language

  • World’s less spoken languages get a boost with Openwords

    Steve WoodsLanguage, Open Source

    Over half of the world’s people, i.e. those that speak a language with less than 100 million native speakers, do not have a language learning mobile app suited for their language or needs, according to Opensource.com.

    Most of these languages are disregarded by mobile app developers, but Openwords is a start-up that aims to address this problem.

    Openwords can mine massive, existing public data resources such as Wiktionary or the Apertium open machine translator and will thus be able to provide content quickly for populations without language learning apps. Other companies would need to build this content themselves, but Openwords uses pre-existing open data.

    Openwords has already proved this concept can work by collating content for more than 1,000 languages and will be running a campaign to raise funds to complete the Openwords app that will provide a language learning platform for this open content collection.

    Emphasis on freedom

    The Openwords app will emphasise freedom. Whereas many existing apps do not allow learners to decide what they will learn, whereas Openwords will give learners this freedom while also allowing them to follow a default curriculum. It will also be free (gratis) for learners.

    Most importantly, Openwords’ content is in the public domain. This means all Openwords’ educational content is copyleft and owned by the public. This is the major philosophical difference between Openwords and proprietary language learning apps. The Openwords app will function as a reader of open content. Whenever Openwords content is added or improved, contributors will be building something for everyone’s benefit.

    Openwords aims to provide:

    • Free, open domain, educational material.
    • Diverse education material for populations without electronic foreign language learning content.

    Openwords is asking the open source community for guidance on how to fulfill all obligations to the open source community successfully. Openwords has made a lot of progress in making the Openwords database available and has constructed an HTTP API available through Openwords.org, which hosts the Openwords word and language problem database.

  • A motherly touch?

    Steve WoodsBristol, Language, Media

    Today’s Bristol Post carries a piece by Gavin Thompson about the activities of property developers in Bedminster that has a novel twist – a maternal blueprint – as shown by the screenshot below.

    headline reads Firm behind tower block scheme to create mater plan for Bedminster regeneration

    Bedminster has so far escaped the worst attentions of property developers who’ve been allowed a very free hand by Bristol City Council to wreck the city’s outstanding heritage with cheap and nasty modern developments, as is happening currently on the site of the Ebenezer Chapel in Midland Road in St Philips (posts passim).

  • Sign of spring – blackthorn

    Steve WoodsBristol, Language

    This morning on my walk from home in Easton to the Bristol Wireless lab in Bedminster, my eye was caught by blackthorn blossom standing out white against the blue sky.

    blackthorn blossom
    Blackthorn blossom in Lawford’s Gate, Bristol

    Blackthorn (prunus spinosa) derives its name from its thorny nature and its very dark bark.

    As its Latin name denotes, it is a member of the plum family. Its fruits – sloes – are well known for their bitterness, unless picked after they’ve been bletted, i.e. attacked by autumn frosts. Their best-known use is for making sloe gin.

    photo of sloes
    Sloes. Note the thorns. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

    The modern English word sloe comes from the Old English slāh. The same word is noted in Middle Low German, historically spoken in Lower Saxony. Similar words are found in other languages with Teutonic roots.

    With its savage thorns, blackthorn has traditionally been used for making a hedge against cattle or a “cattle-proof” hedge.

  • Special opening offer

    Steve WoodsBristol, Language, Oddities

    Thanks to skimping on proof-reading, La Despensa Del Gourmet, a new Spanish delicatessen that’s recently opened in Prince Street, Bristol has a rather unusual offer at present, which sounds a bargain at £3.50!

    poster reads daily offer spanish sandwich with cock/water
    Picture courtesy of Bristol Bites

    Speculation has it that the proprietors are actually trying to offer a carbonated soft drink originally from America… However, that could be phallusy! 😉

    Hat tip: Bristol Bites.

  • Coracle!

    Steve WoodsLanguage, Oddities

    I’ve been in London for the weekend and one of the joys of visiting is a chance to see my niece Katherine.

    She’s currently in the middle of a project and is building a coracle in her flat in Bermondsey.

    coracle on living room floor
    Picture courtesy of Katherine Midgley

    Like other vessels covered by a membrane stretched over a frame, coracles are an ancient form of water craft. The use of coracles in Britain was noted by Julius Caesar on the occasion of his invasion of Britain in 55 BCE.

    The etymology of coracle is from the Welsh corwgl, which is in turn related to Irish curach, meaning a boat.

    Although an ancient form of craft, coracles have still found working uses up to the present day. For instance, for many years until 1979, Shrewsbury coracle maker Fred Davies achieved some notability amongst football fans; he would sit in his coracle during Shrewsbury Town FC home matches at their old riverside ground of Gay Meadow and retrieve stray balls from the River Severn. His coracle was last heard of in the National Football Museum.

    Coracles are difficult to manoeuvre as they are unstable due to their sitting “on” that water. In addition, coracles can easily be carried by currents and the wind. Nevertheless, let’s hope the maiden voyage is recorded for posterity.

  • Free software is my Valentine

    Steve WoodsLinux, Open Source, Tech

    Today is 14th February. Most people know this as Saint Valentine’s Day, when florists are overworked and restaurants overcharge. 😉

    However, every year 14th February is also I Love Free Software Day.

    It’s the day when free software users are encouraged to say thank you to the people that produce the great software that millions of people and businesses use and rely upon every other day of the year.

    I love free software campaign banner
    Do you love free software too? Show it!

    I’d therefore like to express my love for free software and say thank you to:

    Along with the rest of the world, I’m indebted to you all.

    If you use free software too, support this annual campaign, which can be followed on social media with the #ilovefs hashtag.

  • After the book and film, the HTML colo(u)r chart

    Steve WoodsLanguage, Media, Oddities, Tech

    There’s been a lot of interest in the media in recent days over the impending release of the film of E.L. James’ 2011 erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey.

    Following hard on the heels of the media interest, comes the HTML colo(u)r* chart.

    HTML grey colours image

    If you need to pick colours for web pages, fonts and the like, the W3C has a handy picker.

    * In HTML American spellings – e.g. color, center – are used.

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