that I started to learn the language in earnest.

Where am I at?

Listening comprehension: I can follow most shows that are set in the present day without subtitles, provided they a) deal with everyday topics rather than specialised ones (Chaan's legalese is lost on me; I still don't fully follow the legal and ethical debates between the friends in Not Me, never mind the medical jargon in shows like Triage) and b) use modern-day Central Thai (you may have seen my crying about คำเมือง /kʰam mɯːaŋ/ here). Of course I don't understand even close to everything -- maybe 70% on a good day? but I tend to get enough not end up completely confused.

Reading comprehension: Handwriting and less common fonts still challenge me a lot, regular print fonts tend to be fine. Song lyrics tend to be fine unless they're very poetic (hi กีดกัน/Skyline). Tweets tend to be okay, but it heavily depends on the subject matter (politics or economics? help.), how much context I know, and how much slang or cute/funny spelling variants people use. I can read short news articles, but depending on the topic it'll be either slow or agonisingly slow and require extensive dictionary help, and I might still get things wrong. Not something I do for fun yet. I've started on the novel The Eclipse was based on (too difficult still) and a few short stories (somewhat easier) and realised that the big downside of mainly learning through shows and audio (interviews …) is that it leaves me sorely deficient when it comes to vocabulary that describes people or actions. Hardly anyone says "Getting frustrated, he tossed a book onto his desk, where a couple of other textbooks and notepads already formed a messy pile" or, idk, describes clothing at length in a show.

Writing: so-so. It's legible, I have the writing system down sufficiently to take notes at speed most of the time, but I second-guess myself too much. Should I be doing more of this for practice? probably.

Speaking: eeeeh. I do NOT have the vocabulary or grammatical knowledge to sound smart or coherent yet, and my pronunciation is middling at best. Speaking is also the area where I struggle most to get practice. That said, I can hold a conversation as long as my interlocutor is willing to help out a little (by helping out with vocab and/or accepting that sometimes we'll have to guess at what the other is saying). I can make myself understood on a good number of topics of daily interest in my daily life—often by going the long way around and trying to describe things or actions I don't have the words for.

I'm still really enjoying myself. I got to go to Thailand for a little over two weeks earlier this year and that was a huge boost, both in terms of confidence and in actual speaking ability. Main goal for the next 12 months is to expand vocabulary (both active and passive), and if everything goes my way I'll be going to Thailand for another two weeks or so to actually use my Thai. We'll see.

[kyndaris]

Deciphering the Language of the Younger Generations

As someone who has always liked the concept of studying the civilisations of the past, I often wonder how future archaeologists will come to see the 21st century. Would we be seen as technophiles with unfettered hubris who sleepwalked the world to its downfall? Or will our stories vanish up into the intangible Cloud - with the only remains of who we might have been merely the physical artefacts of our time?

If so, how will they understand the evolution of our languages? Will the memes we've shared become the basis of their society or will they deem the slang we use in our everyday life meaningless gobbledegook?

I mean, let's be honest, our habit of initialising actual sentences are difficult even for someone in this era to decipher. Sure, you have the ones most commonly used: wyd, idgaf or iykyk, but I have to wonder what a future linguist will make of the below: dypynitgof!

For those who know the phrase I just put down, props to you. It will certainly live on in internet history for a good long while.

Still, why are there so many initialisms floating out on the internet?

They aren't even acronyms (or TAEA for short!)

Sometimes, though, it feels like I'm living in a real world Clockwork Orange with how new fads and memes spring into existence. I certainly don't know what skibidi rizz means. or what the designation of sigma means in a relationship though I have stumbled upon such words because I'm a chronically online Millennial seeking to be in touch with the wider societal zeitgeist.

But it's all so tiring!

And most, if not all, don't make a lick of sense (I also refuse to Google their meanings. It's certainly a rabbit hole I don't wish to go down. I've seen so many things and not all of them have made my life better.

Of course, it helps I'm not the only who is lost when interacting with the younger generations. Although, poor Sorrengail has more Gen Z staff at her workplace than I. Worse, she made the terrible error of mixing Gen Alpha lingo when she was trying to connect with her work minions. I, on the other hand, simply learn from my exposure to the occasional YouTube shorts and Meta reels I decide to watch (TikTok is not on my phone. Thank goodness for that!).

Then, of course, slang is mixed in with shorthand, thus furthering my frustrations when it comes to clearcut communication. I've seen them in emails, messages on teams, rants on Reddit...

It is maddening!

And people also have no idea how to spell! Even published authors or writers for video games will occasionally confuse 'lead' with 'led.' In conversation, people will use 'should of' instead of 'should have.' Or, just to show my age, or, at least, my curmudgeon elitism, terrible grammar. Even though English might be their first, and only, language!

Let it be known that I am one of those 'annoying' texters who use proper spelling and punctuation in all my texts. In fact, I am physically incapable of doing anything less! To use text shorthand in any shape or form is actually painful. I have to use more brainpower to type incorrectly!

Which, honestly, feels very ironic.

Then, of course, there's the prolific use of emojis! Back in my MSN Messenger days, I'd use a few like XD, :D or :( but using them as a replacement of actual sentences? Blasphemy!

I still don't understand how people can use them as their sole means of communications. When I use them, it's a means to express tone. Otherwise, people may misinterpret a sentence I send through as a form of aggression or disapproval (unless, of course, they know me very well). Although, admittedly, my use of emojis is quite boomer-esque. Or so I feel. And which my friends may attest.

Don't get me started on stickers!

Still, it's also important to realise language is ever changing. It is not static. Etymology is the very STUDY of how words have changed throughout history. For example, excitement used to mean emotional agitation and arousal. It was a synonym to being nervous and anxious. Nowadays, though, excitement usually has positive connotations.

A hundred years from now, maybe it'll mean something completely different (if we live long enough to see it). In fact, we might have other words rising in favour as an alternative!

With language, nearly anything is possible.

What was once old can be new again!

Then, of course, there's the whole concept of 'coining' new words to better express ourselves! Shakespeare, it is said, invented over 1,700 new words!

In other news, I composed a faux email for a presentation at work, throwing in as many Gen Z slang that I could. Adopting an 'influencer' voice, I read it aloud to all present on the Microsoft Teams meeting. Some praised it. Others abhorred it. But, no cap, I think I impressed many with how I skillfully managed it all!

Not to mention the variation of Do You Hear The People Sing I sang at the very end (without the support of my colleagues - still a bit miffed about this as it's meant to be sung as part of a chorus) to further sell how our work team is a great area that many should join.

But in all honesty, can we stop trying to make skibidi or fanum tax a thing?

I know I said I was annoyed by 'fam' and 'squad' and 'shooketh' before. But MY GOODNESS, THINGS HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF CONTROL!

And don't get me started on people using incorrect 'Alpha' and 'Beta' and 'Sigma' designations to describe people. It's just as bad, if not worse, than distilling people to their biological parts!

Before too long, REAL humans will start growling. Or their noses will become so sharp they can sniff out the scent of pine or a thunderstorm.

If I have to read female, male and mates one more time...

But before I sign off, though, let it be known that language is important. And while I do bemoan how FAR language has fallen, the way governments or people try to control it, is what we should be more careful of. That insidious infiltration of how we all talk, or the limitations of what words we use, can lead down the slippery slope of a dystopian nightmare. Yes, I may have namedropped A Clockwork Orange but the reality of 1984 and A Brave New World also come to mind.

These are not the worlds we want to live in. So, go forth Gen Z and Gen Alpha and invent new words as you go along.

Just maybe not 'skibidi' or 'fanum tax.'

Thank you!

[nayialovecat]

Nimona :/

Ok, we finally watched Nimona and I admit that I'm a bit disappointed - mainly with the plot and the world that has no right to function.

After everyone was raving about this movie, I really expected something much better. I will only point out a few of the biggest logical, plot and world building errors (warning: spoilers):

The queen is dead - where is the mourning? Where's the new queen or king? She died and people were like "aha, so we have a villain in the city now" and continued their lives? What the hell?

For a thousand-year-old being, Nimona acts like they're been in some kind of hibernation for 99% of those thousand years. They have no experience, no knowledge, and basically… nothing. Personally, I bet that they are a descendant of a monster and are younger than their "main" form. That would make more sense.

Where are the older knights? The new ones were only choosed when the old ones died or what? And if only the descendants of the original team became knights - how come there were still so many of them? Within a thousand years, at least half of these families should be extinct!

So the city really had no contact with the outside world? How on earth was it self-sustaining? Okay, with the technology they could do it - but not in medieval times, damn it! Read how many hectares of land are needed to feed the appropriate number of cows to feed 700,000 people. Man! Seriously!

Since apparently there was ONLY this one kingdom in the whole world, why was it called a kingdom - yes A KINGDOM, even not THE KINGDOM (by the way, it had no other name, lol), but also - who did they trade with at the end? And if there were other countries - why didn't they try to contact this one?

Nimona and Ballister gain evidence of the principal's guilt IN THE DIGITAL VERSION. Ballister doesn't want to share the recording online - but WHY can't he send it to his lover VIA EMAIL? Fucking hell… The technology in this world is advanced but only works when there is a plot need. It hurts so much.

Horses that magically appear when the epicness of the scene requires it and disappear when something could happen to them (then we have exploding flying scooters).

Please, did they only post this short fragment of the principal's statement online, or were the animators simply lazy? Why didn't they include the scene of Nimona changing from lover back to themself - then it would be clear that they couldn't have been the principal when she confessed. Am I the only one who sees the idiocy here?

The principal's motivation doesn't make any sense. I'm not saying anything more here. Her whole plan simply exists to create a plot problem, giving an excuse for fights, betrayals, dramatic scenes and the deaths of other characters. Bleh.

Ballister attack on Nimona have no sens also. Bleh.

People. Don't. Act. That. Way. They don't forgive because the monster saved their lives when he previously almost destroyed the city.

And finally, two more comments about the Polish translation: flattering and unflattering. Unflattering: why "dyrektora". What's wrong with the word "dyrektorka"? I mean, I know what it's about, the fucking linguistic political hypercorrectness, but… When I first heard the phrase "dyrektora", I thought it was just slang. At school we called the principal "dyro" - I thought that was what it was about. Political hypercorrectness disgusts me in this case. And flattering one: Nimona's pronouns. In the Polish version, they talk about themself in the neuter gender - and that's cool. But others call them "she". And here's a big plus in that: a) there's no saying "that's not my pronoun, use proper one!!!", which actually gets tiring, b) there's no exaggeration in the other direction, i.e. Nimona calls themself "ono" once and then everyone magically knows to address them with this form (this is also what irritates me in TV series, that no one is ever wrong - unless they use the plot to justify it or is needed conflic about that). So here I consider translations to be a plus, I don't know if it was the same in English, but it's a tiny plus for Polish translators. Good job.

Let it not be so harsh. The movie has good moments. I think the animation is wonderful. The dialogues are even funny. There are nice character designs. I like the romance between Ballister and Ambrosius. There are some really cute scenes that I liked (e.g. a possessed child, a scene with an otter - although at first I thought it was a hydra - similar words in Polish "wydra" and "hydra") and a few texts that made me laugh (somewhere at the end there was "leave the kid and run away" from some random characters - I laughed at this). But overall… the movie disappointed me. This was not what I expected after so many praises in its honor. And the main (I assume it was supposed to be the main) thread about tolerance and respecting others, no matter who they are, completely disappeared.

[bhumi1066]

Master Real Conversations: How to Improve Japanese Conversation Skills Through Authentic Practice

Speaking fluently in Japanese goes far beyond memorizing grammar rules or vocabulary lists. True conversational fluency comes from real-time interaction, cultural understanding, and regular practice in natural settings. If you're looking to improve Japanese conversation through real discussions, here’s a structured guide with actionable tips to help you speak more confidently.

At Japanese Language Delhi, we specialize in building your Japanese speaking ability through immersive techniques and personalized guidance—perfect for learners who want more than textbook knowledge.

1. Engage in Real Conversations to Boost Fluency

To improve Japanese conversation, regular interaction is key. The more you speak with native speakers or fellow learners, the more confident and natural your Japanese becomes.

Why Real Discussions Matter:

Helps you adapt to casual and formal speech.

Builds awareness of slang and cultural nuances.

Reinforces grammar and vocabulary in real contexts.

Ways to Connect with Native Speakers:

Use language exchange apps like HelloTalk, Tandem, or italki.

Join Japanese forums, Discord communities, or local language meetups.

Enroll in guided conversation sessions at Japanese Language Delhi for structured speaking practice.

Tip: Don’t fear mistakes—they're a natural part of learning. Most native speakers appreciate the effort and are happy to help.

2. Start Thinking in Japanese

One of the fastest ways to speak naturally is to stop translating from your native language. Begin forming thoughts directly in Japanese to improve fluency.

How to Train Your Mind:

Describe your environment in Japanese.

Narrate your daily routines using simple sentences.

Try short internal monologues in Japanese throughout your day.

Tip: This method helps you react faster in conversations and reduces hesitation.

3. Practice Shadowing for Pronunciation

Shadowing is a proven method used by language learners worldwide. You listen to spoken Japanese and repeat it immediately—mimicking tone, rhythm, and pronunciation.

How to Practice Effectively:

Use anime, dramas, podcasts, or YouTube channels.

Pause and repeat each sentence out loud.

Focus on pitch accent and natural intonation.

Tip: This helps train your ears and voice to sound more native-like.

4. Memorize Common Conversation Patterns

Learning basic conversation patterns gives you ready-made responses and questions to use in real discussions.

Must-Know Japanese Phrases:

「最近どう？」(Saikin dou?) – "How have you been?"

「〇〇はどう思う？」(〇〇 wa dou omou?) – "What do you think about 〇〇?"

「すごいですね！」(Sugoi desu ne!) – "That’s amazing!"

Tip: Create a phrasebook or flashcards and practice with a partner from Japanese Language Delhi or a language exchange group.

5. Use Role-Play to Simulate Real-Life Situations

Role-playing common scenarios helps reduce anxiety and prepares you for practical conversations.

Situations to Practice:

Ordering at a Japanese restaurant.

Asking for help at a train station.

Introducing yourself in a professional environment.

Tip: You can do this solo or with a study partner. The key is consistency and imagination.

FAQs: Improve Japanese Conversation Through Real Discussions

1. How often should I practice speaking Japanese? Daily practice is ideal. Even 10–15 minutes a day can significantly improve fluency over time.

2. Can I still improve my speaking skills without a language partner? Yes! Shadowing, thinking in Japanese, and using AI chatbots like ChatGPT can simulate conversations effectively.

3. How can I overcome fear or shyness when speaking Japanese? Start by speaking alone, recording yourself, and gradually transitioning to real conversations. Supportive communities like Japanese Language Delhi can help ease you into confident communication.

4. How do I remember vocabulary during conversations? Use flashcards, repetition, and incorporate new words into daily dialogues for better retention.

5. Should I focus more on formal or casual Japanese when practicing? Both are essential—formal Japanese is used in work and public settings, while casual speech is necessary for everyday social interactions.

Final Thoughts

To truly improve Japanese conversation through real discussions, you need to step beyond passive learning and start actively engaging. Speak regularly, shadow native content, think in Japanese, and immerse yourself in real-life scenarios.

Whether you're preparing for the JLPT, planning a trip to Japan, or aiming for career advancement, mastering conversation is your bridge to success. At Japanese Language Delhi, we guide learners step by step—helping you speak Japanese naturally and confidently.

[readingloveswounds]

Hi there! Idk if you have any tips regarding learning french, but I thought I'd ask. I have a french tutor and atm I'm B1, though my reading comprehension is a little better than my writing/speaking and listening comprehension. I listen to a lot of radio France and I also read french newspapers a lot. But I find it really hard/nearly impossible to understand TV shows and films in french (they speak soooo fast! and the slang!!). I also have a hard time enjoying novels because I don't get lost in the story since the language is still foreign to me. So idk do you have tips or suggestions of films/shows/books I can try that might be easier? Merci :)

Hello! Happy to give it a shot!

Radio France is a really good resource, as are French newspapers, so definitely keep that up!

Wow this got long - but do please anyone chime in with suggestions.

For reading:

BD - graphic novels/comics - Francophone BD are aimed at all age groups, so you can find them on all sorts of subjects. Having illustrations will give you comprehension aids - you can have an easier time with the story and have fewer words thrown at you at a time while still practicing reading on-level - very serious: Persepolis (Satrapi), Je me souviens Beyrouth (Abirached) - not about war: Le nom de la rose (Eco/Manara) - more fun: Astérix (warning: puns, which I say not because puns are bad, but because you will want to look up what peoples' names mean)

Short stories! - Guy de Maupassant - THE short story guy of what one might call classic or canonical French literature. I have my intermediate students (B1) read some of "Le Horla" - it may be a bit challenging vocab-wise, but I like it since it's spooky and mysterious. - Tahar Ben-Jelloun, Mes contes de Perrault - though you should probably read the relevant Contes by Perrault himself first or at the same time to see what he's doing with them. - prix goncourt de la nouvelle winners

Poetry - I say this with a massive caveat that because poetry is meant to play with language, it can be difficult to see everything that it is doing if you're just focusing on the language. However, if you are okay with that, I think you can learn a lot about how language can be played with if you give it time. - Some prizes: goncourt de la poésie, grand prix Québecor du Festival international de la poésie, Prix Tchicaya U Tam'si pour la poésie africaine, Prix Guillaume-Apollinaire

You'll notice that these are all short(er) form. This gives you time to work on vocabulary and comprehension, while also giving you a break

You can also try to find school/abridged versions of longer works - annotations can give you necessary cultural background and explain things in a helpful way, especially if it's older literature that even native speakers would have some trouble with.

For watching:

You may already be doing this, but watch with French subtitles. This will train you to hear what you are reading a little bit easier. You may notice that you end up paying a lot of attention to the subtitles, but that is okay - you are training your brain. My one warning is that subtitles don't always match up - try to make this part of the exercise and see if you notice when they aren't right.

I think that's really my main advice with things to watch - you can definitely watch kids' shows, but they'll still be fairly fast, so using subtitles is probably the best bet to assist your comprehension.

Shows: my students like Lupin and Dix pour cent (Call My Agent). Plan Coeur (The Hook-up Plan) also seems reasonable. Kaamelott can be good, but it is not particularly easy.

Movies: the typical suggestions are Amélie and les Intouchables Panique au village is fun but I remember it being challenging to understand since some of them speak really quickly.

[thefunfeds]

The Pookiebears Are Not In The Room With Us Right Now. In Fact, They Are In Paris.

One of the coolest things about the internet is that it serves as a widely accessible archive. What we don't talk about, is who gets to contribute to the archive.

Sure, you can say "everyone," and that'd be true on some level. But a widely accessible archive means there will be a lot of noise to shuffle through.

So, who gets to contribute to the archive in a significant way?

Whose voices do we prioritize when shaping some sort of internet canon? If all voices on the internet aren't treated equally, who becomes in charge of enforcing the truth? And if certain voices still aren’t prioritized, what happens when even the enforcers get the truth wrong?

We regard anecdotal evidence as a fallacy. If I’m writing a college paper about my culture, I still need a source to back it up, even if I have first-hand experience with what I’m talking about. And sure, maybe if I'm talking about a significant historical event, I can take my research at face value. But what if I'm talking about something more recent?

Who's responsible for tracing the origins of things seemingly coming out of nowhere?

Remember in 2013 when everyone discovered the term "Bae"?

I can practically hear everyone who had access to a Vine account in its prime days cringing.

I'm going to be very blunt when I say this.

The same thing is going to happen in a year when everyone gets tired of using "Pookie"

And I know what some of you are thinking; Well, Dana, that's how the internet works! Trends come in cycles, and why should slang be any different? We laugh in the face of people who still say "whack," and we'll laugh in the face of people who still say "pookiebear". It's not intentionally malicious; it's just how the internet works!

And to that, I'd say, yes, you're right. That is indeed how the internet works.

Let's talk about why that's not a good thing.

I am one of those people that still says bae. So is my mother, and my grandmother, and my uncles, and my aunties, and my cousins, and my aunties and uncles and cousins that aren't really my aunties and uncles and cousins.

Why? Because it's a cultural word.

But if I listened to the voices that the internet prioritizes with enforcing the truth. They'd tell me that no one was saying it past 2011.

My grandmother has been calling people, including strangers, bae her entire life. She is a Southern black woman born in 1947.

The word bae is short for "Baby," no more, no less. If the internet had properly prioritized black voices, the mystery behind the word would've been solved much quicker.

But instead, there's still a large chunk of the world that fully believes multiple misconceptions.

The first is that it's a word with only romantic connotations. Sure, it's a term of endearment, but it's closer to how you would use "Hun" as short for "Honey". You can call your partner bae, but you can also call the cashier at the supermarket bae when they ask if you want a bag.

There's also the longstanding belief (and most egregious form of bastardization, in my humble opinion) that it's an acronym for "before anyone else."

And worst of all, when the general non-African American public thinks of the term, they attribute it to this guy.

Or this guy.

See the problem here?

If I asked most non-African American internet users where they first heard of the term pookie, they'd probably tell me something about this guy on tiktok:

Prayag and his "Pookie Nation" have launched the term into the public vernacular. And here's the thing. At least back in 2013, people wanted to know where the term "Bae" originated from. People nowadays just think it started with Prayag.

I have a cousin named Pookie, who was born in the late 90s. I was 16 when I found out Pookie was never his real name. I thought when we called him "Pookiebear," that was the nickname, but nope.

Like many African American households, I watched a lot of 80s and 90s cultural black comedies and dramas like Friday, Belly, Juice, Baby Boy, Paid in Full, Boyz-In-The-Hood, and most importantly to this topic, New Jack City.

For most Black American folk, this is Pookie:

Pookie Robinson aka Pookie The Crackhead.

And some y'all might be like, "Oh wow, dana, that's kind of a sad and messed up thing to call a kid."

No, actually, not really. Pookie was funny and endearing because he spends most of the movie wanting to help the good guys and dies for it; he just, y'know, happened to be a crackhead because this was the 80s, and the crack epidemic was like ... a real thing that disproportionately affected black people.

(Ronald Reagan and The CIA my detested.)

Just like my cousin, Pookie also wasn't his real name either. He was actually a guy named Benny.

You'll notice that as I mention these terms, I never give you a concrete origin for where they come from. Just noticeable instances where they appear.

That's because I don't actually know it.

But I do know that the internet's claim of slang origins is almost always wrong. Most of the time, it's something I've been saying since childhood. And it's not just Bae, and Pookie.

Period, stink, slay, boo, sis, unc, tea, finna, gang, gag, ghetto, rachet, bougie, homie, deadass, we been knew, tweaking, etc. are all words that I can think of in the last 5 or so years that have been called "internet slang," when I've been surrounded by people saying it my entire life.

(Some of those shouldn't even be in the general public vernacular at all, but if I start on that tangent, we'll be here forever. The drive-by version is simply; if you are non-black and say something is "ghetto" or "ratchet," you are anti-black. Have a nice day.)

What I'm trying to prove here is that you shouldn't let academia brainwash you into believing that anecdotal evidence is completely useless. Black American folk have been saying for ages that certain terms existed before the general public got their hands on them. Yet, the people we trust on the internet to provide truth and facts for historical origins continue to not listen because the internet does not care about prioritizing black voices.

Unless y'know, we're rapping or dancing or doing something otherwise entertaining for people to laugh at or gain enjoyment at our expense.

*stares intensely into the camera like an episode of The Office*

I've been talking a lot about origins. Usually, when I talk about Black Language, I typically go on a schpeel about AAVE (African American Vernacular English) and its unrecognized validity as a language, despite the bastardization of it (it's why black people can so easily hear a blaccent). But this post is already way over 700 words, so I'll leave you with an origin that I do concretely know of.

African American Vernacular English comes from how slaves learned to speak English without knowing how to read or write to fully understand traditional English grammar rules.

The vast majority of "internet slang" is just repackaged AAVE.

Think about that next time you find an "internet slang" word everyone seemingly "discovers" on TikTok.

[bills-bible-basics]

“THOT” and “THOTS” or “THOUGHT” and “THOUGHTS”?

Someone who reads a lot of my poetry was wondering if frequently using “thot” and “thots” in my poetry were typographical errors on my part. The short answer is no. They are intentional.

However, I decided to take this person’s comment to the highly-esteemed and all-wise ChatGPT [big smirk] and asked it the following question:

“Can “thot” and “thots” be used as shorthand or contractions for “thought” and “thoughts” in poetry in order to save space?”

That all-knowing bot responded with the following:

——————————

Technically, “thot” and “thots” could be used as creative contractions for “thought” and “thoughts” in poetry to save space, but there are a few important considerations:

1. Existing Slang Meaning: “Thot” is a well-known slang term with a different, more contemporary meaning (“that ho over there”), which may confuse readers or carry unintended connotations. This slang usage is widely recognized, especially in internet culture.

2. Context and Clarity: If you choose to use “thot” and “thots” as contractions for “thought” and “thoughts,” you’ll need to ensure the context makes your intended meaning clear. Readers might initially interpret the words according to their slang meaning, so the surrounding words and themes must guide them toward the intended interpretation.

3. Creative License: Poetry often allows for flexibility with language, and breaking conventional rules can add a unique flavor to your writing. If your audience understands your intention, using “thot” in this way could be seen as an innovative or experimental choice.

Overall, while it could technically work, be mindful of the potential for confusion or misinterpretation due to the existing slang usage.

——————————

Personally, I was totally unaware of that slang meaning for “thot”. Am I showing my age now? 😀😂😆

Anyway, personally, I find that slang usage rather disgusting, and in my view, it is further proof of how degraded American English has become over the decades.

However, considering how I write very clear poetry, I think it is rather obvious that I mean “thought” or “thoughts” when I use “thot” or “thots”.

Furthermore, as ChatGPT notes, I think using them adds uniqueness and individuality to my work, particularly due to the fact that I use them frequently as my own form of artistic, creative or poetic license.

Lastly, why should I allow vulgar Internet lingo to dictate my personal writing style?

As such, I will continue to use “thot” and “thots” as I see fit, even if certain prudes do take offense.

😀😂😆🤣😁

[kingkaisen]

Social Media - Pt. II

Description: What it would be like if the Naruto characters had social media/internet in general

Find part one here.

His lock screen is of him and the ninja hounds

No thoughts just take pic of dogs

You already know Naruto took his phone and spammed it with selfies

Has the team 7 group chat muted

Plays iMessage games with Guy for rivalry purposes

His search history reads as follows: “What to do when your child runs away from the village” “Is it okay to have 8 dogs” “How to raise 8 dogs” “do my dogs like me” “Icha Icha book sale” “How to get a demon out of your child” “Masks on sale”

What it should say: “Local therapist”

Definitely doesn’t really use his phone except for important stuff

Team 7 once took his phone to snoop on their Sensei and he didn’t even care that it was gone

Snapchat filters don’t work for him 😔 mask is in the way, and Face ID is a form of harassment in his eyes

It’s literally him just with a mask let the poor guy access his phone already

Definitely doesn’t have social media, he just isn’t a fan of it and hears enough about it from his children his team

He answers the phone when scammers call him just to mess with them and make them angry

Don’t call him

He will not answer

And it’s such a drag hearing the phone ring

Has Twitter, isn’t on Instagram but Ino takes a lot of selfies with him in it that she likes to posts

Way too lazy to change his lock/Home Screen from the default one they give you

Has a lot of mind puzzling games

Is SUCH a dry texter

He invents his own damn slang if it means less typing

“idk abt u bt gty dkotw blh nffjoe ok?”

Don’t question it just say okay 😐

9/10 will not save your number

Takes so many pictures of the clouds

I guess you could say it’s clouding his storage

Pls laugh ok

Is smart enough to hack stuff but too lazy to do it

Sighhh

This poor bby

As the Kazekage when his phone number gets leaked it is chaos

It makes him nervous bc he went from having to Google what the word “love” meant to getting flooded with nudes okay

Has to put his phone on Do Not Disturb for a moment of PEACE

Has Naruto listed as his favorite in his contacts

Took the time to fill out his Medical ID

His phone is pretty organized, and you won’t find anything really interesting going on

If you do find something interesting, it was definitely an accident

Always responds to calls and text messages even if he doesn’t know you

Types slow as hell

The war is over by the time he finishes sending a text message

His sand knocks his phone out of his hand whenever he gets a call from a scammer

BC WE KNOW HE’D ANSWER

Kankuro sends him memes sometimes and has to explain it to Gaara

Which ruins the joke

So sometimes Gaara fake laughs and pretends he understands

TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, you name it, he has an account

Takes shirtless pics and selfies from stupid angles for fun

As we know, Akamaru is 90% of his photos

No thought just dog

He also updates his Snapchat so much with short videos and photos

“Walking Akamaru”

“Getting lunch with Akamaru”

“Destroying the planet with Akamaru”

“Hanging out by Akamaru with Akamaru”

“Akamaru”

Texts in caps a lot and loves emojis

Is a fast texter and responds so quickly

Loves to FaceTime and for no reason

You can hang up on him if you want but he’ll just call back ☺️

Always has headphones in listening to music or watching funny videos

Will run up to you excitedly to show you a dumb video and you BETTER LAUGH 🔪

A/N: Hope you guys like these! Should I do an Akatsuki version?

Please like, reblog, and comment!

-

Buy Me a Coffee? ♡

[mitigatedchaos]

Biomechanoid Discourse Anon Round-Up

(~1,500 words)

I received 54 anons in response to my short post about biomechanoids that went viral last week, so I've decided to gather some of the ones I actually intend to answer here, in this round-up post.

[ Anon#1 ]

wait are you against fat-body cyborgs?

You may have encountered "fungrams" vs "thetagrams" as synthoid enthusiast slang. This stands for "functional grams" (weight that contributes to the functionality of a body), and "aesthetic grams" (weight that's mostly just aesthetics), respectively. (Just like with a natural human body, there's a bit of a blur between the two.)

Fat Cyborg Activists may, for example, carry an extra 200 kg of glorified silicone padding, causing them to get bumped up a bracket in the combined-force-and-mass classification used in most jurisdictions, since being dive-tackled by a 300 kg Yokozuna-style body even with just a natural human level of strength can be enough to cause serious injury. They then complain about the brackets.

I don't think it should be illegal to carry 200 kthetagrams of articial fat. Fat Cyborg Activists are just deliberately misinterpreting the League of States Charter when they claim that the bracket system should be abolished because it's "a fundamental human right" to weigh up to 500 kg.

Obviously, as I've written before, these rights are an abstraction based on a human range of behavior and capabilities. This is how the courts have always interpreted it in the League, and if a baseliner hit 500 kg the weight would crush his organs to death.

We also need to talk about Neo-Penitents.

A lot of baseliners are Neo-Penitents and refuse tissue engineering. We as cyborgs should not be encouraging them to get that fat. Yes, they will die earlier than they otherwise would die due to refusing treatment. No, we should not be encouraging that to happen more quickly. I don't use tobacco cigarettes, either.

Most children are born to religious natals (including Neo-Penitents). We should mediate the environment so that they don't experience cyborgs as something to fear. (If you're feeling hostile to them and want a cynical reasoning - we depend on recruitment and they outnumber us.)

[ Anon#2 ]

Why are you against age liberation?

Rejeuvenation therapies, biomechanoidization, and kaitosomes prolong personal lifespan, but personal development still happens at different rates for different people.

I disagree with the contemporary reactionary view that life extension techs fundamentally stall out or delay self-discovery and consideration, though I think it can have that effect on some people who forget that they will die. It's a matter of a certain kind of emotional and intellectual sophistication that allows people to learn from observing their own lives (and the lives of others). If you read through early-21st century archives (Twitter is a good example, here), there are a lot of people that made it to their 40s, 50s, and 60s that became older without really advancing all that much intellectually.

So for this reason, a lot of people would really like to reset the clock when they start getting serious (often around 50). (Our society still treats young people as having more potential than old people, among other reasons.)

I sympathize, but there are three problems. First, someone who has been clubbing without much consideration for 30 years has still has a power advantage over someone who is 17 (much less 12, which is favored by more extreme activists). Second, as part of healthy cultural development, each generation should be able to have some of their own culture to help form a stable self-image. Third, the brain is still aging even with rejeuventation therapy, and at increased risk of costly age-related disease and degeneration. That usually isn't covered by state insurance, except for Class IV rejeuvenation, which inherently causes some level of permanent memory loss.

We already had the battle for "age liberation." The compromise was laws that prohibit new bodies from looking under 18 (unless intended for, and used by, literal children), and cryptographically-signed augmented reality chronological age display. (Only a few carveouts have been made, such as the Shanghai Ethnopolity's "R+[years since rejeuvenation]" for Class-IV rejeuvenation.)

What activists are demanding is age unlocking.

They want to be able to claim they are 104. They want to be able to claim they are 14. Because these have certain cultural associations, and they want those cultural associations. You can already refuse to provide a number (which is a trend these days). The whole thing is self-negating.

[ Anon#3 ]

die fascist scum

I get these all the time. Just noting for the record that I delete pretty much all of them. Either make a real argument or move to the World Union.

[ Anon#4 ]

In your post you said you're against allowing biomechanoidization before age 21. Weren't you raised biomech?

It's possible, if expensive, to hold a natal body for an adult. It's even more difficult to do for children, since you have to match growth for growth. (Even if you do a return procedure, you still pretty much have to fit the body for a cyberharness anyway, so it will never be quite the same.)

The current push to "allow children and teens" to "explore their options" through biomechanoidization is because biomech bodies have gotten "too good," and we're in a downturn so people are holding out longer rather than switching or upgrading (or simply refreshing).

For a child's growth trajectory, a company can sell 5-6 bodies, or 3 if they start during the teen years. Biomech bodies don't grow (skeletally, not in terms of muscle/fat). If for any reason manufacturing gets disrupted for a few years, the child could have a really serious problem.

I'm worried it could also disrupt the formation of the child's self-identity, but as you know that's much more politically disputed.

I was raised as an officer for the military of a country that no longer exists. It's not really the same.

[ Anon#5 ]

We read your blog out here printed on paper in Outer Mongolia due to attention regulation laws in our ethnopolity (actually it's just our way of life), where it's distributed as part of a newsletter. I had my friend Dave send this. [Hi! -Dave] What is the difference between "biomechanoids" and "synthoids"?

It's really more of a gradient than a binary.

We can basically divide things into whole-grown bodies (natal bodies, cloned replacement bodies), constructed bodies (biomechanoids, synthoids), dolls (bodies without onboard life support), and static life support systems.

For constructed bodies, every body except for a few high-end specialized bodies uses at least some engineered biological tissue for long-term life support, because it's cheaper, usually more resilient (against some classes of problems), and easier to use to balance the biochemistry of the brain. But the human brain only uses about a fifth to half of the body's resources, so for the rest of the body, the designer has the option to use either synthetic systems or cultured biological tissue.

In general, the more organic tissue is used, the more "biomechanoid" a body is, and the more synthetic systems are used, the more "synthoid." (There's a practical limit to how much of a constructed body can be biological. Constructed body designers have to use a synthetic framework that allows the parts to be grown, printed, or assembled individually, then integrated.)

Biomechanoids usually have lower maintenance costs during the rated lifetime of the body, since biological tissue is self-repairing against minor stress. Synthoids can be more robust against certain kinds of problems, and there's more freedom in the overall design, but their systems have a limited number of uses at time of manufacture because they're generally not self-repairing.

[ Anon#6 ]

what are your thoughts on the new sex variants

They turned out to be a lot easier to create than anyone in the year 2010 would have thought. Those genotypes are out in the wild now, social conservatives are just going to have to learn to deal with it.

As for myself, World Union regulations classify all paramilitary cyborgs as "male," regardless of appearance, and thus subject to "anti-oppression rules." After San Diego changed hands and became part of the League of States, I just never updated my registration.

[ Anon#7 ]

You work for the caveman ethnopolities? The fuck do they pay you with, rice?

Cosmopolitans pay handsomely for artisanal foods, especially animal products. League citizens from higher-tech polities will purchase vacation packages ranging from a few days to spending six months milking cows and working a farm by hand. Low-tech ethnopolity governments also lease out about 10-20% of the land. Cosmopolity governments tend to pay for things that might spill beyond the borders, like environmental remediation.

They can be surprisingly tolerant (as long as they view you as 'just visiting'), but they can be slow to trust, and tend to pull from a small pool of contractors.

Technically there's only one neolithic ethnopolity (though that's really more of a park) and most low-tech ethnopolities are early modern (think 1700s).

But yes, sometimes they do pay in rice.