Fascinating insights from Thomas Mayo about childhood, the Torres Strait, the referendum and what’s next for Indigenous policy.

Here we go again apnews.com/article/trum...

Trump expected to sign order designating English as the official language of the US

President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States. That's according to the White House.

apnews.com

Terrific to talk to and develop projects with Myanmar educators this week, always cheerful and committed despite the very difficult conditions they face. I find it a privilege to work with them.

“The organisations on strike are collectively calling for a new funding model for Foras na Gaeilge and for the organisation to reverse the cuts if it receives additional funding from the governments.” www.bbc.com/news/article...

Irish language: First 'strike' over cross-border funding cuts

Irish language organisations in Belfast and Derry will close their doors over cuts to Foras na Gaeilge.

bbc.com

“…the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history…”. Art 30 protects children minority or Indigenous children, to practice their religion, use their language. The convention built momentum & change for years, but now needs boosting. www.unicef.org/child-rights...

Convention on the Rights of the Child

Find out about the world’s most widely ratified human rights treaty in history

unicef.org

This is so disappointing but not very surprising. Such a pity that basic electoral and democratic literacy is so poorly appreciated. “Australian students record worst ever civics result with 72 per cent not understanding the basics of democracy” www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02...

Call for 'immediate' curriculum overhaul after 'shocking' civics results

National test results show just 28 per cent of Year 10 students are proficient in civics.

abc.net.au

Meet ‘Solar’ Soe Win, moonlighting as spruiker of photo-voltaic cells, day job number 2 in a brutal military murderous junta. www.irrawaddy.com/specials/jun...

Junta No.2 Turns Solar Salesman After Military Eclipse; Scam Crackdown on Karen Allies; and More

Also this week, the regime signaled further election delays, and lost more territory amid reports of a growing crisis in the ranks.

irrawaddy.com

Finally it’s here. Our book is titled ‘Language Politics in Tunisia: A Study of Language Ideological Debates’, and my co-author is Dr Fethi Helal. Till the end of February you can get a 60% discount with the code LPT60 on the MM website: bit.ly/4aT6ycU lnkd.in/gsNr8zJG

Language Politics in Tunisia

This book offers both a nuanced picture of language ideologies and language policies in post-Arab Spring Tunisia and a detailed critical and interdisciplinary model of Language Policy and Planning.  T...

bit.ly

The ‘scale of the misconduct is staggering’. It sure is, plus outrageous and predictable (and predicted by many of us). amp.abc.net.au/article/1049...

Disgust is one of the first words they’ve deciphered. Can’t wait to find out more. www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-02...

Inside of Herculaneum scroll seen for the first time in almost 2,000

The Bodleian Libraries and the Vesuvius Challenge have announced a historic breakthrough in the endeavour to decipher text preserved on papyrus scrolls from the ancient site of Herculaneum.

ox.ac.uk

Are whales talking? Hmm, 'language-like' and 'language' are not the same thing, as the clarifying Dr Allen explains. amp.abc.net.au/article/1048...

Donald Trump Jr shoots a protected Venetian duck. www.repubblica.it/politica/202...

Donald Trump junior spara a specie protette nella laguna di Venezia: la denuncia di Avs

repubblica.it

NB

Lourdes Ortega@lourdesortega.bsky.social · 2y ago

LL&T Special Issue on Indigenous Languages and Less Commonly Taught Languages with Technology is now available open access www.lltjournal.org. Edited by Paula Winke and Kadidja Koné.

In all spheres but in international politics specialised professional interpreting and translating are indispensable to being serious and yet our national effort in language teaching continues to erode.

Adrian Vickers@avick.bsky.social · 2y ago

Reminder that good translation is important, and not to be left to bots (and that we need universities teaching languages @sophieloywilson.bsky.social

On the 4th anniversary of the violent overthrow of the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, this Statement on Myanmar by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs. www.dfat.gov.au/news/media-r...

Welcome to the blue skies AAH

Australian Academy of the Humanities@humanitiesau.bsky.social · 2y ago

Hi Bluesky! The Australian Academy of the Humanities here. As the national body for the #humanities in Aus, our Fellows provide evidence-based advice to ensure ethical, historical, creative & cultural knowledge shapes better outcomes for all. Follow us for news, research, opportunities & awards. 💙

Hey everybody, Kristof has very helpfully extracted a few highlights from his terrific new book.

Kristof Savski@kristofsavski.bsky.social · 2y ago

A few highlights from my book: Language policy doesn't involve managing language(s) but exercising authority to impose new norms in how we interact. We don't manage language itself but who, how, where and when can participate in discourse. #linguistics #appliedlinguistics #sociolinguistics 1/x

“This discovery changes what we thought we knew about babies’ early language learning. It suggests babies start figuring out patterns at four months, well before they begin perceptually attuning to the sounds of their native language between six and 12 months.” theconversation.com/babies-as-yo...

Babies as young as 4 months can tell how the sounds of different languages are made – new research

The findings shake up previous ideas about language learning – and give us an earlier window to help children who might be at risk of speech or language delays.

theconversation.com

Coming up tomorrow. I’ll be hosting this seminar on the role of writers and writing in the Myanmar conflict, featuring Ma Thida and Michelle Aung Thin, please read their remarkable bios and stories in the attachment, and join if you can.

Joe Lo Bianco @joelobianco.bsky.social · 2y ago

Join us on January 22 for this important discussion on the role of writers and writing in the Myanmar conflict, featuring Ma Thida and Michelle Aung Thin, please read their remarkable bios and stories in the attachment. www.linkedin.com/posts/joseph...

Saya harap Anda menikmati membaca laporan ini. It’s great to see the publication of the research by ACOLA and AAH on Mapping Australia’s Indonesia Research Capability. Below pls find the two-page summary for those with limited time, and the full report. www.linkedin.com/posts/joseph...

Joseph (call me Joe) Lo Bianco on LinkedIn: Fact Sheet - Australia and Indonesia

Saya harap Anda menikmati membaca laporan ini. It’s great to see the publication of the research by ACOLA and AAH on Mapping Australia’s Indonesia Research…

linkedin.com

The splendid cover of our book is a painting by Habib Bouhawel depicting meetings of the Jama’at taht al-sur literary group at the Below the Ramparts Cafe, in which key figures of Tunisia’s literary and cultural elite debate independence.

Joe Lo Bianco @joelobianco.bsky.social · 2y ago

It’s out! Ten years of long distance collaboration, much respect to my co-author & friend Fethi and all who collaborated. We feel the book makes a contribution to language policy (theory, critique and method), to language rights and problem-solving. www.bibdsl.co.uk/bds-images/l...

It’s out! Ten years of long distance collaboration, much respect to my co-author & friend Fethi and all who collaborated. We feel the book makes a contribution to language policy (theory, critique and method), to language rights and problem-solving. www.bibdsl.co.uk/bds-images/l...

All welcome: seminar on activist literature & writers in Myanmar conflict. It will be my honour to host Ma Thida & Michelle Aung Thin who will discuss the ongoing conflict, prospects for success of the revolution & solidarity we can offer democratic forces & democratic culture of civil society.

Joe Lo Bianco @joelobianco.bsky.social · 2y ago

Join us on January 22 for this important discussion on the role of writers and writing in the Myanmar conflict, featuring Ma Thida and Michelle Aung Thin, please read their remarkable bios and stories in the attachment. www.linkedin.com/posts/joseph...

Latest ABC feature on bilingual homes and challenges/support for raising children bilinguals. Keep it up ABC. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01...

How to raise bilingual children in Australia, where English reigns supreme

The social and cognitive benefits of knowing two or more languages, especially from childhood, are well-established. Here's how experts say it can be done.

abc.net.au

Trump making parliamentary Danes smile. x.com/thefl0orisla...

Join us on January 22 for this important discussion on the role of writers and writing in the Myanmar conflict, featuring Ma Thida and Michelle Aung Thin, please read their remarkable bios and stories in the attachment. www.linkedin.com/posts/joseph...

Joseph (call me Joe) Lo Bianco on LinkedIn: Join us on January 22 for this important discussion on the role of writers…

Join us on January 22 for this important discussion on the role of writers and writing in the Myanmar conflict, featuring Ma Thida and Michelle Aung Thin…

linkedin.com

Here’s the link to the Special issue of the Australian Review of Applied Linguistics 47:3 (2024): Decolonizing or recolonizing? AI through the eyes of applied linguists, language teachers, and language learners. benjamins.com/catalog/aral...

ARAL Special Issue: "Decolonizing or recolonizing? AI through the eyes of applied linguists, language teachers and language learners", eds Dobinson, Chen & Steele, Curtin U, perspectives and research on AI affordances and threats in lang learning/teaching. Find out more: 🔗 Find out more:

Funding for Asia Pacific professionals to attend Oct 2025 activity in Melbourne on combattibg gender based violence. Pls read eligibility etc carefully. x.com/josephlobian...

World Endangered Writing Day coming up, 23 January.

"Happy New Year" from the brush of Tamir Purev. Tamir's Mongolian calligraphy will be in a special display of calligraphers working to revive their traditional scripts, on World Endangered Writing Day--23rd January 2025. Info and free registration at endangeredwriting.world.