The hottest Language Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Core dump

Thicket Forte β€’ 1 HN point β€’ 16 Sep 24
🎭️ Culture Language Literature Philosophy Art Expression
  1. Language can feel increasingly insincere or artificial, making it hard to express true thoughts. Many conversations seem superficial or filled with 'bullshit' rather than genuine meaning.
  2. When interacting with language models (LLMs), it can be tricky to distinguish between human and machine-generated text. This can lead to a sense of confusion or 'linguistic vertigo.'
  3. There are different ways to generate language, like using your heart or gut instead of just your head. Words from deeper emotional or primal places can feel more authentic and meaningful.

From the archives: The strain of civilisation

The Strategy Toolkit β€’ 372 implied HN points β€’ 14 Sep 23
πŸ”¬ Science Language Technology Communication Evolution Innovation
  1. Technology has significant effects on language evolution and communication, impacting knowledge transmission and cultural dynamics.
  2. The adaptability and flexibility of languages like Chinese and English contribute to their success and widespread adoption.
  3. Understanding the power dynamics of language, literacy, and communication is crucial for effective negotiation and societal progress.

'Speaking of Mothers' - a superb piece of writing from Sarah Henderson.

A B’Old Woman β€’ 119 implied HN points β€’ 27 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Language Identity Gender Society History
  1. The word 'mother' is important and meaningful in many cultures and societies. It's a term that represents deep connections and feelings.
  2. Some organizations are trying to replace the word 'mother' with terms like 'birthing parent', which many people find troubling.
  3. The concept of motherhood is seen as foundational to our understanding of family and identity, and losing that word could impact how we view these roles.
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Can Australia Get Any Dumber?

Cosy Moments β€’ 36 implied HN points β€’ 12 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Education Multiculturalism Arts Humanities Language
  1. Australia's universities are cutting language and humanities courses for financial reasons. This makes it harder for students to learn about different cultures.
  2. The Vice-Chancellor's past actions at other universities show a trend of prioritizing profit over education in languages and humanities. This raises concerns about the future of cultural diversity in academia.
  3. Celebrating cultural diversity while cutting language courses is hypocritical. This inconsistency highlights a broader issue of ignoring the value of diverse cultural and artistic expressions.

How to Embrace the B-Theory of Time Without Abandoning All of Human Language

Philosophy for the People w/Ben Burgis β€’ 119 implied HN points β€’ 30 Jul 23
πŸ“– Philosophy Time Language Theory
  1. The B-Theory of time challenges the idea of an ontologically privileged present moment compared to the A-Theory.
  2. The B-Theory suggests that time is not dependent on human consciousness but is objectively defined.
  3. Embracing the B-Theory of time raises questions about the potential impact on human language and the truthfulness of statements.

On language, language models and writing

imperfect offerings β€’ 119 implied HN points β€’ 21 Apr 23
🚌 Education Language AI Academic Integrity Curriculum design Future of work
  1. AI tools like language models cannot be credited with authorship in academic publications due to lack of accountability and responsibility for the work.
  2. Universities need to consider the implications of students using AI writing tools and ensure they are transparent, accountable, and responsible for their own use of these systems.
  3. Writing is a social technology that shapes new selves and identities, and universities play a crucial role in shaping what writing is, what it does for individuals, and why it matters.

How Language is Changing in the Digital Age

The Digital Anthropologist β€’ 19 implied HN points β€’ 29 May 24
🎭️ Culture Language Technology AI Cultural Diversity Communication
  1. Languages are constantly evolving, but the digital age might be accelerating the pace of change. Is a universal language possible?
  2. Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) pose new challenges to language preservation, but also offer opportunities to document and save languages for historical analysis.
  3. The future of human language could involve the development of a universal language, potentially influenced by digital technologies, cultural sensitivity, and global collaboration.

Lace and Libels

Outlandish Claims β€’ 19 implied HN points β€’ 26 May 24
🎭️ Culture Literature Language Art Media History
  1. The evolution of language and meanings can lead to shifts in how words are understood over time.
  2. The concept of proof of work, used in bitcoin, can be observed in various aspects of human culture, indicating value and effort.
  3. Protecting artists from theft and censorship can encourage more art creation in the intersection of accessibility and quality.

Genre Grapevine on Why They Want Us to Call it AI

Genre Grapevine β€’ 98 implied HN points β€’ 01 Jul 23
🚌 Education Language Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence Ethics Labor
  1. Words are powerful and shape our understanding of the world and ourselves.
  2. The language used to describe machine learning tools can be deceptive, such as calling them 'artificial intelligence' when there's no actual intelligence behind them.
  3. Using accurate language is important in conversations about machine learning to avoid misconceptions and ensure transparency.

CannesGPT

Addition β€’ 98 implied HN points β€’ 07 Jul 23
πŸ•Ή Technology AI Creative Model Language
  1. AI system 'CannesGPT' generates creative ideas using case studies from Cannes Lions winners
  2. In-context learning aligns AI outputs with creative objectives for more original ideas
  3. Using foundation models like Claude and GPT-4 for different stages in AI idea generation pipeline

Turn-taking in the age of Zoom

The Counterfactual β€’ 139 implied HN points β€’ 05 May 23
🎭️ Culture Communication Language Social norms Technology impact Human behavior
  1. Turn-taking is a key part of human conversation, where one person speaks and then the other responds. This has been observed even in some animals, showing that it's a long-established communication behavior.
  2. Studies show that conversation timing is mostly consistent across different languages, with an average pause of about 208 milliseconds between turns. This quick exchange helps keep conversations flowing smoothly.
  3. Zoom and similar video call platforms can disrupt the natural rhythm of conversations, leading to longer pauses and more frustration. This change might affect how we communicate in the long term as remote communication becomes more common.

Fragmentation of the self.

Default Wisdom β€’ 236 implied HN points β€’ 08 Jun 23
πŸ“– Philosophy Individualism Language Materialism Critical Theory Communication
  1. Fragmentation of self is influenced by historical shifts like the intensification of division of labor starting in the 17th century.
  2. Language, communication, and individualism are interconnected as seen through McLuhan's views on the power of language in shaping individuality.
  3. Material advancements like the printing press and the telegraph have played a significant role in shaping societal fragmentation and the way we perceive the world.

Life, Death, and all the Words Between

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack β€’ 59 implied HN points β€’ 04 Dec 23
πŸ“š Literature Analysis Speech Characters Debate Language
  1. Book 9 of the Iliad is crucial for understanding Achilles' character development and epic themes like heroism.
  2. The language of Achilles in the Iliad has been a subject of significant scholarly debate, revealing insights into his character and the nature of Homeric speech.
  3. The plot of Book 9 involves the Achaeans' attempts to persuade Achilles to return to battle, showcasing his complex responses and highlighting themes of politics, heroism, and narrative traditions.

For Some Ukrainians, Russian Language Triggers Trauma Response

Natto Thoughts β€’ 79 implied HN points β€’ 18 Aug 23
🌍 World Politics Language Identity Conflict Government Society
  1. The coexistence of Ukrainian and Russian languages reflects a historical colonial relationship between Russia and Ukraine, where bilingualism now gives Ukrainians an edge in understanding Russian aggressors.
  2. The Russian language has become triggering for some Ukrainians due to traumatic experiences during the ongoing conflict, leading to a shift away from using Russian in favor of embracing Ukrainian identity.
  3. Attitudes towards language in Ukraine are complex, with a growing support for the Ukrainian language and a nuanced approach that includes both Ukrainian and Russian speakers promoting Ukrainian in public life for a more inclusive civic definition of Ukrainian identity.

Why Learning the Piano is Hard

Daniel Golliher β€’ 78 implied HN points β€’ 14 Mar 23
🚌 Education Music Language Reading
  1. Learning to play the piano is difficult because it involves multiple sub-skills that many people overlook.
  2. Composite skills, like playing the piano or learning languages, are made up of several components that must be understood and developed.
  3. Recognizing composite skills and breaking them down into manageable parts can help improve one's learning and avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Heroes of Slang: Billy Rowe

Mister Slang β€’ 78 implied HN points β€’ 30 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture History Language Music Slang Race
  1. Billy Rowe was an African-American columnist in the mid-1900s known for his showbiz focus and advocacy against racism.
  2. Rowe coined numerous slang terms in his columns, some of which predated similar terms by his peers.
  3. Rowe's slang terms reflected the world of big bands, clubs, and societal issues of his time, showcasing his unique contribution to language.

Gα»­i cΓ‘c anh kα»Ή sΖ° Việt Kiều

ThΓ‘i | Hacker | Kα»Ή sΖ° tin tαΊ·c β€’ 299 implied HN points β€’ 07 May 22
🎭️ Culture Language Workplace
  1. In the US, the term 'senior' can refer to a high school senior, not just a high-ranking engineer. Don't get lost in translation!
  2. At Google, a team typically consists of 6 members with one manager - a lower-level leadership role. In different contexts like Vietnam, this might be seen as a much higher position.
  3. Job titles don't always reflect actual skills or contributions. Don't get caught up in inflated titles - focus on your work instead.

Language is a SimCity

Cybernetic Forests β€’ 59 implied HN points β€’ 02 Jul 23
πŸ”¬ Science Language Statistics AI Generative models Neural Networks
  1. Language can be seen as a dynamic city, shaped by collective contributions that form its intricate structure.
  2. Generative AI models, like GPT4, rely on statistics and random selection to produce text, often betraying a lack of true understanding.
  3. Human communication involves a choice between shallow, statistically-driven speech, like that of machines, and deeper, intent-driven speech that seeks to convey personal truths.

I am an LLM and I am writing this a word at a time

70 Years Old. WTF! β€’ 58 implied HN points β€’ 19 Feb 23
πŸ•Ή Technology AI Writing Collaboration Language Creativity
  1. The author explains what an LLM, or Large Language Model, is - a system that predicts the next word in a sequence.
  2. The author discusses the process of writing and editing as an LLM, revealing similarities with ChatGPT and human writers.
  3. The author reflects on the collaboration between themselves and technology like ChatGPT in the writing process, highlighting the potential of human-machine partnerships in creativity.

Memes and our metamodern condition

The Rectangle β€’ 56 implied HN points β€’ 08 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Memes Art Society Language
  1. Memes can be a reflection of our current cultural age, functioning as a microcosm of our metamodern condition.
  2. Metamodernism allows us to seamlessly flip between the eras of modernism and postmodernism, adapting to constant contradiction.
  3. Meme culture reflects how our relationship with art has evolved, with art living beyond its traditional medium and becoming a participatory, transformative experience.

Moving the goal posts

Sunday Letters β€’ 79 implied HN points β€’ 29 May 23
πŸ“– Philosophy Ethics Logic Language Metaphysics Ontology Epistemology
  1. People often change the rules of a debate when they don't like the outcome. This is called 'moving the goalposts' and it can be tricky.
  2. Arguments about concepts like 'understanding' or 'identity' can become confusing if everyone doesn't agree on what those terms mean.
  3. Instead of arguing over vague definitions, it's better to focus on how we use those terms in real situations and have clear discussions when definitions are necessary.