Speaking Without a Voice: A Glance at the SpeechJammer

What should be a quiet, relaxed environment to read a book or enjoy the scenery is interrupted by the loud voice booming into your eardrums, albeit a loud friendly voice. This social fellow is just trying to make conversation but talks way more than to your liking. It’s times like this that you want to silence them in the most unobtrusive way possible… and it’s times like this that maybe a SpeechJammer would come in handy, otherwise known as the ‘Silencing Gun’.

Imagine pointing a device at someone from far away to stop them from talking. Sounds like something from the Twilight Zone, but two Japanese researchers have made such a seemingly sci-fi type device a reality. No need to worry about giving off dangerous gamma rays or hurting the unsuspecting victim in any way. The device is said to literally “jam” someone’s voice, caused by jumbled thoughts in the brain.

There are some interesting language aspects to this device. First is the notion of proper turn-taking rules in the communication process, often studied in the field of sociolinguistics. In many cultures around the world, it is perceived to be rude when someone talks too much or interrupts another person’s turn to speak. We’ve all been there and admittedly probably done it, since we do not focus very much on our own voice as with what others are saying. One sided conversations almost never lead to meaningful dialogue, and worst of all, they will get irritating quick!

With a more neurological perspective, the researchers based the SpeechJammer concept on medical devices that have been used in the field of speech therapy to help people with speech problems, especially stuttering. The Silencing Gun uses a device/technique called Delayed Auditory Feedback (DAF), which helps stutterers to reduce their stuttering after hearing their own voice at a slight delay. How is this possible? The DAF device can be used in two different ways. The speech delay can be set at around 50-70 milliseconds to help reduce stuttering at a normal speaking rate. The DAF device can also play speech back to the speaker with a delay of about 200 milliseconds, which increases spoken fluency through slow speech with stretched vowels. On the flip side, non-stutterers who use the DAF device will either start stuttering or not be able to speak completely. The echo effect causes the brain to become disoriented and shuts down the region that is responsible for speech.

As much as you may want to test out the SpeechJammer for yourself, this device is still a prototype. For now, you can just go the old-fashioned route and do whatever it takes to escape unwanted chatter, whether it be politely excusing yourself from the room or putting on your headphones while turning the volume knob to maximum.

The Growing Phenomenon of Unwords becoming Real Words

There is something to be said about the English language when words like “tebowing” and the recently coined “linsanity” elicit a meaningful connotation, especially among the diehard fans in the sports arena relating to the preceding terms. While the act of “tebowing” refers to the Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow's praise to God by kneeling on one knee on the sidelines, the phenomena of “linsanity” is sweeping the nation, referring to the prominent and rising talent of the New York Knicks' Jeremy Lin, the first American-born Chinese to make it big in the NBA.

The creation of new words seems to weave itself into all arenas of life. In movies and TV, we see Elvish (Lord of the Rings), Klingon (Star Trek), and the language of wizards (Harry Potter) being invented for the new race of characters. In sports, we have the above mentioned play on the big names, Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin. Even in Hollywood, the names of celebrity couples are lovingly morphed together, such as Brangelina (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie), Tomkat (Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes), and Bennifer (Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner). The common thread that ties these word creations together is that all of them carry a specific meaning that you pick up through hearsay.

And who can ever forget the countless “bushisms” or “Bush speak” that President Bush made popular and memorable during his term in office? According to Wikipedia.org, a Bushism is defined as “unconventional words, phrases, pronunciations, … and semantic or linguistic errors that have occurred in the public speaking of former President of the United States George W. Bush...” These -isms mostly refer to the amusing phrases or quotes that appeared during his time as President and on the campaign trail, but mispronounced words abound. Try saying the following words at normal speed: nuclear, subliminal, and Internet. Pretty easy, right? Well perhaps it's the pressure of appearing in front of the TV cameras, or maybe it's the big crowds of American citizens staring his way, but President Bush just can't seem to say these words right during live press conferences and debates. For example, he prefers to talk about the “new-kee-lar” war, the “subliminable” messages, and the Internets that seem to run all aspects of our lives.

One website that celebrates the creation of new words is unwords.com. The tagline says it all: “Changing the English language one word at a time.” If for some reason you want to impress your friends by using “new” jargon that just sound like difficult GRE words, you can refer to this website for ideas, listed A through Z. The English language is all about syllables, tone stress, vowel/consonant placement, and intonation. If you can split words into syllables, just mix and match and voila – a new language! Just make sure that people know what everything means. Or maybe you can just rehearse some Bushisms and brighten someone's day with a little laugh session.

My fascination with language creation will likely be explored in the next few posts, so stay tuned!

Mr. Bean-On new years with his frends (Great Quality)

Just in time for the New Year...

... PART 2 ...




Toast can mean different things depending on context – there's the crunchy toast you eat for breakfast, you can “be toast” if you're late to work, and then there's the celebratory toast associated with the clinking of wine glasses to offer words of encouragement, salutations, or even to ring in the new year. Here is a taste of how people from regions around the world say “Cheers!” in style:

China – Gān bēi (literally means 'dry cup')
France – A votre santé ('to your health')
Spain – Salud
Germany – Prost
Hawaii – Okole Maluna
Italy – Cin Cin (formal); Salute (informal)
Japan – Kampai
Korea – Chukbae
New Zealand – Kia Ora('good health')
Philippines – Mabuhay
Zulu – Oogy wa-wa


Ring in the New Year with rhythm! You may have heard the song “Auld Lang Syne” before... it's one of those songs where you likely recognize the tune but just can't remember what it's called. This song is commonly sung on New Year's Eve, but what does the song title mean? The words 'Auld Lang Syne' originate from the Old Scottish dialect and literally translates to “Old Long Ago”, a song about love and friendship in the past.

Just to get into the New Year's mood, check out one of the funniest Mr. Bean episodes where he celebrates New Year's Eve with two friends. You can hear the jolly bunch singing 'Auld Lang Syne' at the 7:00 mark...


Happy holidays and Happy New Year 2012!!!

6 Fun Facts about Winter holiday lingo

It's that time of year where the big man in red, with the frosty white beard, stealthily slides down your chimney with a ho-ho-whole lot of presents to put under that Christmas conifer (er, I mean tree) in the spacious living room of yours. Just don't forget to set out a plate of cookies au lait (what I mean is with milk... sorry) to say “gracias” (which means “thank you”... here we go again) for the well-deserved gifts. Take a look at the unique and somewhat unusual origins and history behind some of the popular lingo you will surely hear about during the Winter holiday season.



What is a holiday party without some phoradendron – or in plain terms – mistletoe ! This feisty little sprig of green shrubbery has the unexplained power to make almost anyone within inches of each other (and under the mistletoe) want to lock lips during the holiday season. Maybe it won't seem as romantic to know that mistletoe is actually poisonous to humans if consumed, but it provides nutritious food for creatures like birds and butterflies. Mistletoe also provides an important source of pollen and nectar for bees. It still makes a great centerpiece of a room, don't you think?



Sometimes, we just need to laugh with a “ha ha ha” (typical laughter), “hee hee” (giggle), “teehee” (cute giggle), or a “muahaha” (very evil laughter). But you might get a strange look if you laugh aloud with a “Ho Ho Ho” . Only Santa can pull this off! The term “ho” is actually used to call or attract attention to oneself, sometimes used after a word referring to land. For example, sailors in the olden days are said to have hollered phrases like: Eastward ho! or Land ho! During Christmas, however, jolly old Santa Claus supposedly “ho ho ho's” heartily as an exclamation or expression of amusement as found in many 19th century representations of the cheery man. There are many ways to laugh, but Santa probably does it best!



With Rudolph's nose so red and bright, can he and his brethren really fly? Well, only during Christmas Eve it seems... but normally, reindeer are excellent swimmers (at about 4-6 mph) and fast runners with their hooves acting like snowshoes for extra traction. More interesting is that both male and female reindeer have antlers! The origins of the word 'reindeer' come from ancient languages: 'deer' originates from the Middle English word 'der' meaning “beast” and from the Old English word 'dor'. The origins of 'rein' comes from the Old Norse word 'hreinn'. Far from being beastly, reindeer are said to be gentle animals, nice enough that they won't make fun of you or other reindeer!



The holiday season just doesn't seem complete without some festive food and drinks. One of the most traditional (and likely creamiest) beverages during Christmas time is eggnog , which is typically made of cream, milk, sugar, raw eggs (lots of it), cinnamon, and nutmeg. While this beverage supposedly originated in Norfolk, England as a strong ale, the word 'eggnog' comes from a Middle English term which literally means: eggs inside a small, wooden, carved mug that is used to serve alcohol. The actual 'nog' is defined as “any beverage made with beaten eggs, usually with alcoholic liquor.” However, most of the 'nog' served at holiday parties seem to lack the booze altogether, but no complaints.

...PART 2 in the next post!...

Visualizing the Power of Word Associations

Occupy. This ordinary verb (which means to take over, full; to invade) has taken on a whole new meaning in the past month with the bold movements of Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Oakland, which made national headlines as it captured the attention of people worldwide. “Occupy” has become a powerful phenomenon that represents the 99% of regular citizens against the 1%, labeled as the wealthy members of society. It is quite fascinating how this verb has become associated to many people as a call to justice regarding the economy, employment, and fair treatment.

We learn to associate words to abstract meaning from the time we can comprehend the distinctions from one word to another, whether through phonemic difference or written character patterns. One of the prominent challenges faced especially by English language learners is understanding that several different words can be used to represent one meaning, the same meaning, also known as synonyms. It can be hard to keep track of what words mean what just talking about them, but do you remember the saying that “seeing is believing?” Visuwords makes this saying a reality.

Explore the relationship of different words to each other. Enter the word into the search bar and...

Discover the meanings of all kinds of words. Hover your mouse over each node for the meaning or a sample sentence.

Drag, pull, and play with the elasticity of word connections!

Visualizing words will help you develop easier methods to remember word meanings and allows you to have fun while doing so. One question to be further explored is: Can students retain vocabulary words more effectively through the growing trend of interactive, spatial learning as opposed to linear text study habits?

Two Carne Asadas

This is what my lucky students experienced on the first day of class:



A tasty food run for lunch! After the first hour of teaching on a warm and sunny day, my supervisor was getting hungry. He was very hungry, and asked if we can all go to the local Costco just down the street to get lunch. I expected to walk, but we drove instead, all together, anticipating a great meal. But there was a catch: I was to show the students how to order the food, and the students would order what they want to eat. Seems simple enough, right? Well, the reality of it all is that ordering food is downright scary for some people. Especially without knowing how to pronounce what you want to eat! My Asian students likely skips Mexican food for Chinese cuisine during a regular day. Today, however, they leaped out of the comfort zone to order something new. As my students and I neared the cashier to take our order, my previously calm students, quietly rehearsing their order with each other, suddenly vented an urgent sense of panic. One person to go to satisfy our hunger.

"Excuse me! What do I say again?" Of all the food items, they choose to try a Mexican specialty with a hard-to-pronounce name. Good practice, I think to myself, but maybe we need more time to get it right. Carne Asada. Car-nay A-sa-da. Two carne asadas. They're not finding this easy. I have doubts whether I am pronouncing them correctly myself.

I try my best to ease my student who will make the order. "You can say: Can I have two carne asadas? They'll understand, you'll do just fine." I imagine the worst that can happen is to put up two fingers and point to the picture to express a non-verbal order.

"Next please." The cashier call us up to the counter, and in the moment to shine with all that we rehearsed, my student collects his thoughts, puts up two shaky fingers and says clearly: "Two car-nay a-sa-das." He looks over at me with a sigh of relief as the cashier repeats his order correctly. I smile at him to congratulate him on the accomplishment and improvisation. Next time, it is someone else's turn.

Mission: Ordering food for the first time in the U.S. Result: Success and a satisfied appetite!