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John Williams, Linguist

@lexicoj0hn.bsky.social
2K followers 383 following 700 posts

Retired lexicographer and academic, most recently at the University of Portsmouth. Committed trade unionist. I mostly post about things I know about or am good at. If I stray into other areas, it's usually because there's a language angle.

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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Anyone who "denies any wrongdoing" has usually done something wrong
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
#ManCity What a mess. City's next scheduled fixture (Oct 11) is away to Liverpool. Imagine the welcome from the #LFC fans. If no sanctions are in place any time soon, all City's opponents should field a team of youth and academy players. Let all their victories be hollow ones
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Brian Bilston @brianbilston.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
On National Poetry Day, here’s a short poem about the power of poetry to change the world.
The Power of Poetry
 
with things falling apart
and anarchy let loose,
 
it was only poetry, he found,
which had any use,
 
so he reached for his copy  
of The Complete Works of Yeats
 
and bludgeoned the President
of the United States


Brian Bilston
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CEEFAUX @ceefaux.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
16.00 FILM: FEBRUARY OF THE PENGUINS
Nature documentary prequel.
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Atletico Madrid were way ahead of their time
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Do not confuse Earl Spencer's memoir 'Swan Song' with the 1930s John Galsworthy novel of the same name. One is about an upper-class family riven by feuds, whose leading male character treated his wife with appalling cruelty some decades earlier. The other was serialised by the BBC in the 1960s
Cover of John Galsworthy's 'Swan Song'
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
A modest proposal... The super-rich often pride themselves on their risk-taking and 'talent'. So, money where mouth is... why don't we introduce a monthly 'reverse lottery', whereby a randomly drawn member of the top 1% of earners have all their financial assets snatched away from them... 1/2
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
#r4today was very generous in the airtime they gave this individual this morning, without contesting any of his rambling and incoherent views. People have the right to take their money abroad if they want, it's a free country (ha!), but - quid pro quo - STFU
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
🎵... It's a rich man's world 🎵
Commemorative coinage (monnaie) celebrating the work of Claude Monet
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Prince George meeting his new Eton classmates
Showroom dummies, Boulevard de Magenta, Paris
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
I'm old enough to remember when right-wing politicians used to bang on about 'law and order'
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Now, other universities need to follow suit. The threat of compulsory redundancy, even if never realized, causes a lot of stress and anxiety, and people work less efficiently as a result. (I should know, I've been there, more than once.)
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The Onion @theonion.com · 03/09/2026
Rolo Ad Greatly Overestimates The Social Element Of Eating Rolos theonion.com/rolo-ad-greatly-overes…
Rolo Ad Greatly Overestimates The Social Element Of Eating Rolos
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Time to resurrect this Private Eye classic. It's some comfort to know she didn't die in vain, now that we have much more responsible, less sensationalist, less intrusive news media 🫤
SPOOF HEADLINE: Diana was still alive hours before she died
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CEEFAUX @ceefaux.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
We love bank holidays!
20.45 BANK HOLIDAY OF THE TRIFFIDS
The carnivorous plants find their plans of world domination waylaid when they get distracted by the smell of a neighbour's BBQ and all day Bond films on ITV2.20.45 BANK HOLIDAY OF THE TRIFFIDS
The deadly plants' plans for world domination receive a set back when they foolishly attempt to get to Exeter IKEA and end up in a three hour traffic jam before arrive to find their is nowhere to park.20.45 BANK HOLIDAY OF THE TRIFFIDS
The carnivorous plants find their plans of world domination on hold as they aren't sure if the black bin and recycling should go out today, and don't want to look silly by being the first ones on the street to do it.
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
What's this "roasting" business? Does it simply mean "insult"? I've only ever heard Lone Skum say it. He also likes the word "banger", meaning a popular and catchy tune. So "roasting a banger" would mean, for him, disparaging a popular tune? In Britain, it would mean cooking a sausage
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
The attached article is required reading for anyone involved in the massive cost- and staff-cutting exercises currently being pushed through in UK higher education
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Alistair Coleman @alistaircoleman.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Just remembered the Dolly Parton bus.
The National Express 925 bus service between Woking Station and Heathrow Airport.
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
I had a day out yesterday in Winchester, the capital of Wessex. It's full of historical interest, but the local authority needs to do more to keep traffic out of the centre. Only half the high street is pedestrianized. There's a constant flow of cars and long waits at crossings
The original Round Table (ha!), hung in the Great Hall of Winchester Castle
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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
camp #etymology #wordorigins #language
wordorigins.org
camp — Wordorigins.org
24 August 2026 Camp has a general meaning of temporary dwelling place, originally used in military contexts. But it also has a slang sense, originating in gay slang, of flamboyance or exaggeration,...
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
I happened to pass yesterday, near King's Cross, the site of my first lexicography interview, in early 1984. The numerous candidates (for two jobs) also had to complete a test, identifying word senses and writing examples for then buzzwords such as 'generation' and 'identikit'. The rest is history
the Thomas Coram Centre, near King's Cross
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Jonathan Kasstan @jrkasstan.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
#accent in the press last week with a write up featuring @robdrummond.bsky.social and Amanda Cole. Generic Northern (supralocalisation?) and a brief history of accent variation in the corridors of power #linguistics. Incidentally Hansard is a great tool for in-class tasks!
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Viz Comic @vizcomic.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
subscriptions >>> shop.viz.co.uk/viz358bs
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21 Group @21group.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
This is the real scandal in UK universities There's a highly paid managerial class that has presided over failure While demanding more & more pay, less & less accountability theguardian.com/education/20...
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Jonathan Coe @jonathancoe.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Full marks for the typo. Chef’s kiss for the reply.
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Stan Carey @stancarey.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Nice short analysis of some Gen Z grammar and expressions, like "It's giving" and spotlight "not" ("Not me using youth slang again") ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/ge...
ygdp.yale.edu
Gen Z constructions: an overview | Yale Grammatical Diversity Project: English in North America
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Well this isn't something you see very often (unless maybe you happen to live in Lee-on-the-Solent). The man explained that they were an American breed of screech owl, and actually fully grown
Man with 4 screech owls perched on the handlebar of his mobility scooter
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Jeremy Noel-Tod @jntod.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Can the UK government now send an emergency alert to teenagers to tell them that they don’t have to squeeze onto an overcrowded course at a Russell Group university because there are lots of other good universities around the country just waiting for their call
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
I posted this last time we had a solar eclipse. I have even less interest in ChatGPT now that it is blocked from imitating the style of named writers, so Alister's job looks safe
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Used humorously here, but 'arguably' is such a weaselly word. It's often used to dress up a personal opinion as if it were some objectively demonstrable fact, without the bother of having to do the actual demonstrating
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Grice's Maxim of Manner
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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
centaur / reverse centaur #etymology #wordorigins #language
wordorigins-org.ghost.io
centaur / reverse centaur (free copy)
[Words in the News is a weekly, paid feature of Wordorigins.org. If you’d like to receive it in your mailbox each Thursday, please upgrade to a paid subscription at $5/month or $50/year. The funds kee...
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Sorry I can't resist... 🎵 Just one spaghetto, give it to meeee, It fell out of the packet, onto your kneee 🎵
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Share a book you'd love to see adapted into a movie
Cover of André Gide's 'Les faux-monnayeurs' (Folio edition)
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
My 47.5-year career in and around language teaching, lexicography, and academia came to an end today. A lot of colleagues are away so the final day was a bit low-key, but I'm touched by all the kind words and affection shown over the past few weeks. Can't help shedding a tear 😢
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Le Manuel du Corecteur
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Graduation ceremonies all this week. A local shop has set up this blackboard message. Something not quite rite about the spelling though. Attendees at #EnglishGrammarDay last month will understand why I posted this 😉@tomfreeman.bsky.social @englishgrammar.bsky.social
The Tassel was worth the Hassel
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Viz Comic @vizcomic.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
subscriptions >>> shop.viz.co.uk/viz355bs
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Southsea's Canoe Lake is practically drying up, and it looks like there's some kind of algae infestation too
Southsea Canoe Lake, 25/07/26
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Mansfield Car Park
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
It's funny, you can "work like a Trojan" or "work like a horse", both meaning "work hard". But you can't "work like a Trojan horse", or if you could it would mean something different
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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
'A restructure at London South Bank University that is dividing staff into teaching and research tracks could become a “test bed” for the wider sector, staff claim.' New staff to be employed by a subsidiary, and won't have access to TPS. 1/4
timeshighereducation.com
‘Nuclear’ restructure at London South Bank seen as ‘test bed’
University claims its changes will protect academic jobs and strengthen teaching but striking staff say reforms pose an ‘existential’ threat
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
I was considering a career in lexicography but didn't want to be defined by my profession
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Gretchen McCulloch @gretchenmcculloch.com · 19/07/2026
Somehow I missed this incredible Weird Al Yankovic song that's entirely in palindromes when it came out, so in case that's also you, please enjoy it now
youtu.be
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Bob (HD Version)
YouTube video by alyankovicVEVO
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
I think I've heard something similar in another sector I could mention
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Had the proud distinction today of being called a 'din' by a Portsmouth man, when I objected to his dogs using the grand-kids' little boat (also containing Mrs @lexicoj0hn's dress) as a toilet. It's a general term of abuse down here, short for 'dinlo', akin to the Liverpudlian 'div' or 'divvy'
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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
"In fact, most of the economic innovations of the last few decades years make more sense politically than economically. For example, eliminating guaranteed life employment for precarious contracts doesn’t really create a more effective workforce, but it is extraordinarily effective in destroying unions and otherwise depoliticizing labor. 
The same can be said of endlessly increasing working hours. No one has much time for political activity if they’re working 60-hour weeks."
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John Williams, Linguist @lexicoj0hn.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
England practising some bewildering changes of formation in an attempt to outfox this evening's opponents #ENG-NOR
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Ed Granter @edgranter.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
There's nothing new under the sun, by the way
bbc.co.uk
Tribunal to be held for dismissed Swansea University academics
Two member of staff have had their appeals against dismissal rejected by Swansea University.
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Larry the Cat @number10cat.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Ahead of England v Norway in the World Cup, enjoy this classic from my old pal Patrick Kidd in The Times
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