Conventions

How to read examples and other data in linguistics.

Conventions
Example of an interlinear glossed example in linguistics (from Chitimacha).

Contents

Informational Boxes

Occasionally I include boxes with supplementary information in the running text of a post:

🌠
This type of box usually contains a fun fact or interesting aside. The 🌠 emoji is an homage to the old NBC public service announcements called The More You Know, whose logo was a shooting star.
The original logo for The More You Know. Their current logo as of 2023 is much less fabulous.
☝️
This type of box usually contains a technical note or clarification. I think of it as the equivalent of a footnote. Most readers will probably want to skip these boxes.

Linguistic Examples

In linguistics it's important to make a distinction between using a word and mentioning a word, because linguists often need to talk about a word without necessarily using it. This is especially important with taboo words or slurs. Linguists still need to be able to study and talk about these words without directing them negatively at someone.

When linguists write about a word, it is written in italics, to indicate that it is being mentioned rather than used.

Linguists also indicate the translation of words or expressions using single quotes.

Here are some quick examples:

  • The word hana in Chitimacha means 'house'.
  • Much Spanish slang or swearing involves the word leche 'milk', such as es la leche 'it's awesome' or me cago en la leche 'I shit in the milk' (used to describe a situation where you've been unlucky).

Abbreviations

Abbreviations commonly used in running text.

Abbreviation Meaning
c. circa (Latin: ''around'')
BCE Before the Common Era (equivalent to BC)
BP Before Present (calibrated at 1950)
CE Common Era (equivalent to AD)

Symbols

Symbols used in linguistics and my etymological diagrams.

Symbol Description Meaning
* asterisk reconstructed / hypothetical
→ solid arrow inherited from A → B
⇢ dotted arrow borrowed from A ⇢ B
/ / slashes phonemic transcription
[ ] square brackets phonetic transcription
⟨ ⟩ angle brackets orthographic transcription

Glosses

Abbreviations used in interlinear glossed examples.

Abbreviation Meaning
1 first person
2 second person
3 third person
appl applicative
cisloc cislocative
cl class
classifier
comp complementizer
dur durative
exist existential
f feminine
ind indicative
link linking element
m masculine
mid middle voice
neg negative
nzr nominalizer
obj object
past past tense
pat patient
pl plural
prog progressive
recip reciprocal
rel relative
rev reversive
sg singular
stat stative
💝
Enjoying my content and want to say thanks? You’re the best! You can support Linguistic Discovery for $5/month (USD), and you’ll also get:

🌟 Perks 🌟
📝 early access to chapters of my book, Universal: The diversity of language and the unity of the human mind
➕ bonus articles/videos
👀 early access to articles/videos
💝 support my mission to educate the public about the science and diversity of language!

Price: $5/month (USD)

You can also subscribe on Patreon or Substack if you prefer to use those platforms instead. You'll get all the same content and extras.
💝 Become a supporter!