Bookwoman: A story about the preservation of words - Broomfield Enterprise - Dictionary

“The Dictionary of Lost Words,” by Pip Williams

Recently, I reviewed a nonfiction book titled “The Dictionary People,” by Sarah Ogilvie. It was about the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). This current review features a fiction book that tells a story with the OED as its background.

Kerry Pettis Bookwoman

Esme Nicoll is the daughter of a scholar who works as a lexicographer in the Scriptorium, a small metal shed where the OED is being created, one word at a time. As a young girl, she sat under the work table of the men who were deciding which words and definitions to include, and she learned to read from the scraps of paper that drifted down to her.

Eventually, Esme becomes an assistant dictionary worker herself. She notices a lack of what she calls “women words” in the dictionary entries. These are words she hears in everyday communications in the street or at the market. But, because they are considered profane or “common,” they haven’t been written down.

On her own, she begins collecting these words, making entries of them on slips just like the regular dictionary entries she sees each day in the Scriptorium. She keeps a stack of these words in a suitcase hidden under a bed.

It is the era of the suffragette movement in England, and Esme becomes peripherally involved, finding more overlooked words among the women working for voting rights. Though her collection of words never makes it into the OED, there is eventually a book published in her honor titled “The Dictionary of Lost Words.”

Kerry Pettis is a retired elementary school teacher and children’s librarian who has lived in Broomfield since 1975. Reading is her favorite occupation.

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Booz Allen unveils AR real-time language translation tool | Shephard - Shephard News - Translation

Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) unveiled a prototype of its real-time Augmented Reality (AR) Translate tool for text at the SOF Week 2024 exhibition, in Tampa, Florida. 

'It allows operators in the field to read signs that are in a foreign language and have English results be displayed to them in an augmented reality headset,' a BAH senior developer told Shephard. 

'They have an understanding of where they are in space and take advantage of that information to enhance situational awareness across an entire unit.'

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Operating completely disconnected from the cloud, this low latency solution can also be integrated with tactical networks to connect key-edge data to higher echelons for aggregation and deeper analysis.

Its software and hardware modular and open architecture allows the solution to rapidly deploy artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) models and swap out AR sensors and displays.

The prototype currently features a commercially available head-mounted display, a mobile device and edge computing to detect, recognize and translate text rendering results into the 3D environment.

'We hope to work with hardware providers to shrink down the AR and provide a ruggedised, hardened version,' the BAH senior developer stressed.

Currently, the tool can work with four languages, but has the capability to use additional languages.

At SOF Week 2024, BAH is also showcasing for the first time its EnigMA open-source solution for critical SOF missions in denied digital environments. This is intended to support intelligence efforts and enable users to collect information in restricted digital scenarios.

'Our focus is really gaining global access to those kinds of environments to collect unique information,' a BAH technical developer of EnigMA noted.

Designed as an expeditionary capability, it is operational in nearly any geographic location in the world at the unclassified level and can tailored to specific missions.

The system also provides natural technical signatures to blend into the target information environment, end-to-end collection with curated signatures and sophisticated tradecraft that enables to gathering of unique data.

'We do provide a team of collectors that are proficient in a variety of prominent languages to be able to collect information inside languages and translate that as well,' the EnigMA's developer pointed out.

Another BAH product on display at SOF Week is the DarkLabs Detect, which is a battle-tested approach solution that uses AI and ML accelerators to detect and prevent cyber-attacks.

The company is also showcasing its Integrated AI Kit to train/deploy AI models to edge devices and unlock new insights for tactical decision-making using Galvion’s Integrated Helmet System with Rear Compute Module.

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Slimane "Mon Amour" Lyrics & English Translation | France Eurovision 2024 - wiwibloggs - Translation

France was the first country to unveil their Eurovision song for the 2024 contest, selecting Slimane with “Mon Amour.”

Slimane delivers a heartfelt ballad, showcasing his exceptional talent with each and every performance. Now, he is poised to shine on the grand Eurovision stage, ready to enchant audiences with his remarkable presence and soul-stirring performance.

Scroll down to read the “Mon Amour” lyrics

France at Eurovision 2024: Slimane with “Mon Amour”

Slimane Nebchi, known simply as Slimane, emerged as a notable figure in the French music scene after clinching victory in the fifth season of The Voice: la plus belle voix. Born in Chelles, Seine-et-Marne, France, Slimane’s Algerian heritage through his grandparents adds a rich cultural dimension to his artistry. He honed his musical skills while attending Lycée Jehan de Chelles before venturing into the vibrant music landscape of Les Lilas, a Parisian suburb. Prior to his breakthrough on The Voice, Slimane showcased his talent through various online platforms and participated in several music competitions, demonstrating his unwavering passion and dedication to his craft.

Since his triumph on The Voice, Slimane has solidified his position as a prominent singer-songwriter in France, amassing over twenty-five chart entries on the French Singles Chart. His solo career boasts an impressive track record, including a chart-topping single as a featured artist with the song “Bella ciao.” Slimane’s success extends to the album charts as well, with three of his studio albums reaching the coveted number-one spot on the French Albums Charts. His musical journey is characterised by a blend of soulful performances, heartfelt lyrics, and a magnetic stage presence that continues to captivate audiences nationwide.

In addition to his musical endeavours, Slimane has ventured into acting, securing a secondary role in Didier Barbelivien’s French musical “Marie-Antoinette et le Chevalier de Maison-Rouge.” 

What do the “Mon Amour” lyrics mean?

Slimane’s song expertly delves into themes of love, particularly longing and the complexities that accompany it. Love isn’t always a source of joy; it can also bring uncertainty and heartache. Despite these challenges, Slimane’s unwavering devotion to his loved one shines through. The song reads like an open letter to his beloved, addressed with the endearing term “mon amour” (my love). There’s a palpable sense of despair over a love that has gone awry, yet the feelings of love persist, even when the reasons behind the turmoil seem unjustified.

I love you
I don’t know why
I play the scene again
But its always the same ending that keeps repeating

To maintain the French ambiance, Slimane chooses Paris as the setting for his reconciliation efforts. The city of love becomes the symbolic meeting point where he hopes to reignite the flame with his beloved. Through his lyrics, Slimane acknowledges past mistakes and expresses a readiness to wholeheartedly commit to making things right this time. However, beneath the surface of their professed love and dedication lies a sense of frustration and desperation, as doubts about the sincerity of their relationship linger in the air.

Oh my love
Please come back to Paris
Do it for us, I am begging you
I promise, I’ve learned my lesson

In essence, the song encapsulates the tumultuous journey of love, portraying the highs and lows experienced in relationships fraught with uncertainty and doubt. Slimane’s unwavering commitment is palpable as he expresses a willingness to wait indefinitely for the love that has deeply impacted his heart. Despite the challenges and setbacks, he remains steadfast in his hope, keeping his spirits high and believing in the possibility of a brighter future. The emotional depth and resilience depicted in the song resonate with listeners, capturing the universal experience of navigating the complexities of love with unwavering optimism and determination.

Tell me the place, I’ll wait for you
And if you don’t come, I’ll still wait for you
I know it’s silly, but that’s what I’ll do
Filled with hope, I’ll will wait for you

“Mon Amour” lyrics — Slimane (France Eurovision 2024)

Songwriters: Meïr Salah, Slimane, Yaacov Salah

Original French text Mon amour Dis-moi à quoi tu penses Si tout ça a un sens Désolé si je te dérange Mon amour Te souviens-tu de nous ? Du premier rendez-vous ? C’était beau, c’était fou Je t’aime J’sais pas pourquoi Je rejoue la scène Mais c’est toujours la même fin qui recommence Tu n’entends pas Ma peine, on en fait quoi ? Est-ce que tu m’aimes ou pas ? Mon amour Je ferai tout ce que je peux Un océan dans le feu L’impossible si tu le veux Oh Mon amour Allez reviens à Paris Fais-le pour nous je t’en supplie Je le promets j’ai compris Je t’aime J’sais pas pourquoi Je rejoue la scène Mais c’est toujours la même fin qui recommence Tu n’entends pas Ma peine, on en fait quoi ? Est-ce que tu m’aimes ou pas ? Dis-moi l’endroit, je t’attendrai Et si tu ne viens pas, je t’attendrai C’est bête je sais, je le ferai Rempli d’espoir je t’attendrai Je t’aime J’sais pas pourquoi Je rejoue la scène Mais c’est toujours la même fin qui recommence Tu n’entends pas Ma peine, on en fait quoi ? Est-ce que tu m’aimes Est-ce que tu m’aimes ? Est-ce que tu m’aimes ? Est-ce que tu m’aimes ? Ou pаѕ ?

English translation My love Tell me what’s on your mind If all of this makes sense Sorry if I disturb you My love Do you remember us? Our first meeting? It was beautiful, It was insane I love you I don’t know why I play the scene again But it’s always the same ending that keeps repeating You don’t hear anything What do we do about my pain? Do you love me or not? My love I’ll do all that I can Create an ocean in the fire The impossible if you want me to Oh my love Please come back to Paris Do it for us, I am begging you I promise, I’ve learned my lesson I love you I don’t know why I play the scene again But it’s always the same ending that keeps repeating You don’t hear anything What do we do about my pain? Do you love me or not? Tell me the place, I’ll wait for you And if you don’t come, I’ll still wait for you I know it’s silly, but that’s what I’ll do Filled with hope, I’ll will wait for you I love you I don’t know why I play the scene again But its always the same ending that keepѕ repeating You don’t hear anything What do we do about my pаin? Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me? Or not?

What do you think of the “Mon Amour” lyrics from Slimane? Will France qualify for the final? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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"The Mexican Slang Dictionary," a new book by Alastair Baverstock - Mexico News Daily - Dictionary

“That morro I met at the pachanga is really fresa!”

Does that Spanglish sentence mean anything to you?

What about this one?

“Me enchilé cabrón at the taco stand near my chamba.”

If your answers are no and no, and you’re interested in learning colloquial Mexican Spanish — or increasing your current repertoire — “The Mexican Slang Dictionary” is the book for you.

Compiled by Mexico-based British journalist Alasdair Baverstock, the pocket-sized dictionary contains hundreds of Mexican slang (and swear) words and colloquial phrases along with their equivalents in English.

The Mexico City-based Baverstock has compiled a rich collection of Mexican slang in his dictionary. (Alasdair Baverstock)

It also has a section on albures, a form of (often sexual) word play that involves the humorous use of double entendres.

Here are a few of the entries:

Chulada

A beautiful, or high quality, thing or action.

e.g. “Su gol era una chulada.”

He scored a beautiful goal.

¿Jalas?

Informal and colloquial way of asking if a person will join you in your plans.

e.g. “Vamos al bar. ¿Jalas?”

We’re going to the bar. Are you coming?

Nini

A person who is lazy or work-shy. Comes from the phrase “Ni trabaja, ni estudia” — Neither works, nor studies.

Alasdair, a video journalist for Chinese broadcaster CGTN and erstwhile contributor to Mexico News Daily, explains in the forward to his dictionary that his Mexican slang compilation began as a “whimsical addition” to his professional website.

In January 2020, “half-way through a reporting trip to Oaxaca’s Istmo de Tehuantepec I found my notebook filled with phrases from interviews I could not understand,” he writes.

“… Henceforth, I noted down every piece of slang and jargon I came across and added them [to my online dictionary] alongside my own wording for their definitions. … In my trips across the country, and in speaking to Mexicans of all backgrounds, the dictionary quickly grew,” Alasdair says.

“… It has been thanks to the generosity, good humor and national pride of the Mexican people that the dictionary exists at all.”

“The Mexican Slang Dictionary” can be purchased on Amazon for 149 pesos. It is also available at Under the Volcano Books, located in the Condesa neighborhood of Mexico City.

A word of warning: the dictionary includes some extremely colorful — read potentially offensive — words or phrases.

Finally, in case you were wondering, the two sentences at the top of this article could read as follows in colloquial English.

• That guy I met at the shindig is really snobby.
• I burned my mouth big time at the taco stand near my work.

As you probably know, salsas — like Mexican Spanish — can be very picante (spicy/risqué) indeed.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])

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Neighbors: Sealaska Heritage Institute debuts multilingual online Alaska Native dictionary with audio - Juneau Empire - Dictionary

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has launched a new online dictionary that allows users to search for words and phrases in Lingít (Tlingit language), X̱aad Kíl (Haida language), Shm’algyack (Tsimshian language) and English. Users can browse words and phrases, and listen to heritage language speakers pronouncing the entries.

Notably, users may search the database using English or Native terms to reveal all related content, said SHI President Rosita Worl.

The platform denotes a previously missing language tool that is meant to stand alone or to complement existing materials to help perpetuate Southeast Alaska’s ancient Indigenous languages, she said.

“As a people, we have documented our languages and developed the orthographies for the words that describe our oral histories. We have produced materials to revitalize our languages and apps that allow people to browse categories and hear audio. Now we have a database that offers all of that and includes a search function,” Worl said.

“It’s a game changer.”

The dictionary content mirrors the vocabulary and phrases available on SHI’s Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian learning apps that were released in recent years.

The Tlingit section includes more than 50 categories for words relating to action, adjectives, animal body parts, beach, birds, birth, buildings and structures, clothing, cold blooded animals, colors, commands, communication, conditions, cultural, direction, fish, food, games, geography, grammar, home, human body, human family, insects and invertebrates, kitchen, land animals, location, mammals, marine animals, marriage, material, matter, minerals, names, numbers, nursery, occupations, people, plants, pronouns, quantity, recreation, relationships, school, sea creatures, sky, sports, stage of life, time, tools, transportation, water and weather.

The Haida section includes nearly 40 categories for words relating to the alphabet, animals, art, bathroom, beach, birds, body parts, buildings and structures, clothing, colors, commands, cultural art, culture, fishing and hunting, home, insects and invertebrates, jewelry, kitchen, location, mammals, numbers, nursery, occupations, ocean, outside, plants, recreation, school, sea creatures, sea vessels, sky, time, tools, transportation, verbs, water, weaving and wellness and health.

The Tsimshian section includes 30 categories for words relating to adjectives, alphabet, bathroom, beach, birds, body, buildings and structures, clothing, colors, culture, days of the week, fish, food, home, insects and invertebrates, kitchen, mammals, months of the year, numbers, nursery, occupations, ocean, plants, pronouns, recreation, school, sea creatures, sky, tools and transportation.

All sections also include audio of phrases listed by category. The dictionary is available free of charge on SHI’s website, along with its other language resources. Staff will continue to expand the dictionary’s words, phrases and associated audio.

SHI has worked on language documentation and perpetuation since the nonprofit’s inception 44 years ago. The institute initially focused on helping to create the orthographies for the languages and worked with heritage language speakers and linguists to develop dictionaries and other books for Lingít, X̱aad Kíl and Shm’algyack.

In the 1990s, SHI’s Board of Trustees made language revitalization a priority. The institute then began to sponsor teaching activities, such as language immersion camps, in which students would live in a habitat of a Native language over a period of days. SHI also poured many resources into developing lessons, videos, flash cards, apps, podcasts and games to enhance the learning experience.

In recent years, SHI has sponsored university classes and scholarships for language learners, and many language teachers today are of a generation who grew up without hearing their Native tongue at home.

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Translating Wall Street Jargon - A Wealth of Common Sense - Translation

I saw the following headline earlier this week:

I didn’t even need to read the actual article to know what the message would be. The tell here was the term ‘veteran forecaster’.

In finance-speak, veteran forecaster can be translated to mean someone who is supremely confident in their predictions but almost always wrong.

It has to be this way because forecasters are so unreliable. Yet the financial media loves certainty so they keep bringing them back on again and again. Certainty sells better than nuance.

That’s the game.

There are plenty of other Wall Street terms that have their own translations.

Here are some of my favorites (as translated by the team at A Wealth of Common Sense):

I’m cautiously optimistic.

Translation: I have no idea what’s going to happen.

We’re constructive on the stock market.

Translation: I wanted to say bullish but this is a way to both sound smart and hedge at the same time just in case I’m wrong.

It’s trading at fair value.

Translation: I have no idea what this thing is worth so hopefully the market does.

We’re a boutique investment firm.

Translation: We’re small and don’t manage very much money but we’d like to be bigger. Please give us money.

It’s a proprietary trading system.

Translation: Everyone else on Wall Street uses this same model but calls it something different.

This is a bubble. 

Translation: I’m not invested in that asset that went up a lot.

We’re the smart money.

Translation: We pay ridiculously high fees for “sophisticated” investment products.

You’re being paid to wait in this stock.

Translation: The dividend yield is high for a reason. The stock stinks.

This asset has an asymmetric risk payoff.

Translation: I’ve read The Big Short two-and-a-half times…okay I watched the movie once.

The easy money has been made.

Translation: I didn’t make any of it.

We’ll give you all of the upside without any of the downside.

Translation: This strategy is either going to blow up in spectacular fashion or get smoked during the next bull market.

Sell in May and go away.

Translation: My research process relies exclusively on rhyming. I also buy when prices are high.

Wall Street guru.

Translation: This guy wears a bow tie.

We prefer to gauge performance over a full market cycle.

Translation: We are massively underperforming.

I’m not wrong, just early.

Translation: I’m wrong but don’t think I won’t move the goalposts if I stay wrong.

It’s a Ponzi scheme.

Translation: I disagree with that thing but don’t actually know what a Ponzi scheme really is.

They predicted the 2008 financial crisis. Here’s why they say the next one will be even bigger!

Translation: They also predicted a crisis in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, etc. They got lucky, were “right” once, and have lived off that call ever since.

I’m a contrarian.

Translation: Just like everyone else in finance.

We’re waiting for the dust to settle.

Translation: We get fearful when others are fearful.

Michael and I spoke about Wall Street translations and much more on this week’s Animal Spirits video:

Subscribe to The Compound so you never miss an episode.

Further Reading:
Unfortunate Realities of the Investment Business

Now here’s what I’ve been reading lately:

Books:

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Translating Wall Street Jargon - A Wealth of Common Sense - Translation

I saw the following headline earlier this week:

I didn’t even need to read the actual article to know what the message would be. The tell here was the term ‘veteran forecaster’.

In finance-speak, veteran forecaster can be translated to mean someone who is supremely confident in their predictions but almost always wrong.

It has to be this way because forecasters are so unreliable. Yet the financial media loves certainty so they keep bringing them back on again and again. Certainty sells better than nuance.

That’s the game.

There are plenty of other Wall Street terms that have their own translations.

Here are some of my favorites (as translated by the team at A Wealth of Common Sense):

I’m cautiously optimistic.

Translation: I have no idea what’s going to happen.

We’re constructive on the stock market.

Translation: I wanted to say bullish but this is a way to both sound smart and hedge at the same time just in case I’m wrong.

It’s trading at fair value.

Translation: I have no idea what this thing is worth so hopefully the market does.

We’re a boutique investment firm.

Translation: We’re small and don’t manage very much money but we’d like to be bigger. Please give us money.

It’s a proprietary trading system.

Translation: Everyone else on Wall Street uses this same model but calls it something different.

This is a bubble. 

Translation: I’m not invested in that asset that went up a lot.

We’re the smart money.

Translation: We pay ridiculously high fees for “sophisticated” investment products.

You’re being paid to wait in this stock.

Translation: The dividend yield is high for a reason. The stock stinks.

This asset has an asymmetric risk payoff.

Translation: I’ve read The Big Short two-and-a-half times…okay I watched the movie once.

The easy money has been made.

Translation: I didn’t make any of it.

We’ll give you all of the upside without any of the downside.

Translation: This strategy is either going to blow up in spectacular fashion or get smoked during the next bull market.

Sell in May and go away.

Translation: My research process relies exclusively on rhyming. I also buy when prices are high.

Wall Street guru.

Translation: This guy wears a bow tie.

We prefer to gauge performance over a full market cycle.

Translation: We are massively underperforming.

I’m not wrong, just early.

Translation: I’m wrong but don’t think I won’t move the goalposts if I stay wrong.

It’s a Ponzi scheme.

Translation: I disagree with that thing but don’t actually know what a Ponzi scheme really is.

They predicted the 2008 financial crisis. Here’s why they say the next one will be even bigger!

Translation: They also predicted a crisis in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, etc. They got lucky, were “right” once, and have lived off that call ever since.

I’m a contrarian.

Translation: Just like everyone else in finance.

We’re waiting for the dust to settle.

Translation: We get fearful when others are fearful.

Michael and I spoke about Wall Street translations and much more on this week’s Animal Spirits video:

Subscribe to The Compound so you never miss an episode.

Further Reading:
Unfortunate Realities of the Investment Business

Now here’s what I’ve been reading lately:

Books:

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