Der Waldraum, unendliche Weiten: USS Schwammerl dringt in Gehölze vor, die nie ein Mensch zuvor gesehen hat.
Dr Attercop
@drattercop.bsky.social
Lecturer in children's lit and linguistics. Tiny bisexual spider. Here for fun, not work. (she/her)
If we’re discussing covid, back in August 2020 the Prime Minister of the UK, Rishi Sunak, introduced a programme that subsidised £850m for people to congregate in enclosed spaces and get infected with the disease that killed people, then the state broadcaster depicted him as a superhero
My children caught covid at school and as a result nearly lost one of their parents. Other children were not as lucky. Covid was definitely a threat to them.
Lewis Goodall@lewisgoodall.com · 4d agoCovid was- overwhelmingly- not a threat to children. Hence why (generally) we don’t vaccinate them now.
The GCs remove the space from "trans woman" because they think this shows that it is like "jellyfish": a compound noun that is not a kind of fish. But blackbirds are birds and red pandas are not pandas. English grammar is not going to do their transphobia for them.
Dr Attercop@drattercop.bsky.social · 2w agoI am once again begging journlists to ask a linguist before they publish hot takes about language. #linguistics CW: JKR, so there is transphobia, OBVIOUSLY.
I am once again begging journlists to ask a linguist before they publish hot takes about language. #linguistics CW: JKR, so there is transphobia, OBVIOUSLY.
JK Rowling sparks grammar row over 'trans' and takes fresh swipe at Amnesty
The Harry Potter author explained that the word 'trans' was not an adjective as claimed by trans activists
scottishdailyexpress.co.uk
The image on the right is from the "SEEN in Publishing report into trans activism in children’s literature and library services" (🤮). The image on the right is the page from the actual book. I think the image was from Theo Parish's social media account, before the book was even developed.
Dr Attercop@drattercop.bsky.social · 2w agoThank you for posting this! I have a copy of Homebody, and I've spotted that the the report criticises it for a picture that just isn't in the book.
Yes, the Labour party are worse than the Conservatives were, but it's more than that - those of us who were horrified by the cruelty of the Tories were never going to vote for them anyway so they lost nothing. But Labour should care about my vote, and I fucking *hate* them because of this shit.
Dan Sohege@danielsohege.bsky.social · last mo.Labour really demonstrating how they are the cruelest, most anti-asylum, government in decades. That isn't to say Conservatives weren't hideous, but Labour are significantly worse on every measure. This is a policy rooted purely in cruelty over anything else. #r4today www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
one anecdote: I was searching for a link to one of my old papers on Google, and the automated Gemini summary attributed all of my lab's work to my husband
Mel Andrews@bayesianboy.bsky.social · 2mo agoWhen utilized in literature review, LLMs consistently 1. fail to mention female authors in female-led literatures, 2. insist that men are more influential or more heavily cited when this is contradicted by objective citation counts, and 3. attribute women’s work to hallucinated male scholars.
I'm backing this! Though I really think one of the stretch goals should be to buy Dr Eleanor Peck a sandwich
Julian Simpson@juliansimpson.bsky.social · 3mo agoAre you on board yet? Early backer incentives are only available for the first 48 hours. www.backerkit.com/c/projects/j...
I’ve been hearing so much anger and disappointment from frontline workers about the BBC investigation into fraudulent asylum claims. One of the most damning responses has come from one of the experts they interviewed, solicitor Ana Gonzalez. It’s really worth reading her response in full:
Excited to hear all the different ways people can mispronounce Magyar! 🇭🇺 #linguistics
Born above a Barnsley sweet shop, taught French to grammar school boys, and once chased by an ostrich. Internationally reknowned author Joanne Harris @joannechocolat.bsky.social joins Tarot DMs to talk about cards, cats, Chocolat and her new novel Vianne. #tarot #booksky #joanneharris
Chat #24 - Joanne Harris
"To me, this is a call to arms"
open.substack.com
After a massive turn out in the indicative ballot, we're moving to make it formal. On March 2nd, our formal ballot for another round of industrial action against Future Nottingham, compulsory redundancies, and course closures opens. If you are a member, make sure you vote! Let your voice be heard!
I mean, the good news is that if any cis kids do mistakenly think they are trans as a result of this belief, they aren't going to want to transition once you point this out! The even better news is that no one believes this!
Tom Roberts@tpgroberts.bsky.social · 6mo agoSo glad we have massively restructured transgender care on based on the works of someone who believes absolute nonsense.
I'm picturing @adrianchills.bsky.social reading this and dropping everything to immediately get to work on.
The Guardian@theguardian.com · 6mo agoAt the age of 58, I’ve bought my first drill. Can it make me a new man? | Adrian Chiles
You cannot argue against trans women breastfeeding without using anti breastfeeding tropes. It's gross, it's not safe, it's a fetish, you're just doing it for yourself, why haven't you stopped yet? Breastfeeding support must include trans mothers if we want to normalise human milk.
Mallory Moore@sexabolition.blog · 6mo agoRather, they say, the fluid produced by trans women's breasts is an excreta of water and salts and fats and who knows what else! (put as alarmingly as anyone can stomach). Which it turns out is exactly what breast milk is if you want to describe it in the grossest way possible.
The most ridiculous part of this is that if the word "milk" actually deceived anyone into thinking it was dairy, they would not use it. Their sales DEPEND on people knowing that it is plant-based and dairy-free. #linguistics
The Guardian@theguardian.com · 6mo agoOatly banned from using word ‘milk’ to market plant-based products in UK
I research the harm that can come to teenagers on social media. I don’t support a ban – @emilysetty.bsky.social “A ban treats social media as the problem, rather than asking deeper questions about why certain behaviours – harassment, shaming, misogyny, exploitation – occur in the first place.” 👇🏻
I research the harm that can come to teenagers on social media. I don’t support a ban – Emily Setty
The UK government has launched a consultation on introducing an Australian-style ban on social media for under-16s. The proposal is framed as a bold response to rising concerns about young people’s…
inforrm.org
In the 2010s, the Icelandic tv station Channel 2 accidentally added subtitles from a gritty crime drama to an episode of Teletubbies. I have translated some of the highlights
About 18 months ago I sent this letter, along with a copy of my book, to a number of MPs and peers, including Wes Streeting. I never got a response (which to be fair was my baseline expectation), but it’s still disheartening to see today’s news about Haidt’s invitation to speak to policymakers.
Pete Etchells@peteetchells.bsky.social · 2y agoHere’s the full letter:
I wouldn’t go expecting anyone to stand up to legal threats or the British press. Everyone knows where power lies and we have all seen over and over what happens to anyone who puts up even token resistance against them. The whole system will fold, with lip service and nothing more.
Jess O'Thomson@jessothomson.co.uk · 8mo agoSeems there has been some co-ordination. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Shoutout for teachers who hold a degree and/or QTS, and think anti-trans policies are unethical... Please comment if you would be interested in taking on some paid online tutoring work for UK trans kids who have been forced out of schooling by policy and/or bullying.
I once tried to call a clinic to ask a question about my child's apointment, and the number I was given went to a recorded message telling me to hang up and redial a different number. I did, and that number also had a recorded message saying that the number had changed... (1/2)
Ian Rennie@theangelremiel.bsky.social · 9mo agoAh, I see this time the politician crowing about "modernising the NHS" and "saving billions cutting bureaucracy" is wearing a red rosette. I genuinely wonder if any minister for health has ever actually considered the role of administration within the National Health Service.
My good news has just come in! LOOK AT THIS! So pleased to see this! www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...
Booker prize launches £50,000 children’s award
Children will help judge the new prize along with children’s laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce
theguardian.com
Ok, did not expect “The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe” to feel quite so relevant to this moment. Here’s Edmund, deciding to side with the leader who he’s been told disappears people.
I think I've solved the Oscar WIlde 'quay' mystery. My partner remembered that Shane MacGowan sings /keɪ/ in "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda". But (Scottish) Sean Bogle originally sang /kiː/. So does 'quay' rhyme with 'hay' in Hinberno-English? #linguistics www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsXE....
And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda - The Pogues, 1985
YouTube video by CR's Video Vaults
youtube.com
Dr Attercop@drattercop.bsky.social · 11mo agoI thought I knew how to pronounce "quay" until I read Oscar Wilde's Symphony in Yellow. Or perhaps those barges are actually full of yellow hee? (More seriously, did the Victorians say /keɪ/ instead of /kiː/? I simply cannot believe that Oscar would have said /kweɪ/! [shudder]) #linguistics
