“‘There are no black ovals running around out there and yet they all had the same word for black oval,’ Slobodchikoff said.” Two worthy links on language by way of elsewhere: Do You Feel Loved points the way to this fascinating story on the language of prairie dogs — Apparently, the little critters have words for all kinds of things, and, even more strangely, they all independently come up with the same word when confronted with a new object. And, secondly, The Naked Tree has unearthed this 19th century language primer, which may perchance be exceeding convenient should you need to exercise your demency upon ragamuffins, buckskins, pettifoggers, or even the occasional hooplehead.
Category: Wildlife
That Joke’s Not Funny Anymore.
“Although no one has investigated the possibility of rat humor, if it exists, it is likely to be heavily laced with slapstick.” A recent study in Science Magazine explores evolutionary reasons for and examples of animal laughter, including chirping rats and panting dogs. Laugh it up, fuzzball.
Tough Times at the South Pole.
Hey, she needed the stones. (Via Webgoddess.)