A conference on the linguistics of Pokémon? Is this for real?
It sure is. Looking at the names of Pokémon across different languages is showing linguists more about how language operates. And it could show us how children learn language — and how we perceive it.
We’re talking to Pokémon researcher Stephanie Shih on this episode of Talk the Talk.
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Daniel chats with Rewi ahead of the show. Can you tell which Pokémon are more evolved, just from the name?
Also at https://www.patreon.com/posts/19419515
Full interview
Here’s the complete audio of Daniel chatting with Pokémon researcher Stephanie Shih about the 1st International Pokémonastics Conference.
Just what are we supposed to learn by studying Pokémon names? Quite a lot, really. Researchers are finding patterns that also hold up across lots of other languages and lots of other domains. Along the way, they’re finding support for sound symbolism as a method of word creation — and maybe even how children learn language.
Thanks to Stephanie, and to all our patrons.
Also at https://www.patreon.com/posts/19360778
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Show notes
NORMAN: World’s first psychopath AI.
http://norman-ai.mit.edu
MIT scientists created a “psychopath” AI by feeding it violent content from Reddit
https://news.avclub.com/mit-scientists-created-a-psychopath-ai-by-feeding-it-1826623094
MIT fed an AI data from Reddit, and now it only thinks about murder
https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/7/17437454/mit-ai-psychopathic-reddit-data-algorithmic-bias
@talkpod hey – totally love your podcast – thank you!
I have a linguistic HELP to ask please 🙂
I saw this paper on indigenous languages in Africa and labor-force participation of women – should I believe it? https://t.co/GQNahIk7Rw
— Peter Fremlin (@desibility) 6 June 2018
Jakiela and Ozier: Gendered Language (PDF)
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/405621528167411253/pdf/WPS8464.pdf
Sean Roberts: Whorfian economics reconsidered: Why future tense?
http://www.replicatedtypo.com/whorfian-economics-reconsidered-why-future-tense/5988.html
The 1st Conference on Pokémonastics
https://1stpokemonastics.wordpress.com
Kawahara et al: Sound (Symbolic) Patterns in Pokemon Names: Focusing on Voiced Obstruents and Mora Counts
http://ling.auf.net/lingbuzz/003196
Shih et al: Pokémonikers: A study of sound symbolism and Pokémon names (PDF)
http://linguistics.berkeley.edu/~inkelas/Papers/ShihAckermanHermalinInkelasKavitskaya2018LSA.pdf
Feist: “Sound symbolism” in English
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378216612002652
Superlinguo: When does maluma/takete fail? Two key failures and a meta-analysis suggest that phonology and phonotactics matter: New article in i-Perception
https://www.superlinguo.com/post/164947297693/when-does-malumatakete-fail-two-key-failures-and
List of Pokémon
https://pokemondb.net/pokedex/national
List of Japanese Pokémon names
https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/List_of_Japanese_Pokémon_names
Is the spoon-wielding “Kadabra” #Pokemon (known as “Yungerer” in Japan) modeled on me?
— Uri Geller (@TheUriGeller) July 26, 2016
‘Swatting’ Prank Sends Police to Home of David Hogg, Parkland Survivor
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/05/us/david-hogg-swatting.html
‘Swatting’ David Hogg wasn’t a ‘prank,’ it was attempted murder
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-ol-enter-the-fray-swatting-david-hogg-wasn-t-a-prank-1528224230-htmlstory.html
Wichita cop won’t face charges for fatally shooting innocent man in swatting hoax
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/04/12/wichita-cop-swatting-no-charges/513129002/
For Chinese Pedestrians Glued to Their Phones, a Middle Path Emerges
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/08/world/asia/china-pedestrians-smartphones-path.html
Distracted Walking a Major Pedestrian Safety Concern
https://www.safety.com/distracted-walking-a-major-pedestrian-safety-concern/
This Causes 11,000 Injuries a Year—and You’re Probably Doing it Every Day
https://www.rd.com/culture/texting-and-walking-injuries/
Distracted walking: Examining the extent to pedestrian safety problems
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095756415000689
Urban Dictionary: mandle
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mandle
Image credit: https://1stpokemonastics.wordpress.com
Transcript
We’re working our way back through the archives. If you think we should prioritise a transcript of this episode, let us know!
