I'm a big fan of extensive reading apps for language learning, and even collaborated on such an app some 10 years ago. It eventually had to be shut down, sadly enough.
Right now, the biggest one in the market is the paywalled LingQ, which is pretty good, but well, requires money.
There's also the OG programs, LWT (Learning With Texts) and FLTR (Foreign Language Text Reader), which are so cumbersome to set up and use that I'm not going to bother with them.
I presently use Vocab Tracker as my daily driver, but I took a spin around GitHub to see what fresh new stuff is being developed. Here's an overview of what I found, as well as VT itself.
(There were a few more, like Aprelendo and TextLingo, which did not have end-user-friendly installations, so I'm not counting them).
++ Available on web ++ 1-5 word-marking hotkeys and instant meanings makes using it a breeze ++ Supports websites
-- Default meaning/translation is not always reliable -- No custom languages -- Ugliest interface by far -- Does not always recognise user-selected phrases -- Virtually unusable on mobile -- Most likely no longer maintained/developed
++ Supports virtually all languages (custom language support), including Hindi and Sanskrit ++ Per-language, customisable dictionary settings ++ Excellent, customisable hotkey support
-- No instant meaning look-up makes it cumbersome to use, as you have to load an external dictionary for each word -- Docker installation
++ Instant meanings thanks to pre-loaded dictionaries ++ Supports ebooks, YouTube, subtitles, and websites ++ Customisable fonts ++ Best interface of the bunch
== Has 7 word learning levels, which may be too many for some
-- Hotkeys are not customisable (yet) and existing ones are a bit cumbersome (0 for known, for eg.) -- No online dictionary look-up other than DeepL, which requires an API key (not an intuitive process) -- No custom languages -- Supports a maximum of 15,000 characters per "chapter", making organising longer texts cumbersome -- Docker installation
++ Supports pdf and epub ++ Available on web
-- Requires confirming meaning for each word to mark that word, making it less efficient to read through -- No custom languages, supports only some Latin-script languages -- No user-customisable dictionaries (has a Google Form to suggest more dictionaries)
↳ 05.20.19.
i always make my new weekly spread monday mornings, look how blissfully empty :’) currently annotating chinese textbook readings while watching “love is a bonus book” on netflix, i loooooove it so far ✨
new list of video essays i adore <3
her: longing to connect in the 21st century
the intimacy of everyday objects
the soul of a library
the green knight and david lowery's unique obsession with myth
minari: the beautiful tragedy
hayao miyazaki | the mind of a master
andrei tarkovsky - poetic harmony
the visual architecture of parasite
the most disturbing painting
in the mood for love: frames within frames
interstellar - humanity, love & fate
the magical realism genre in movies
entropy in storytelling
You know what many top students do differently? They don’t solve all the problems/questions once. They do it again and again.
So now if you have a question set, solve it as many times as possible and you’ll be surprised to find how automated your hand moves during the exam this time!
i recently got asked how i get such bright lighting for my posts and i thought it would be a good opportunity to tell you all how i edit my pictures! i’ve recently changed how i edit my pictures and it works so well so why not share! it was inspired by how one of my favourite studygram accounts (tasneemstudying) edits her pictures! check out her account and she has a highlight on her profile where it shows how she edits her pictures!
if you have anymore questions, feel free to send me an ask! and make sure to check out my masterpost with all my other advice!
i use the app snapseed
in the past i’ve used VSCO but i’e found that you can do a lot more with snapseed and the pictures always turn out better
i wouldn’t necessarily recommend using filters or presets for editing because in my experience every photo needs to be edited differently
for example, i always edit each photo individually
try to get as much natural lighting as possible
i know it can be difficult in winter so i would recommend that when you have decent lighting, take as many pictures as possible when it is good
take multiple pictures of the same notes/set up but from different angles so you have options when editing
open the snapseed app
insert the picture that you want to edit
crop/rotate etc. if needed
use the curve function to change the lighting and make it brighter (this is particularly useful in winter when lighting isn’t as good)
you just need to play around with it until you are happy with it
next go to the tune image tool
scroll to saturation
reduce the saturation completely to -100
it should be black and white now
this is perhaps the confusing bit but it’s very important:
return to the main screen
in the top right hand corner, click the button with the layered squares and the arrow
then click view edits
this will take you to the point shown in the lefthand picture
tap on the ‘tune image’
click on the paintbrush option
then click the invert button and the mask button
this should get you to the point shown in the righthand picture
this means that the paper and handwriting in black will be very defined and not have their colour distorted by any editing
but at the same time you can erase the low saturation to make colourful parts of the notes stand out
make sure the brush setting is at zero
start going over the areas with colour
the red will go away and the colour will no longer be black and white
make sure to zoom in close so you can get really close the the edges of the coloured areas
do this for all areas of colour
if you make a mistake, you can simply increase the brush setting to 100, paint over the area with the mistake and this will make it unsaturated again
then return to the tools menu and click on the ‘selective’ tool
select a spot that you want to brighten and tap to add the spot
swipe left and right to change the brightness
you are probably going to want to increase the brightness, particularly of the background
add more selective points wherever needed and repeat with the brightness
if you want to change the extent of the selective effect do a pinching movement
return to the tools page
click on the text tool
type in your watermark or name
choose the font and colour
place on your photo
save your picture!
and you are done
✨✨✨
Here are some more tips from my answer to an ask about how to take studyblr pictures
✨✨✨
I started a new vocab book! Finally! I am so excited because I’ve been stuck on that 쏙쏙 TOPIK book for so long, but finally pushed through and memorized all the words that were left. I really like this new book pictured on the left (토픽 어휘 2300) because they organize it by themes rather than going alphabetically. It’s also bigger and feels much more like a textbook, which I love. Going to try to finish this book in two months!
↳ 05.20.19.
i always make my new weekly spread monday mornings, look how blissfully empty :’) currently annotating chinese textbook readings while watching “love is a bonus book” on netflix, i loooooove it so far ✨
Looking for podcasts about language and linguistics? Here’s a comprehensive list with descriptions! I’ve also mentioned if shows have transcripts. If there are any I missed, let me know!
Lingthusiasm A podcast that’s enthusiastic about linguistics by Gretchen McCulloch and Lauren Gawne (that’s me!). Main episodes every third Thursday of every month, with a second bonus episode on Patreon. (Transcripts for all episodes)
Talk the Talk Every week Daniel, Ben, and Kylie cover the news in linguistics and tackle a particular topic.
The Vocal Fries Every episode Carrie Gillon & Megan Figueroa tackle linguistic discrimination in relation to a particular group. (Transcripts for some episodes)
En Clair A podcast about forensic linguistics from Dr Claire Hardaker at Lancaster University. Episodes released monthly, with a range of topics from criminal cases to literary fraud. (Transcripts for all episodes)
Accentricity From Sadie Durkacz Ryan, a lecturer in sociolinguistics at Glasgow University. Season one has six episodes.
Field Notes Martha Tsutsui Billins interviews linguists about their linguistic fieldwork.
The Allusionist Stories about language and the people who use it, from Helen Zaltzman (Transcripts for all episodes) (my review)
Grammar Girl Episodes are rarely longer than 15 minutes, but they’re full of tips about English grammar and style for professional writing, and more! (Transcripts for all episodes).
The World in Words From PRI, The World in Words has been delivering wonderful interview-drive stories about language and life since 2008.
Conlangery Particularly for those with an interest in constructed languages, they also have episodes that focus on specific natural languages, or linguistic phenomena.
Subtext a podcast about the linguistics of online dating.
Canguro English a podcast about language for people learning languages.
History of English Meticulously researched, professionally produced and engaging content on the history of English. I have already reviewed it three times (episodes 1-4, episodes 5-79, bonus episodes).
Lexicon Valley Hosted by John McWhorter, with a focus on English.
That’s What They Say Every week linguist Anne Curzan joins Rebecca Kruth on Michigan public radio for a five minute piece on a quirk of English language.
A Way With Words A talk-back format show on the history of English words, cryptic crosswords and slang.
Word For Word From Macquarie dictionary, with a focus on Australian English.
Fiat Lex A podcast about making dictionaries from Kory Stamper & Steve Kleinedler.
Word Bomb Hosts Pippa Johnstone and Karina Palmitesta explore one explosive word per week, using particular words for a deep dive into linguistic and social issues.
Words for Granted In each episode Ray Belli explores the history of a common English word in around fifteen minutes.
Very Bad Words A podcast about swearing and our cultural relationship to it.
Lexitecture Ryan, a Canadian, and Amy, a Scot share their chosen word each episode.
Wordy Wordpecker Short weekly episodes from Rachel Lopez, charting the stories of English words.
Animology Vegan blogger Colleen Patrick Goudreau uses her love of animals as a starting point for exploring animal-related etymologies.
Speaking of Translation A monthly podcast from Eve Bodeux & Corinne McKay.
LangFM Stories of people from the world of language, including interpreters, translators, dialect coaches and many more.
Troublesome Terps The podcast about the things that keep interpreters up at night.
There are also a number of podcasts that have only a few episodes, are no longer being made, or are very academic in their focus:
Language Creation Society Podcast (8 episodes, 2009-2011)
Given Names (four part radio series from 2015, all about names. My review)
Speculative Grammarian Podcast (from the magazine of the same name, about 50 episodes from Dec 2009-Jan 2017)
Linguistics Podcast (on YouTube, around 20 episodes in 2013 introducing basic linguistic concepts)
Evolving English: Linguistics at the Library (8 episodes 2018), from the British Library.
How Brands are Build (season 1 of this show focuses on brand naming)
The Endless Knot is not strictly a language podcast, but they often include word histories, fans of the Lingthusiasm colour episode may find their colour series particularly interesting
Word of Mouth (BBC 4, also available as a podcast)
LingLab (very occasionally updated podcast from graduate students in the Sociolinguistics program at NC State University)
Silly Linguistics (ad hoc episode posting, but episode 7 is an interview with Kevin Stroud for History of English fans)
WACC Podcast (guest lectures at Warwick Applied Linguistics)
Sage Language and Linguistics
Let’s Talk Talk
Queer Linguistics has a couple of episodes, with a bit of classroom vibe
GradLings An occasionally-updated podcast for linguistics students at any stage of study, to share their stories and experiences.
This is a completely revised listing from March 2019, with some sporadic updates. I’m always excited to be able to add more podcasts to the list, so if you know of any linguistics/language podcasts not here, please let me know! (I usually wait until a show has at least 3 episodes before I add it to the list)
hey lovies!!
even with the current socioeconomic crisis, the prospect of moving from high shool to college or sixth form is still looming over many of us.
so i've compiled a list of things i've learnt and some advice that would've been so handy if someone had told me before hand!
it's divided into three sections for easy reading. if anyone want to add anything, feel free!! i'll update this at the end of second year!!
if you're going to get folders for your subjects, a sturdy totebag (like from lush) is a shout. but a backpack is an even bigger shout.
before sixth form/ college starts, buy a planner or a journal. i have one that i got in october and omg guys. i have used almost every page and i'll probably only have to buy a second one in december. it's sturdy, i can set my own layout and!! it's got about 256 pages!
unless your teacher specifies otherwise, get a day folder!! it'll just be a smaller folder which you can take what you've done from that day or that week and move into your home folders. plus, it's just so much easier and more convenient.
you don't need to complete every single book on the reading list before you go back. try to become familiar with the ones that interest you the most or all of them, whatever floats your boat. just enjoy your summer!
hydroflask. hydroflask. hydroflask. you know, for water, tea ect.
find out what you like for breakfast. if you're like me, you never had breakfast before school at high school. that won't fly now! i love porridge to go so i can sort that out before my morning shower and then by the time i leave the house, it'll be the right temperature for my half an hour walk.
get yourself a little toiletries bag. put in tissues, hand sanitiser, makeup if you wear it, deodorant, body spray/perfume, hand cream, lip balm. you can even go as far as to get portable floss thingies
portable chargers are a life saver!
the first week should be spent getting used to your learning centre. figure out the quickest route to your classes.
take a picture of your timetable and keep it as a lockscreen for like 2 weeks or until you get the hang of it
and most importantly!! learn everything you can about your library's loaning, returning and reserving process. if they also have recourses like flashcards, hefty amounts of paper, now is a good time to learn that for the future
if you have a personal tutor, try and stay on their good side as much as possible! they'll be your hypeman, your point of access and hell they might even become a great source of laughter and relief during the week.
you'll meet people in your classes that you don't vibe with. you'll meet people that you do. maybe, this is your chance to get away from past school friends/ acquaintances. whatever your case, try and stay grounded. don't sacrifice any part of yourself to fit in and definitely do not feel bad if people begin to drift away. everyone has different schedules and are at different stages, it's normal
during the school breaks (easter, christmas ect.) relax! obviously, complete the homework you've been given but take an actual break too!! trust me on this one
the balance of your work life, social life and sleep will be hectic and confusing and at some times, frustrating. you'll be able to do it, i can assure you. just never sacrifice your work life or your sleep for your social life!
relating to the above one, if you do get invited to events or your friends want to do something after college for fun, go have fun! at the end of the day, as long as you're caught up, your free time is yours.
also christmas time? if you want to get presents for your new college friends, by all means go ahead. but i would go by the rule to not get christmas presents during the first year of friendship unless you know 100% what to get them!
decide whether or not you're going to go paperless, have some paper documents for some subjects or just use printed documents and folders by about november time. that way, you know that your organisation system is consistent and you're not stressing out
condense your notes as you go along. the majority/all key words, key diagrams, and key concepts should be condensed or on flashcards by the time summer comes around
this is something i wish i knew beforehand. anki!! is an absolute life saver. if you're like me, you recently found out about the gem that is spaced repetition. anki does the work for you as long as you insert the info and remember to visit it everyday!
if you need support (academic, emotional ect.), it is perfectly fine to admit that and utilise the resources at your centre. hell, i strongly advise that you do so just for peace of mind
for my philosophy class, i'd advise doing this for any essay based subject, the day or two before an in class assessment, do some practise essays or answers with one or two of your classmates. you'll learn from each other and you can even turn it into a little study date as long as you do the work!
jstor, massolit, cambridge companions, emag, subject reviews (law review ect. by hodder education), podcasts, youtube videos and crash course will make your life so much easier!
try to go to some university lectures/taster days (i know it'll be hard but there are also online options)
whiteboards. whiteboards. whiteboards!! that's all i have to say
remember to have fun!! i know people say that these two years will be the best two years of your life but they kinda will be. the freedom is unmatched and the friends you may make will really help in stressful situations
now is the time to learn how to budget effectively. sixth form can cost a pretty penny if you're not diligent
if you have a part time job- ensure that you're being treated fairly. if you're not, leave. the weekend stress on top of your shool work will not be helpful and it won't benefit you in anyway!
if you haven't condensed all of your notes for the past year, complete it during the summer. you'll be at much more ease than you think
if you're doing any extra work (EPQ, medicine admissions test prep or law admissions test prep, coursework), do it during summer or at least have the bulk of it done. it will save you so much time and stress! the same with UCAS applications
there you go my loves! if you've got any questions, my inbox is always open!
28.06.20 ~ a few notes from my psych classes. It’s been so hard to focus these days! I’ve been binge watching Anne with an e and Dark. Fortunately this week i have a break from uni and I plan on rest ✨
Go take a look on my studygram if you want more digital notes inspiration 💕