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Two iconic locations officially given dual Indigenous titles

<p>In a significant move to recognise and honour the rich cultural heritage of the Indigenous peoples of Australia, two iconic locations in northern NSW will now be officially known by their Indigenous names. This decision comes after impassioned calls from the community to acknowledge the profound significance these sites hold in Indigenous culture and history.</p> <p>Walgan, translating to "shoulder" in the Bundjalung language, has been designated as the dual name for Cape Byron, marking it as the Australian mainland's most easterly point. Cape Byron, situated in the picturesque town of Byron Bay, has long been a hotspot for tourists seeking stunning coastal views. However, beyond its natural beauty, this area holds deep cultural significance for the Arakwal and other Bundjalung people. It has served as a sacred site for important gatherings and traditional ceremonial practices, anchoring it firmly in the cultural tapestry of the region.</p> <p>Similarly, Nguthungulli, referred to as the "Father of the World", will now share its name with Julian Rocks, a renowned diving destination located 2.5km off Cape Byron. This underwater marvel, steeped in Aboriginal lore and legend, is intricately tied to the dreaming stories of the Arakwal and other Bundjalung communities.</p> <p>By bestowing these dual names, authorities aim to not only pay homage to the Indigenous heritage of the land but also to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of its significance among all Australians.</p> <p>The decision to officially recognise these dual names was approved by the NSW Geographical Names Board, following a submission from the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Additionally, in a nod to preserving local Indigenous language and culture, a reserve in the suburb of Bangalow will be formally named Piccabeen Park. The term "Piccabeen" originates from the Bundjalung language, referring to the bangalow palm and the traditional baskets crafted from its fronds.</p> <p>Jihad Dib, the Customer Service Minister, emphasised the NSW government's commitment to safeguarding and promoting Indigenous language and culture through place naming. "All Australians share a relationship to the land and the names we give to places convey their significance, sense of history and identity," he said "Dual-naming acknowledges the significance of Aboriginal culture and represents a meaningful step towards the process of unity in NSW."</p> <p>Echoing these sentiments, David Harris, the Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty Minister, underscored the enduring connections that the Arakwal and other Bundjalung peoples have maintained with these sites since time immemorial. "It is only right to honour that history and that connection through names that bring story and language to life for all Australians to enjoy," he said.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Legal

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Body language expert breaks down royal family's Christmas card

<p>A body language expert has broken down the subtle meanings and messages hidden in the royal family's Christmas card. </p> <p>On Monday, Prince William and Kate Middleton shared their 2023 Christmas card portrait, which features the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children in a charming black and white photo. </p> <p>While their family portrait was met with <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/blah-brutal-reactions-to-royal-family-s-2023-christmas-card" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mixed reactions</a>, royal fans wasted no time in praising the family for their charming photo. </p> <p>Now, body language experts have dived deep into the real meaning behind almost unnoticeable actions taken by the royals in the pic. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0pf0IXNv15/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0pf0IXNv15/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Body language analyst Judi James told <em><a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/royals/24997829/kate-william-christmas-card-body-language-signal/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-ylk="slk:The Sun;elm:context_link;itc:0" data-rapid_p="26" data-v9y="1">The Sun</a></em> that, "The strong sense of tight, loving ‘uniformed’ grouping and the stark monochrome, plus the relaxed and confident body language looks like the emotional equivalent of them having a moat and drawbridge around them."</p> <p>Judi went on to say that their choice of relaxed outfits - jeans and white button-up shirts - would be an intentional choice as they show "the strength and total confidence of the pared-down family brand here, without all the trimmings and trappings of their royal status."</p> <p>As she notes, "We know they look superb in formalwear and royal regalia but this is the casual and much more relatable version."</p> <p>Judi also claims that Prince William's slight head tilt "suggests a desire to be liked", while "Kate leans into William’s torso to make this a subtly romantic pose too."</p> <p>Meanwhile, according to Judi, the position of Princess Charlotte right in the middle of the family could be intentional, who says "Charlotte looks so much like the late Queen and this central status-rich pose and beautiful smile are like echoes of Elizabeth when she was young."</p> <p>"This effect doesn’t look deliberate but it is still a rather moving message from this family Christmas card."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Body

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Body language expert analyses Hugh Jackman's last public outings with his wife

<p>A body language expert has analysed the last public outings of Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness before they <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/hugh-jackman-devastated-after-marriage-split" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced their split</a> after 27 years of marriage. </p> <p>The couple were spotted at both the Met Gala in New York and Wimbledon in the UK earlier this year, seemingly looking like a perfect loved-up couple. </p> <p>However, Aussie body language expert Louise Mahler said there could be more than meets the eye at their public outings. </p> <p>“These are two people so well rehearsed at being with each other. They lean in together, they move in unison,” Mahler told <a href="https://7news.com.au/entertainment" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline"><em>7Life</em>.</a></p> <p>Assessing footage from their joint appearance at the Met Gala in May 2023, Mahler noticed that “at one point in the video Hugh goes to walk away and she briefly pulls him back and he stops with no hesitation”.</p> <p>“There is no giveaway whatsoever... and remember, they are both actors."</p> <p>“They are working as a team and showing total harmony.”</p> <p>However, Mahler went on to assess a specific moment from the Met Gala where the couple were gazing at one another head-on.</p> <p>“I’m going to speculate that he has left her because he’s looking at her quickly,” she said.</p> <p>“He still loves her but he’s moving on."</p> <p>“And what I see from her is, ‘I get that you’re moving on, you b******, but I will allow this’,” Mahler speculated about Furness’ body language.</p> <p>Two months after their Met Gala appearance, the couple attended Wimbledon to sit side by side and watch the game. </p> <p>Mahler acknowledged that they looked “a little cranky” but said that they were concentrated on the game and likely had cameras on them “for a long time”.</p> <p>“I don’t see that they’re pulling away from each other in any way,” she said.</p> <p>“In fact, their arms are touching the full length. This is a couple who have been together for 30 years, they know each other. I would say they still love each other, but they’re deciding to go their separate ways.”</p> <p>The Hollywood couple shocked the world on Saturday when they released a statement confirming their separation after being married for 27 years.</p> <p>“We have been blessed to share almost three decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage,” Jackman and Furness told <em><a href="https://people.com/hugh-jackman-and-deborra-lee-jackman-separate-exclusive-7970286" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">People</a></em>.</p> <p>“Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Relationships

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The most misused word in the English language

<p>A traffic jam when you’re already late.</p> <p>A free ride when you’ve already paid.</p> <p>The fact that the King James Bible is the most shoplifted book in the United States.</p> <p>One of these three things is an example of irony – the reversal of what is expected or intended.</p> <p>The other two (no offense to Alanis Morissette) are not.</p> <p>The difference between them may be one of the most rage-inducing linguistic misunderstandings you’re likely to read about on the Internet or hear about from the determined grammar nerds in your life.</p> <p>“Ironic” does not, technically, mean “unfortunate,” “interesting” or “coincidental,” despite these terms often being used interchangeably. And that frequent misuse has not escaped linguists.</p> <p>According to the editors at <a href="http://WWW.DICTIONARY.COM">Dictionary.com</a>, “We submit that ironic might be the most abused word in the English language.”</p> <p>That’s a tough claim to prove, but it’s clear that confusion over the definition of irony is persistent and decades old.</p> <p>“Irony” makes Harvard linguist Steven Pinker’s <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/the-58-most-commonly-misused-words-and-phrases-a6754551.html">list</a> of the 58 most commonly misused words in English, and ranks in the top 1 percent of all word lookups on Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary.</p> <p>Even Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald got it wrong, some say, when he claimed in 1939, “It is an ironic thought that the last picture job I took yielded me five thousand dollars five hundred and cost over four thousand in medical attention.” </p> <p>So what does irony mean, really, and where does the confusion come from?</p> <p>Part of the ambiguity probably stems from the fact that there are no fewer than three definitions of irony depending on which dictionary you use.</p> <p>There’s Socratic irony (an ancient rhetorical move), and dramatic irony (an ancient theatrical move), but the definition of irony we care about – and the kind that’s most bitterly debated ­– is situational irony.</p> <p>Situational irony occurs when, as the Oxford English Dictionary defines it, “a state of affairs or an event… seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often wryly amusing as a result”. </p> <p>The trick, according to purists, is the deliberately contrary part – for a situation to be ironic, it must be the opposite of what is expected, not merely an amusing coincidence.</p> <p>A traffic jam when you’re already late may be an undesirable coincidence, but it is not the opposite outcome one would expect when leaving for work late (especially if that person lives in a major city).</p> <p>In an article titled <a href="http://www.collegehumor.com/post/229130/lines-from-alanis-morissettes-ironic-modified-to-actually-make-them-ironic">Lines From Alanis Morissette’s “Ironic,” Modified to Actually Make them Ironic</a>, College Humor writer Patrick Cassels corrects the situation like this: “A traffic jam when you’re already late… to receive an award from the Municipal Planning Board for reducing the city’s automobile congestion 80 per cent.” Now that’s irony.</p> <p>Not every linguist goes by this limited view, though.</p> <p>Ever the champions of fluid language growth, Merriam Webster <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irony">argues</a> that Mr. Fitzgerald, Ms. Morissette, and anyone else who uses “ironic” to mean “coincidental” isn’t actually wrong, but is actually just trailblazing.</p> <p>“The word irony has come to be applied to events that are merely curious or coincidental,” the editors write, “and while some feel this is an incorrect use of the word, it is merely a new one.”</p> <p>Now isn’t that something.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>Written by Brandon Specktor. This article first appeared in <a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/our-language/most-misused-word-english-language">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestsubscribe?utm_source=readersdigest&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;keycode=WRA85S">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.</em></p>

Retirement Life

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The surprising stories of how these 10 words came to be

<p>Ever hear or read a word and think, “where on earth did that come from?” Well, for the etymologists of the world, that’s exactly what they try to figure out. In a post on online forum <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/4tqrix/etymologists_of_reddit_what_is_your_favorite/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Reddit</span></strong></a>, user russellbeard asked, “Etymologists of Reddit, what is your favourite story of how a word came to be?” The community delivered, and some of what we learnt was very interesting indeed. Here are 10 of our favourites.</p> <ol> <li>The Latin prefix “pen-” comes from the word “paene”, meaning “almost”. Therefore, a “peninsula” is almost an island and something that is “penultimate” is almost last.</li> <li>“Muscle” is derived from the Latin word “musculus”, which means “little mouse”. Physicians used the term after noticing the muscles in the biceps and calves look like little mice running under the skin.</li> <li>“Daisy” comes from the Old English term “day’s eye”, since the flower is open during the day and closes at night.</li> <li>The words “traitor” and “tradition” have the same root as they both denote something being handed over.</li> <li>“Eavesdropping” is named after people who used to spy on their enemies from rooves with wide eaves to listen to their conversations.</li> <li>“An apron” actually used be “a napron”.</li> <li>People often break “helicopter” into “heli-” and “-copter” to make new words like “helipad” and “newscopter”, but it really should be broken into “helico-”, which means “spiral” or “helix” and “-pter” which means “wing”. In fact, that’s why pterodactyl starts with a p.</li> <li>“Sinister” is actually the Latin word meaning “left”. It was given the connotation of “evil” because left-handed people were historically blamed for being demonic and villainous.</li> <li>The word “dunce” comes from the medieval philosopher Johannes Duns Scotus. His enemies disagreed so strongly with his theories that they turned his name into an insult 200 years after he had died. He was, in fact, an incredibly smart man and well known for his debating abilities.</li> <li>“Uppercase” and “lowercase” are named as such because in the days of hand printing, capital letters and lowercase letters were literally kept in different cases.</li> </ol> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Books

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Body language expert weighs in on Prince George

<p>Prince George has stunned fans by stepping out ahead of his family during the annual Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.</p> <p>9-year-old George was accompanied by his parents - the Prince and Princess of Wales - and his siblings, seven-year-old Princess Charlotte and four-year-old Prince Louis. And while in 2022 the young royal stood between her parents as they made their way into the service, all eyes were on George in 2023 when he took the lead and strode a step ahead of them. </p> <p>And now, body language expert Judi James - who took note of George at both the 2021 and 2022 services as well - has spoken to<em> The Daily Mail </em>about what she believes the 9-year-old’s new “grown-up dynamic” means - both for himself, and the future of the British royal family. </p> <p>“At this Easter service there was a status step-up from George, who walked ahead to lead his family into the service,” she explained, “showing a newly grown-up dynamic from the five Wales’ when it comes to royal outings.</p> <p>“George used to be the one holding his father’s hand and looking rather timid, but here it was Charlotte walking in alongside William, while Kate held Louis’s hand beside them.”</p> <p>Judi went on to note that even this line-up “had its own upgrade”, outlining how Charlotte had appeared to check in on her younger brother, before sharing “a beam of pride at his impeccable behaviour.”</p> <p>“On the way out of the service it was Charlotte mirroring her mother, walking beside Kate and offering her own shy wave to the crowds in a gesture that showed who she takes her own lead from,” she continued. </p> <p>“Louis was a very different boy from the playful, fidgety young royal <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/adorable-prince-louis-upstages-entire-royal-family" target="_blank" rel="noopener">we saw at the Jubilee</a>. Walking beside Kate he looked serious and confident, offering a level stare at the crowds of fans and well-wishers, who seemed to have saved a special cheer for this mother and son duo.</p> <p>“Kate looked down at Louis with a grin of pride before smiling back up at the crowd, as though sharing her admiration for his grown-up behaviour. Louis even appeared to look down to straighten his tie as he entered the chapel.”</p> <p>Judi circled back to George while discussing the family leaving the service, noting that George was the first to exit, and that he demonstrated initiative when he set out “shaking hands without any prompting.”</p> <p>Meanwhile, many fans just couldn’t believe how quickly the young royal had grown before their very eyes, taking to social media in the wake of the service to voice their surprise. </p> <p>“How grown up does Prince George look today?” wrote one. </p> <p>“Can't believe how much Prince George has grown up,” said another. “He will be as tall as Prince William soon.”</p> <p>“It has been wonderful to see him grow in confidence as well as height,” someone agreed.</p> <p>Another noted that George bore a strong resemblance to Charles Spencer, and that the “Spencer genes are currently running strong.”</p> <p>While others couldn’t forget the rest, declaring “​​Princess Charlotte &amp; Prince Louis too! They are so adorable!”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Family & Pets

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‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ and other Oscars 2023 films show a trend towards linguistic realism in Hollywood

<p>At the 95th Academy Awards, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/mar/13/daniel-kwan-and-daniel-scheinert-win-best-director-oscar-for-everything-everywhere-all-at-once">Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan’s</a> Everything Everywhere All at Once took home <a href="https://variety.com/2023/awards/awards/everything-everywhere-all-at-once-oscars-record-1235544633/">wins in acting, editing and directing categories, and also won the coveted best picture</a> award.</p> <p>The quirky and expansive sci-fi action film is famed for its absurdist take on the idea of a multiverse, yet it is still grounded in realness and humanity: In one masterfully choreographed scene in Everything Everywhere, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2wID9_FFD0">three languages are spoken by three generations of one chaotic immigrant family</a> over dinner.</p> <p>As a linguist, I am interested in how screenwriters and directors use language in film to <a href="https://books.google.ca/books/about/Multilingualism_in_the_Movies.html?id=hfhclpshb8UC&redir_esc=y">do much more than just convey dialogue</a>: Language and subtitles also provide characterization, establish the tone of a scene and ground fictional stories in reality.</p> <p>Increasing use of non-English languages and subtitles demonstrates both a trend toward linguistic realism in Hollywood and also broader acceptance of linguistic diversity in a globalized society.</p> <p>But filmmakers must negotiate the tension between narrative goals and audience engagement. By <a href="https://www.routledge.com/English-with-an-Accent-Language-Ideology-and-Discrimination-in-the-United/Lippi-Green/p/book/9780415559119">examining different ideologies held by filmmakers and audiences alike</a>, we can also still sometimes find long-standing associations between foreign language and villainy.</p> <h2>Languages breaking through</h2> <p>As South Korean filmmaker <a href="https://www.cjenm.com/en/news/director-bong-joonhos-parasite-wins-the-best-foreign-language-film-at-the-77th-golden-globe-awards/">Bong Joon-ho</a> described in his <a href="https://variety.com/2020/film/awards/south-koreas-parasite-crashes-the-subtitles-barrier-1203488979/">Golden Globes acceptance speech for 2019’s Parasite</a>, when audiences move past the “one-inch tall barrier of subtitles” a richer world of film awaits.</p> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0963947013519551">Telling authentic stories</a> in a modern, globalized and multicultural world means fairly portraying the languages spoken and signed all throughout our society. Hence, at times, the need for subtitles.</p> <p>In another scene in Everything Everywhere, spoken language is eschewed altogether: Two rocks converse silently while gazing over a barren canyon, with black and white subtitles appearing on a bright blue sky. This simple yet <a href="https://twitter.com/Refinery29/status/1635118157206794243">emotionally resonant scene</a> was somehow enough to <a href="https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/everything-everywhere-all-at-once-review">move many viewers to tears</a>.</p> <p>Although <a href="https://ew.com/movies/movie-reviews/tar-cate-blanchett-todd-field-nina-hoss/">Todd Field’s Tár</a> did not clinch any Oscar wins this year, star Cate Blanchett notched multiple <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/full-winners-list-golden-globes-2023">other acting awards</a> <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/01/awards-insider-critics-choice-awards-2023-winners">for her role</a> as the titular orchestra conductor. In some of the film’s best scenes, the maestro uses only German during orchestra rehearsals and subtitles are dropped completely.</p> <p>Non-Germanophone audiences might not understand the words Blanchett says, but they are instead encouraged to focus on the visual aspects of the character’s communication: her facial expressions, physical tics and tremors and the building tension, both visible and audible, between her ego and everyone around her.</p> <p>The Oscar performance of “Naatu Naatu,” from the Indian <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-64935389">Telugu-language blockbuster</a> <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-64935389">RRR</a>, which received a standing ovation, was evidence that performances can cross language boundaries by leaning into creative elements far beyond words.</p> <h2>Two sides of language representation</h2> <p>The flip side of positive aspects of linguistic representation is that filmmakers, free to use the tool of multilingualism to provide characterization and establish tone, and even to showcase threatened languages, are also free to use it to entrench certain linguistic stereotypes, namely the association between foreignness and villainy.</p> <p>The <a href="https://screenrant.com/black-panther-wakanda-forever-talokan-lore-phase-5-complicated/">warriors of the underwater Talokan kingdom</a> in Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever never speak a word of English. In this Marvel Cinematic Universe story, the fictional kingdom of Atlantis was <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-mesoamerican-influences-behind-namor-from-black-panther-wakanda-forever-180981106">repositioned as a Mesoamerican-inspired society</a>.</p> <p>The <a href="https://globalvoices.org/2023/01/05/indigenous-and-proud-a-maya-speakers-reaction-to-black-panther-wakanda-forever/">language of Talokan is the real-world language of Yucatec Maya</a>, spoken by Indigenous people in present-day <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yucatec-language">Guatemala, Belize and southern Mexico</a>.</p> <h2>Sharing an Indigenous language</h2> <p>Yucatec Maya is stigmatized and marginalized in the geographic areas where it is traditionally spoken, one of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-mexico-how-erasing-black-history-fuels-anti-black-racism-175315">long-lasting consequences of colonization</a>.</p> <p>But Coogler’s creative decision to use Yucatec Maya as the language of Talokan, as well as to borrow heavily from Mayan and Aztec cultures for <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/black-panther-wakanda-forever-ruth-e-carter-oscar-costume-design-1235349112/">visual inspiration</a>, has delighted some <a href="https://globalvoices.org/2023/01/05/indigenous-and-proud-a-maya-speakers-reaction-to-black-panther-wakanda-forever/">Maya-speaking Indigenous moviegoers</a> who say they saw their culture represented and are happy to see the language widely shared.</p> <p>Two strong minor characters, Namora and Attuma, speak only in Yucatec Maya throughout the entire movie, with English subtitles in an elegant blue script.</p> <h2>Archetypes of antagonism?</h2> <p>Yet, these characters are the primary villains of the story, portrayed as powerful and physically otherworldly. Thus, while the characters are not one-dimensional, their language seems to narratively underscore certain archetypes of antagonism, beyond simply showcasing a real Indigenous language of the world.</p> <p>This is especially noticeable when contrasted with the protagonists, the mostly-anglophone Wakandans. Although the <a href="https://screenrant.com/black-panther-movie-wakanda-language-xhosa-explained">language of Wakanda is the real-world language of Xhosa</a>, spoken in South Africa, in Wakanda Forever, it was mostly relegated to greetings and asides. Instead, the protagonists speak a kind of pan-African accented English. Unlike in James Cameron’s <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/avatar-the-way-of-water-vfx-oscar-2023-1235343383/">Avatar: The Way of Water</a>, viewers are never explicitly told that what the audience hears has been “translated” for us.</p> <h2>Refreshing to see, hear more languages</h2> <p>In Avatar, which took the <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/oscars-2023-all-the-kiwis-nominated-at-the-academy-awards-this-year/G7PU6REBKFDRVLTOTUZJ4TEM4A/">Oscar for best visual effects,</a> the protagonists all speak Na'vi, the language of <a href="https://gamerant.com/avatar-creation-human-navi-hybrids-explained/">the species living across</a> the fictional Pandora.</p> <p>Most of the language has been “translated” in the mind of the narrator, Jake Sully. In a neat expositional trick, the main character narrates the beginning of the film and explains that he learned the alien language well enough that it just sounds like English to him.</p> <p>This way, audiences won’t have to read for the entire film, and the heroes (and actors) can speak only English without sacrificing the “realism” of the science-fictional universe.</p> <p>It has been refreshing to see, <a href="https://mashable.com/article/minari-korean-language">in recent years</a>, many productions in film achieve critical and commercial success in the anglophone world despite being in non-English languages and <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-03-04/sound-of-metal-deaf-actors-chelsea-lee-jeremy-lee-stone">using subtitles</a>. There’s much more room for films to highlight both linguistic diversity as well as authentic characterization of characters who speak and sign without resorting to potentially harmful tropes.</p> <p>And I’m sure audiences wouldn’t mind hearing more Na'vi in Avatar 3.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

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Body language expert reveals three major turn off signs

<p>In the age of online dating and social distancing, many have fallen out of practise with the art of reading body language. </p> <p>But have no fear, whether you’re brand new to the world of dating or dipping your toes back in, an expert in the matter has shared her tips and tricks on how to tell you’re giving someone the ‘ick’.</p> <p>Professional counsellor and psychotherapist Adrianne Carter took to her <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@adriannefacewhisperer?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">popular TikTok account</a> - where she regularly shares such advice - to teach her audience what she believed would best help them in their pursuit of love, and in avoiding an uninterested other half. </p> <p>Adrianne launched into her all important list by informing listeners that the first sign someone can show they aren’t interested is by creating distance. </p> <p>She explained how they might simply lean away, or even move something - like a menu on a dinner date - to create a physical barrier. </p> <p>“A really simple rule for dates,” she said, “is when someone is leaning in, getting closer to you, it’s probably going well.”</p> <p>Next up, and perhaps one of the most obvious signs that many will miss, is their facial expression. </p> <p>“Generally when someone is giving you the ick you will be scrunching up your nose slightly,” Adrianne explained. “When someone doesn’t like someone or has the ick, you will see that nose wrinkling in disgust.</p> <p>“There will be lots of those expressions, but short flashes of them, it won’t be obvious, but if you look for the signs they will be there.”</p> <p>And circling back to her first point, she added, “when we are interested in someone, we lean in. If someone doesn’t like you, or doesn’t fancy you, they are more likely to make more space between you and them.” </p> <p>“Use it as a warning from your body,” she advised. “If I lean back I am not interested in them - your body will always tell you.”</p> <p>Adrianne’s third sign comes in the form of eye contact. </p> <p>“Creating lasting eye contact is important,” she stated, before noting that it’s equally as important not to give too much, and people should be aiming for anywhere between 60 to 70 per cent. </p> <p>“If you do more that can become too intense and aggressive,” was her reason. “It comes across a bit needy like you are waiting for a reaction.”</p> <p>On a related note, she mentioned that prospective daters are likely to try their hand at ‘peacocking’, participating in the act of wearing or doing something extravagant in a bid to be noticed. Something like playing with your hair, or rolling up your sleeves, can be a sure sign that you’re trying to grab someone’s attention, and vice versa.</p> <p>Another move someone might pull to let you know they’d like a second date? The “eyebrow flash”, as Adrianne calls it. </p> <p>“If you want to know if someone likes you and they’re not giving you constant eye contact, watch for this,” she said. “A double eye flash is where someone looks away, looks again and looks again. It is very revealing, it means the person is interested.”</p> <p>She noted that this last manoeuvre isn’t limited just to dating, with people likely to see it in all areas of their life to demonstrate interest, and that like all good things, it should be accompanied with a smile.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Relationships

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Love languages are hugely popular – but there’s very little evidence they exist at all

<p>Love languages – the concept coined by Baptist pastor Gary Chapman some 30 years ago – has taken the relationships world by storm. It’s often the “go-to” topic on first dates, and for those in relationships love languages are said to provide deep, meaningful and reliable insights into how relationships function. Putting love languages into action is believed to increase relationship happiness.</p> <p>The concept clearly has appeal. At last count, 20 million copies have been sold worldwide of Chapman’s 1992 book The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts. The book has been translated into 49 languages.</p> <p>There is only one catch. There is little evidence to support the idea that love languages are “a thing”, or that love languages do much of anything to help improve relationships.</p> <h2>What are the love languages?</h2> <p>According to <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&amp;lr=&amp;id=j6d2EAAAQBAJ&amp;oi=fnd&amp;pg=PT9&amp;dq=chapman+(1992)+the+five+love+languages&amp;ots=nDeGjK61-3&amp;sig=cBkMcFvfus9SdjVo7_XMWwCSQdo#v=onepage&amp;q=chapman%20(1992)%20the%20five%20love%20languages&amp;f=false">Chapman</a>, there are five love languages. Each of these love languages is a way to communicate your love to your romantic partner.</p> <p>In his role as a Baptist pastor, Chapman had been counselling couples for years. It was through his observations of couples that the idea of love languages was born. </p> <p>He believed love languages were an intuitive and simple way to teach couples about how to tune into each other’s ways of expressing love. And so, he began running seminars for husbands and wives, and the popularity of his seminars grew. </p> <p>The five love languages are: </p> <p>(1) acts of service (doing something that helps a partner, such as running an errand)</p> <p>(2) physical touch (demonstrating physical affection, such as giving your partner a hug or kiss)</p> <p>(3) quality time (spending time together and giving each other undivided attention)</p> <p>(4) gifts (giving your partner a present that communicates thoughtfulness, effort, and/or expense)</p> <p>(5) words of affirmation (such as expressing your admiration, or complimenting your partner). </p> <p>Chapman suggests that people typically use all love languages, but that most people tend to rely on one love language most of the time. This is referred to as a person’s primary love language. </p> <p>According to Chapman, people are more satisfied in their relationships when both partners match when it comes to their primary love language. However, people experience less satisfaction in their relationships when both partners do not share the same primary love language. </p> <p>Another important aspect of the love languages concept is that relationships are likely to deliver the greatest satisfaction when a person can understand their partner’s love language, and act in ways that “speaks to” their partner’s language. In essence, this idea is about tuning in to what a partner wants. </p> <p>This is an idea that has existed across many models and theories about how relationships function well. That is, responding to a partner in a way that meets their needs and wants makes a person feel <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X16300884">understood, validated, and cared for</a>.</p> <h2>What does the evidence tell us?</h2> <p>Despite the popularity of the theory of love languages, only a handful of studies have been conducted and reported over the past 30 years. Research is largely inconclusive, although the balance sways more towards refuting rather than endorsing the love languages concept.</p> <p>Let’s start with how love languages are assessed. In popular culture, the <a href="https://5lovelanguages.com/">Love Language QuizTM</a> is an online questionnaire that people can complete to find out about their love languages. Despite millions of individuals having taken the quiz (according to 5lovelanguages.com), there are no published findings as to the reliability and validity of the measure. </p> <p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17464090500535822">Researchers</a> have developed their own version of the love languages survey, but the findings did not meet the statistical thresholds to suggest the survey adequately captured the five love languages. Also, their findings did not support the idea that there are five love languages.</p> <p>Furthermore, a qualitative study in which <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08934215.2022.2113549?src=recsys">researchers</a> coded the written responses of undergraduate students to questions about how they express love, suggested there may be six love languages. However, the researchers reported difficulty agreeing on how some of the students’ responses neatly fitted into Chapman’s love languages, particularly in the categories of “words of affirmation” and “quality time”. </p> <p>Next, let’s turn to research testing a core premise of the love language theory: that couples with matching love languages experience greater satisfaction than those who do not. Evidence for this premise is very mixed.</p> <p>Three <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/pere.12182">studies</a>, including <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-53018-004">one</a> that used Chapman’s Love Language Quiz, have found that couples with matching love languages were no more satisfied than couples who were mismatched. </p> <p>However, a more recent <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0269429#sec006">study</a> found that partners with matching love languages experienced greater relationship and sexual satisfaction than partners with mismatched love languages. This research also found that men who reported greater empathy and perspective-taking had a love language that better matched the language of their partner.</p> <p>Finally, what does the research say about whether having a better understanding of your partner’s love language is linked to higher relationship satisfaction? Only <a href="https://www.proquest.com/openview/33e5ad9d94f22e2e3ed60d20094eec27/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&amp;cbl=18750&amp;diss=y">two</a> studies have investigated this question. Both <a href="https://www.proquest.com/openview/0e7114482de1edf3625039e63b72e678/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&amp;cbl=18750&amp;diss=y">found</a> that knowing your partner’s primary love language did predict relationship satisfaction in the present or into the future.</p> <p>So, as you can see, not only is there very little research investigating love languages, but the research to date doesn’t strengthen belief in the powerful properties of love languages.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/love-languages-are-hugely-popular-but-theres-very-little-evidence-they-exist-at-all-198065" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Relationships

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Body language expert reveals “telling” signs Michael Clarke lied

<p>A body language expert has weighed in on the infamous public scuffle where former Cricketer, Michael Clarke, was accused of cheating on his girlfriend, Jade Yarbrough.</p> <p>Louanne Ward, an Australian relationship expert, told <em>The Daily Mail</em> that some of Clarke's words and actions were indicative of him not telling the truth.</p> <p>The first sign that Clarke wasn't being truthful was when he took his shirt off to try and "make himself look bigger".</p> <p>"People....often make really big, bold gestures in an attempt to intimidate, look at the way Michael was walking in that video and you'll notice his arms are rounded and splayed," she said.</p> <p>She also told <em>The Daily Mail</em> that removing his shirt is a "fight response".</p> <p>The second sign the expert identified was the rising inflections in his voice as he pleaded with his girlfriend.</p> <p>"When someone is not telling the truth, their voice goes up a little bit at the end of a word," she highlighted.</p> <p>"You'll notice that you can definitely hear the inflections in Michael's voice when he speaks to Jade".</p> <p>Another "telling" sign was Clarke's choice to deflect the argument back to Jade.</p> <p>"Go, hit me ... do it again. You're wrong, you're f**king wrong," Clarke deflected in the video.</p> <p>The expert said that in choosing to say "you're wrong" instead of "I", "he's not taking any responsibility," which could be "indicative of guilt".</p> <p>Another subtle sign, according to the expert, was that he "kept shuffling his feet while he was standing with Jade", which is a natural response.</p> <p>The expert said that when people are being accused of something, "the limbic brain - which controls our behavioural and emotional responses - switches on and freezes body responses."</p> <p>"So when he can't keep his feet still, that could seem to be a sign of something not quite right".</p> <p>The last tell-tale sign was that he tried to invade Jade's personal space despite her walking away from him.</p> <p>"Clearly, Michael got slapped and that's a big invasion of personal space," said the expert.</p> <p>"But when someone tries to remove themselves from the situation like Jade walked off, and you go and follow them and get back in their space".</p> <p>The expert said that it's impossible to tell if someone is lying based on their body language alone and that we should look out for clusters of behaviours.</p> <p>"If they have three different things, then you can certainly tell that if they're not being dishonest, then there is something that is making them exceptionally uncomfortable, it's important to look at all aspects of their behaviour," she said.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Brekkies, barbies, mozzies: why do Aussies shorten so many words?

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-burridge-130136">Kate Burridge</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/howard-manns-111255">Howard Manns</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p>Australians sure do like those <em>brekkies</em>, <em>barbies</em> and <em>mozzies</em>.</p> <p>We’re not talking about “actual” <em>mozzies</em> here. We’re <em>defo</em> (definitely) talking about words — and Aussies can’t seem to get enough of these shortened words.</p> <p><a href="https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1988059">Some</a> say we’re lazy for clipping them. <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/language-in-society/article/abs/does-language-reflect-culture-evidence-from-australian-english/75BDD40DC2429903CABAA39BB9CA83B7">Others</a> claim it’s just Aussies knocking words down to size — ta, we’ll have a glass of <em>cab sav</em> or <em>savvy b</em> instead of whatever that is in French.</p> <p>Our most beloved shortenings end in <em>-ie/y</em> and <em>-o</em>. Journos often ask us why Aussies use them, and whether they’ll last. Well, not only are we still using them, <em>seppos</em> (Americans) and <em>pommies</em> (Brits) are joining the action, too.</p> <p>Here’s an uplifting story for your <em>hollies</em> (holidays) about Australia’s “<a href="https://www.newsouthbooks.com.au/books/story-australian-english/">incredible shrinking words</a>”.</p> <h2>Endings that bond and bind us</h2> <p>These alternative forms of words are often described as “diminutives” (or hypocoristics).</p> <p>Pet names with such endings can show we have a warm or simply friendly attitude toward something or someone (think of the <em>-s</em> on <em>Cuddles</em>). Certainly, on names, <em>-ie/y</em> and <em>-o</em> are often affectionate (think <em>Susy</em> and <em>Robbo</em>).</p> <p>But the vast majority of Aussie diminutives are doing something different.</p> <p>Indeed, saying <em>journo</em> or <em>pollie</em> doesn’t usually indicate we’re thinking of journalists and politicians as small and endearing things. These “diminutives” are also a world away from the <em>birdies</em> and <em>doggies</em> of the nursery. Adult Australians might cheerfully talk about <em>blowies</em> and <em>trackies</em>, but not <em>birdies</em> and <em>doggies</em> — well, unless it’s on the golf course or perhaps in reference to the Western Bulldogs getting a <em>specky</em> (spectacular mark).</p> <p>For Australian National University linguist <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Semantics_Culture_and_Cognition.html?id=5XM8DwAAQBAJ&amp;redir_esc=y">Anna Wierzbicka</a>, these expressions are among the most culturally salient features of Australian English — expressions of informality and solidarity that are “uniquely suited to the Anglo-Australian ethos […] and style of interaction”.</p> <p>Experiments by Australian linguists have empirically confirmed the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/298354067">social effects</a> of these embellished words. Colloquialisms such as <em>barbie</em> and <em>smoko</em> are like accents – part of the glue that sticks Australian English speakers together.</p> <p> </p> <h2>Are -ie/y endings darlings or weaklings?</h2> <p>Diminutives can die out when they take on the burden of new social meanings. One of the oldest endings (found as far back as Anglo-Saxon times) is <em>-ling</em>. We see it still on words like <em>twinkling</em> and <em>darling</em>. However, by modern times it had flipped and become contemptuous, especially when used of humans (think of <em>weakling</em> and <em>underling</em>).</p> <p>In contrast to <em>-ling</em>, our <em>-ie/-y</em> endings carry important, positive meanings, and there’s no sign yet that we’re giving up on them. Those <em>sunnies</em>, <em>scungies</em>, <em>boardies</em>, <em>cozzies</em>, <em>stubbies</em> and <em>trackies</em> are still the stuff of our sartorial summer fashion.</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/get-yer-hand-off-it-mate-australian-slang-is-not-dying-90022">Slang</a> might come and go, but the process that transforms <em>sunglasses</em> into <em>sunnies</em> and <em>tracksuit pants</em> into <em>trackies</em> continues to thrive.</p> <p>So thriving in fact are these expressions that some are among Australia’s <a href="http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150427-pervs-greenies-and-ratbags">successful exports</a>. International celebrities include <em>greenie</em>, <em>pollie</em>, <em>surfie</em>, <em>mozzie</em>, <em>budgie</em> (and its offshoot <em>budgie smugglers</em>).</p> <p>And let’s not forget the linguistic rockstar that is <em>selfie</em> – its meteoric rise to stardom in 2013 saw it crowned <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/19/living/selfie-word-of-the-year/index.html">Word of the Year</a> by Oxford Dictionaries, and also by the Van Dale dictionary in the Netherlands.</p> <p>We are, however, constantly refreshing our stock of <em>-ie/y</em> words. Many of the gems in Wendy Allen’s 1980s collection of youth slang in Melbourne (<em>Teenage speech</em>) have bitten the dust (for example, <em>scottie</em> from “he’s got no friends” -&gt; “s’got no friends” -&gt; “s’got + ie”).</p> <p>But the second edition of the Australian National Dictionary shows us how many <em>-ie/y</em> words have proliferated since the 1980s/1990s (<em>firie</em>, <em>tradie</em>, <em>trackie daks</em>).</p> <h2>Bottle-o, milko and smoko: still alive-o?</h2> <p>That other long-time favourite ending <em>-o</em> occurs all round the English-speaking world. However, as the Oxford English Dictionary describes, its use “is especially associated with Australia”.</p> <p>The earliest Australian examples (like <em>milko</em>, <em>rabbito</em>, <em>bottle-o</em>) date from the 19th century and are abbreviated nouns referring to a person’s trade (“milkman”, “rabbit-seller” “bottle-collector”). Sometimes they appear with <em>-oh</em> because of their association with street calls, and this use is old – think of those cockles and mussels of 18th century London, all very much “alive, alive-oh”.</p> <p> </p> <p>Our love of this <em>-o</em> suffix may also owe something to Irish English. However, Australian linguist <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110208412.2.398/html?lang=en">Jane Simpson</a> points out it has much wider applications in Australia (and New Zealand), as shown by place names such as <em>Rotto</em> (Rottnest Island), <em>Freo</em> (Fremantle), <em>Paddo</em> (Paddington) and common nouns such as <em>compo</em> (compensation), <em>ambo</em> (ambulance driver) and <em>bowlo</em> (bowling club). And we’re exporting these too – <em>demo</em>, <em>preggo</em> and <em>muso</em> have made it into the wider world.</p> <p>As with <em>-ie/y</em> endings, our <em>-o</em> endings don’t seem to be going anywhere in a hurry. However, their long-term survival seems slightly less assured than <em>-ie/y</em>. We’re still seeing newer coinages (such as <em>housos</em>), but a <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241095924_Did_you_have_a_choccie_bickie_this_arvo_A_quantitative_look_at_Australian_hypocoristics">2011 study</a> suggests young people might be using this one less than previous generations.</p> <h2>Rellies or rellos, garbies or garbos: is there a pattern?</h2> <p>There are <em>wharfies</em> and <em>truckies</em> but not <em>wharfos</em> and <em>truckos</em>; <em>garbos</em> and <em>musos</em> but not <em>garbies</em> and <em>musies</em>. People who ride motorcycles are generally <em>bikers</em>; those who belong to motorcycle gangs tend to be <em>bikies</em>.</p> <p>So what’s wrong with <em>bikos</em>? And why are there gaps? Those who build houses are neither <em>buildos</em> nor <em>buildies</em>.</p> <p>Undoubtedly there are nuanced differences of meaning involved here. Does <em>weirdie</em> describe unconventional people more affectionately than <em>weirdo</em>, or even <em>weird person</em>? Certainly there’s a world of difference between the <em>sicko</em> (psychologically sick person) and the <em>sickie</em> (leave you take when you’re sick – or is that when you’re not sick?).</p> <p>You tell us: do you prefer a <em>lammo</em> or a <em>lammie</em> for the small chocolate and coconut–covered cake? And are members of your family <em>rellos</em> or <em>rellies</em>? There’s a lot of lexicographers, linguists and other word nerds who haven’t figured this out.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/192616/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-burridge-130136">Kate Burridge</a>, Professor of Linguistics, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/howard-manns-111255">Howard Manns</a>, Senior Lecturer in Linguistics, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/brekkies-barbies-mozzies-why-do-aussies-shorten-so-many-words-192616">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Body language expert goes to TOWN on Harry and Meghan doc

<p dir="ltr">A body language expert has weighed in on Prince Harry and Meghan after part one of their Netflix documentary dropped.</p> <p dir="ltr">Louise Mahler, an Australian body language expert, told <em>The Morning Show</em> that it was obvious that Harry was “embarrassed” of Meghan during one of the interviews.</p> <p dir="ltr">She spoke of the scene where Meghan explained how she wasn’t aware that she would have to curtsy to Queen Elizabeth II when meeting her.</p> <p dir="ltr">“How do you explain that you bow to your grandmother and that you will need to curtsy - especially to an American, like that’s weird,” Harry said on the show.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meghan then began to rant to say how it was “mediaeval” to curtsy to someone, before mocking the Royal Family’s tradition.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty,” she said as she pretended to curtsy while sitting next to her husband.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was so intense,” she said with a throwaway remark.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, social media has been full of close-ups of Prince Harry’s reaction as his wife mocked his grandmother, with Ms Mahler confirming the “uncomfortable” position he was in.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He looked incredibly, I don’t know, uncomfortable. There was something - see how he’s sort of watching her and he looks off to the side. I don’t know, there was something really awkward about the way he looked at her in this story - and then he looks down,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I would adore him to do more of those looks.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He’s not a theatre person at all.... the whole story about the curtsy was disrespectful.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If you went to a different country with a different culture - say Japan - and they said you had to bow, you would not make fun of that bow. You would see it as a creative opportunity.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think he was definitely embarrassed in that moment - and one of the few moments he was embarrassed and I think he should be embarrassed a lot more.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Twitter users exploded at Meghan’s mockery of the late Monarch and also pointed out Harry’s discomfort.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Whoa. Harry really didn’t like the curtsy mocking,” one person wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Why is it ok for Meghan to mock our culture in this way? Or does racism only work one way?” British columnist Sarah Vine questioned.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is the moment that Meghan describes meeting the late Queen Elizabeth for the first time and how she did not understand why she needed to curtsy to Harry‘s grandmother… He looks a little uncomfortable about the whole thing,” presenter Chris Ship wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is just nasty and unbecoming. Meghan looks like a school bully,” journalist and broadcaster Benjamin Butterworth wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Netflix</em></p>

TV

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We can pretty accurately tell when a human or dog is happy, but not so much with aggression

<p>Humans are terrible at understanding aggressive characteristics in dogs — and unfortunately, in other humans.</p> <p>Being able to correctly interpret social interactions is an important skill that allows humans to react appropriately in different situations.</p> <p>But, research from the Dog Studies Research group at the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology in Germany shows while we’re generally clued in to distinguishing the nature of social interactions between children, dogs, and monkeys, we suck at identifying negative behaviour in dogs and humans.</p> <p>Researchers presented 96 adults with short video clips of aggressive, neutral, and playful interactions between two individuals in three different species: human children, dogs, and macaques.</p> <p>The clips included clues, such as body postures and facial expressions, but ended before the interaction took place.</p> <p>Half the study participants were asked to categorise the interaction as aggressive, neutral, or playful, while the other half were asked to predict the outcome from three sentences prepared by the experimenters describing the three possible outcomes.</p> <p>The researchers found that people performed better than chance for both tasks, even without prior experiences with the non-human species.</p> <p>They selected the correct choice of the three outcomes in 50–80% of interactions and were most accurate in categorising playful interactions, which they correctly identified 70% of the time.</p> <p>This wasn’t the case for predicting aggressive outcomes in humans and in pooches in particular. Participants rated aggressive contexts among dogs at chance level, and predicted outcomes below chance level.</p> <p>“It is possible that we are biased to assume good intentions from other humans and from ‘man’s best friend’,” says first author Dr Theresa Epperlein the DogStudies Research group in the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Germany.</p> <p>“Perhaps this bias prevents us from recognising aggressive situations in these species.”  </p> <p>“Our results underscore the fact that social interactions can often be ambiguous and suggest that accurately predicting outcomes may be more advantageous than categorising emotional contexts,” adds senior author Dr Juliane Bräuer, DogStudies Research Group Leader.</p> <p>The research has been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277783" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in the journal <em>PLOS ONE</em>.</p> <p><!-- Start of tracking content syndication. Please do not remove this section as it allows us to keep track of republished articles --></p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=227826&amp;title=We+can+pretty+accurately+tell+when+a+human+or+dog+is+happy%2C+but+not+so+much+with+aggression" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /></p> <p><!-- End of tracking content syndication --></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/human-dogs-aggressive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on Cosmos Magazine and was written by Imma Perfetto.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Family & Pets

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Body language expert zeroes in on PM's meeting with Xi Jinping

<p>Anthony Albanese and Xi Jingping have shared in a historic handshake on the sidelines of the G20 summit, bringing an end to a six-year diplomatic freeze. </p> <p>The PM met with the Chinese President at the event in Bali on Tuesday, as a body language expert has dissected their meeting, pointing out some hard-to-spot details. </p> <p>Body language expert Katia Loisel has revealed the way the leaders shook hands held secrets about their power dynamic. </p> <p>“The way you shake hands reveals important information about your personality, levels of confidence and the power dynamic between two people and can dramatically influence how others perceive and interact with you,” Loisel explained to <a href="https://7news.com.au/politics/body-language-expert-reveals-the-subtle-sign-you-missed-when-albanese-met-chinas-president-c-8872610" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>.</p> <p>“As a leader, Xi uses several tactics to assert his dominance when shaking hands during meet and greets and photo opportunities.”</p> <p>Loisel said by choosing to stand out on the left with “his hand thrust out first”, Xi is able to “upset the balance of power”.</p> <p>“By orientating his body to the left away from Anthony Albanese, Xi restricts Albanese’s movement and forces him into a submissive position,” she said.</p> <p>“In contrast, this position allows Xi to project an air of confidence, standing in an open, unrestricted pose directly facing the camera."</p> <p>“This handshake is an attempt to assert dominance, get the upper hand and upset the balance of power quite literally forcing the receiver, in this case Albanese, into a submissive position.”</p> <p>The image of the two leaders sparked further conversation online, with some pointing out where Xi “always” stands for photos with other leaders.</p> <p>“This is why (check where Xi always stands for pictures),” one Twitter user posted along with a series of images of Xi standing on the left.</p> <p>At the meeting, China’s $20 billion trade sanctions on Australia, detention of Australian citizens and relationship with Russia were discussed.</p> <p>The pair also discussed climate change and Albanese urged Xi to maintain the status quo when it comes to the status of Taiwan.</p> <p>Albanese said both leaders spoke honestly with each other about these issues.</p> <p>“We have big differences to manage, but we’re always going to be better off when we have dialogue and are able to talk constructively and respectfully, but also honestly, about what those differences are,” he said after the meeting.</p> <p>“(Australia) will cooperate where we can, disagree where we must and act in the national interest.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Body

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These emojis make you ‘old’ according to Gen Z

<p dir="ltr">Language is an ever-evolving thing, full to the brim with nuance and meaning that might not seem obvious upon first glance - and it turns out that emojis are no exception.</p> <p dir="ltr">Members of Generation Z have taken to social media claiming that using certain emojis is a sign that you’re “officially old” and that the popular thumbs-up emoji is actually rude.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to users on Reddit, the official list of “cancelled” emojis includes:</p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">❤️ (Red heart)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">👍 (Thumbs up)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">👌 (“OK” hand)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">✅ (Tick or Checkmark)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">💩 (Poo)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">🙈 (Monkey covering eyes)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">😭 (Loudly crying face)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">👏 (Clapping hands)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">💋 (Lipstick kiss mark)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">😬 (Grimacing face)</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">Many younger users also considered the thumbs-up emoji to be rude, explaining that it gives off a passive-aggressive or even confrontational air.</p> <p dir="ltr">“For younger people (I’m 24 for reference) the thumbs-up emoji is used to be really passive-aggressive,” one person wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s super rude if someone just sends you a thumbs up. So I also had a weird time adjusting because my workplace is the same.”</p> <p dir="ltr">They chalked up the difference in the workplace to a “generational communication culture difference”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Everyone my age in the office doesn’t do it, but the Gen X people always do it,” they wrote. “Took me a bit to adjust and get out of my head that it means they’re mad at me.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Others agreed, saying using it in the workplace makes team members “unaccommodating” and seems “unfriendly”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I understand what you mean, my last workplace had a WhatsApp chat for our team to send info to each other on and most of the people on there just replied with a [thumbs-up emoji],” one commenter said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I don’t know why but it seemed a little bit hostile to me, like an acknowledgment but kind of saying ‘I don’t really care/am not interested’? Don’t know if that’s the way you feel but I got used to it in time and I’m just as bad for sending a thumbs up now.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another said: ““It’s not that odd to see it as passive-aggressive. Just imagine how would it feel to go into your boss’ room, say something, and then see him turn to you, look you in the eye, and [give a thumbs-up].”</p> <p dir="ltr">But, older users expressed their confusion at this emoji etiquette, with one saying it must be “a younger generational thing”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So it’s like a sarcastic thing? Man I’m getting old lol,” one wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another defended their use of the thumbs up, saying it “means many things”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It means ‘I approve’ or ‘I understood and will obey’ or ‘I agree’. If anything, my only objection would be that some days it might be hard to tell which one it means,” she offered. </p> <p dir="ltr">“But it is generally pretty clear.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s just a way to say ‘i’ve read your message and have nothing to add and I hope and pray to all the gods all the bazillion people in this group chat have nothing to say on it too,’” another chimed in.</p> <p dir="ltr">Linguists have been studying emojis since the appearance of the modern emoji in 2015. In her book <em>Because Internet: Understanding how language is changing</em>, linguist Gretchen McCulloch explains that some emojis, like most of those that have been “cancelled”, are gestures, like the ones we make with our hands while talking.</p> <p dir="ltr">While these can be quite universal, like the thumbs up or smiling emojis, there can also be nuance based on culture and the writing systems people use.</p> <p dir="ltr">With younger people interpreting emojis such as the thumbs-up as “rude” or “old”, it seems there is nuance between generations too.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3239804b-7fff-1206-dc92-834ccb95a484"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Technology

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Body language specialist gives her take on Fab Four

<p dir="ltr">A body language expert has shared what she believes was happening for Prince William, Kate, Harry and Meghan during Wednesday’s lying-in-state ceremony for Queen Elizabeth II.</p> <p dir="ltr">Body language and connection specialist Katia Loisel told <em>7News </em>that William and Kate seemed “highly distressed” and “struggling to hold it together” during the procession at Westminster Hall, pointing to their lowered heads, furrowed brows and tension in the neck and mouth as indicators.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The more pronounced the lip compression, as is the case with Prince William - his lips pressed together, rolling inwards until they have completely disappeared - indicate extreme levels of discomfort and stress,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan holding hands - which is a break with formality - was a sign they had a “desire to connect and be close to one another”.</p> <p dir="ltr">One photo where William and Kate looked forlorn and Harry and Meghan were behind them looking at each other offered an “interesting non-verbal perspective” on the difference between the couples according to Loisel.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Prince Harry and Meghan use both contact tie signs, such as holding hands, and non-contact tie signs, such as postural echoing, their bodies orientated inwards towards one another, and mutual gaze in a mutual display of support and reassurance,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Prince Harry and Meghan use both contact tie signs, such as holding hands, and non-contact tie signs, such as postural echoing, their bodies orientated inwards towards one another, and mutual gaze in a mutual display of support and reassurance.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Loisel added that the couples’ differences were more evident in moments where William and Kate stood apart while Harry and Meghan held hands.</p> <p dir="ltr">She explained that the separation between the newly-appointed Prince and Princess of Wales was “reflective of their roles and the seriousness of the occasion”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The expert noted Kate’s downcast eyes, lack of facial muscle tones, slightly compressed lips, swallowing and rapid blinking, which she said suggested the royal was “on the verge of tears”.</p> <p dir="ltr">William shared a similar expression, reflected in the tightness of his eyebrows, droopy upper lids, compressed lips and lowered corners of his mouth.</p> <p dir="ltr">After Harry and Meghan kept a “more formal distance” during the ceremony, Loisel said their move to join hands showed they were “non-verbally seeking each other out” in an attempt to reduce stress and share “support and reassurance” with each other.</p> <p dir="ltr">Loisel noted that the former prince was more visibly relaxed upon reconnecting with his wife, after exhibiting signs of being visibly in distress, including a heightened blink rate, lowered head, shifting weight, swaying, lip licking, swallowing, and use of pacifying gestures.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-0e19448d-7fff-1714-c34e-c474464df3ab"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">She also commented on a now-viral clip of the two couples greeting fans outside Windsor Castle, where Kate flashed a stern look at her sister-in-law.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">One day satan going to deal with Kate Middleton. This woman hates Meghan and had be pulled into being in the same space <a href="https://t.co/iooEBItfeg">pic.twitter.com/iooEBItfeg</a></p> <p>— Thando - Ntsikasaunty (@ntsikasaunty) <a href="https://twitter.com/ntsikasaunty/status/1568722440003387394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Loisel said the interaction would undoubtedly have affected Meghan’s self-confidence, noting that she appeared uneasy during her public appearance with her husband, William and Kate.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Quite unlike the confident Meghan we know, Meghan appeared ill at ease during this encounter, which is not surprising given the recent criticism that she has faced,” she told <em><a href="https://7news.com.au/entertainment/royal-family/body-language-expert-decodes-kates-icy-stare-moment-c-8239742?fbclid=IwAR2SazRZ293BYA3FNmIKZiVNdaFIBQidZAZNM6RRnYh5OJDph05onMqggH8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seven News</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">She added that Wiliam appeared to make an effort with Meghan, but claimed Kate was acting as though she was trying to “freeze out” Meghan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“On numerous occasions Meghan looked over at Kate, however, the gaze wasn't reciprocated,” Loisel said, going on to say Kate chose to “look through” Meghan instead.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Meghan's hand lifted hesitantly as if to wave, but stopped mid-air, rather pausing to adjust her hair, her head and gaze lowered, before looking up and giving a quick wave, her arm coming back to rest in front of her body in a partial arm barrier,” Katia added, pointing out that Harry seemed to notice, touching her arm gently and coming to her side to protect her.</p> <p dir="ltr">The group outing marked the first time all four have been spotted together in public since Commonwealth Day in 2020, just weeks before COVID-19 lockdowns were first introduced.</p> <p dir="ltr">Once dubbed the “fab four”, the royals were greeted with applause from the public as they walked along the gates of Windsor Castle.</p> <p dir="ltr">During the rest of the walk, believed to have lasted around 30 minutes, the couples appeared to remain separate and barely interact with each other.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-67ead0af-7fff-da5e-430e-f90a644a431c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">During certain points of the walk, all four split up to greet and speak with members of the public individually.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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Five myths about Shakespeare’s contribution to the English language

<p>Shakespeare’s language is widely considered to represent the pinnacle of English. But that status is underpinned by multiple myths – ideas about language that have departed from reality (or what is even plausible). Those myths send us down rabbit holes and make us lose sight of what is truly impressive about Shakespeare – what he did with his words.</p> <p>The <a href="http://wp.lancs.ac.uk/shakespearelang/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Encyclopedia of Shakespeare’s Language</a> project at Lancaster University, deploying large-scale computer analyses, has been transforming what we know about Shakespeare’s language. Here, incorporating some of its findings, we revisit five things that you probably thought you knew about Shakespeare but are actually untrue.</p> <h2>1. Shakespeare coined a vast number of words</h2> <p>Well, he did, but not as many as people think – even reputable sources assume more than 1,000. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust puts it at <a href="https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/shakespeares-words/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1,700</a>, but carefully add that this number concerns words whose earliest appearance is in Shakespeare’s works.</p> <p>The word “hobnail” first appears in a text attributed to Shakespeare, but it’s difficult to imagine it arose from a creative poetic act. More likely, it was around in the spoken language of the time and Shakespeare’s use is the earliest recording of it. Estimates of just how many words Shakespeare supposedly coined do not usually distinguish between what was creatively coined by him and what was first recorded in a written document attributed to him.</p> <p>Even if you don’t make that distinction and include all words that appear first in a work attributed to Shakespeare, whether coined or recorded, numbers are grossly inflated. Working with the literature and linguistics academics <a href="https://english.asu.edu/content/jonathan-hope-professor-literature" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonathan Hope</a> and <a href="https://slt-cdt.sheffield.ac.uk/students" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sam Hollands</a>, we’ve been using computers to search millions of words in texts pre-dating Shakespeare. With this method, we have found that only around 500 words do seem to first appear in Shakespeare.</p> <p>Of course, 500 is still huge and most writers neither coin a new word nor produce a first recording.</p> <h2>2. Shakespeare IS the English language</h2> <p>The myth that Shakespeare coined loads of words has partly fuelled the myth that Shakespeare’s language constitutes one-quarter, a half or even all of the words of today’s English language.</p> <p>The number of different words in Shakespeare’s texts is around 21,000 words. Some of those words are repeated, which is how we get to the total number of around one million words in works attributed to Shakespeare. (To illustrate, the previous sentence contains 26 words in total, but “of”, “words” and “to” are repeated, so the number of different words is 22). The Oxford English Dictionary has around 600,000 different words in it, but many are obscure technical terms. So, let’s round down to 500,000.</p> <p>Even if every word within Shakespeare had been coined by him (which is of course not the case, as noted above), that would still only be 4.2% of today’s English language. So, Shakespeare could only ever have contributed a very small fraction, though quite possibly more than most writers.</p> <h2>3. Shakespeare had a huge vocabulary</h2> <p>Ludicrously, popular claims about Shakespeare’s huge vocabulary seem to be driven by the fact that his writings as a whole contain a large number of different words (as noted above, around 21,000). But the more you write, the more opportunities you have to use more words that are different. This means Shakespeare is likely to come out on top of any speculations about vocabulary size simply because he has an exceptionally large surviving body of work.</p> <p>A few researchers have used other methods to make better guesses (they are always guesses, as you can’t count the words in somebody’s mind). For example, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sq/article-abstract/62/1/53/5064657?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hugh Craig</a>, a Shakespearean scholar who has pioneered the use of computers for analysing language in literature, looked at the average number of different words used across samples of writings of the same length. He found that, relative to his contemporaries, the average frequency with which different words appear in Shakespeare’s work is distinctly … average.</p> <h2>4. Shakespeare has universal meaning</h2> <p>Sure, some themes or aspects of the human condition are universal, but let’s not get carried away and say that his language is universal. The mantra of the historical linguist is that all language changes – and Shakespeare isn’t exempt.</p> <p>Changes can be subtle and easily missed. Take the word “time” – surely a universal word denoting a universal concept? Well, no.</p> <p>For each word in Shakespeare, we used computers to identify the other words they associate with, and those associations reveal the meanings of words.</p> <p>“Time”, for instance, often occurs with “day” or “night” (for example, from Hamlet: “What art thou that usurp'st this time of night”). This reflects the understanding of time in the early modern world (roughly, 1450-1750), which was more closely linked to the cycles of the moon and sun, and thus the broader forces of the cosmos.</p> <p>In contrast, today, associated words like “waste”, “consume” and “spend” suggest that time is more frequently thought of as a precious resource under human control.</p> <h2>5. Shakespeare didn’t know much Latin</h2> <p>The myths above are popular myths, spread by academics and non-academics alike (which is why they are easy to find on the internet). Myths can be more restricted.</p> <p>Within some theatrical circles, the idea that Shakespeare didn’t know much Latin emerged. Indeed, the contemporary playwright Ben Jonson famously wrote that Shakespeare had “small Latin, and less Greek”. Shakespeare lacked a university education. University-educated, jealous, snooty playwrights might have been keen to take him down a peg.</p> <p>Working with the Latin scholar <a href="https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/english/staff/caterina-guardamagna/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caterina Guardamagna</a>, we found that Shakespeare used 245 different Latin words, whereas in a matching set of plays by other playwrights there were just 28 – the opposite of what the myth dictates.</p> <p>That Shakespeare used so much Latin without a university education makes his achievement in using it all the greater.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-myths-about-shakespeares-contribution-to-the-english-language-189402" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </strong></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

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What your dog’s facial expressions really mean

<p><strong>This is what your dog’s body language really means</strong></p> <p>Whether they’re running and playing at the dog park or giving a warning growl, dogs seem like they’re pretty good at communicating with one another, but what do your dog’s facial expressions really mean? Over thousands of years of living with humans, dogs have developed a range of facial expressions, and they’ve become pretty good at communicating with us too.</p> <p>We have a way to go before dog-to-human interaction is fluent in both directions, but fortunately, there are experts out there who have dedicated their lives to figuring out dog body language and dog expressions. It turns out, there’s a big difference between how your dog talks to other dogs and how it talks to you. Some studies even show that dogs prefer happy human faces to angry ones, so maybe they really do know what we’re thinking!</p> <p><strong>Making eye contact</strong></p> <p>A perfect example of the dichotomy between dog-to-dog and dog-to-human facial expressions is eye contact. Between dogs, eye contact signals aggression, according to dog sitting site Wag. Between humans, eye contact is an integral part of communication. We reward eye contact from other humans as well as dogs. After humans domesticated them, dogs developed an array of facial expressions. They also acquired the ability to use their gaze to win approval from and show love for their humans.</p> <p><strong>Breaking eye contact</strong></p> <p>Understanding what your dog’s facial expressions really mean also involves knowing what it means when your pooch breaks eye contact. When dogs stare at each other, they’re engaging in a power struggle that won’t end until one or the other breaks the gaze – and a fight could break out. With humans, dogs are perfectly comfortable breaking eye contact, and in no way is it a prelude to trouble. Rather, it indicates a comfortable rapport between a dog and its person.</p> <p><strong>Blinking or squinting during eye contact</strong></p> <p>If a dog blinks while making eye contact with you, it may be contemplating what you’re thinking, according to veterinarian Danielle Bernal. This dog expression might show up if you’ve just given a command. The same is true of squinting during eye contact, says Michael Schoeff, the proprietor of Premier Pups. “I’d read it as a sign of appeasement,” he says. “And that’s a good thing. Your dog lives to appease his human.”</p> <p><strong>Squinting or blinking in general</strong></p> <p>You’ve probably wondered why your dog makes weird faces. It could be because something is wrong. Squinting and repetitive blinking can mean something entirely different when a dog is not looking into your eyes, Schoeff explains. Squinting can signal pain or illness, and rapid blinking can indicate stress or fear.</p> <p>Fun fact: When a dog opens its eyes wide at another dog, it can signal aggression.</p> <p><strong>Eyebrow-raising</strong></p> <p>When your dog raises one eyebrow – or both – while making eye contact, it’s a sign of alertness and interest, says Schoeff. Here’s an opportunity for you to engage with your pup, maybe teach it a new trick. Do dogs mimic facial expressions? Try giving them the old eyebrow wiggle and see what happens!</p> <p><strong>Avoiding eye contact</strong></p> <p>A dog who avoids eye contact is likely having trust issues. “Dogs are aware that eye contact with humans signals trust and comfort,” Schoeff explains. A dog that avoids eye contact with humans is doing his best to avoid any kind of interaction, whether negative or positive. This can be common in rescue dogs, especially those who have had a tough life before finding their forever homes.</p> <p><strong>Tilting its head</strong></p> <p>That adorable head tilt? It’s exactly what it looks like, according to Schoeff: It means your dog is curious.</p> <p><strong>Lowering its head</strong></p> <p>When your dog lowers or bows its head while gazing up at you, it’s an act of submission, explains Schoeff. It’s not all that different from blinking or squinting during eye contact.</p> <p><strong>Flattening its ears</strong></p> <p>Watch it: This isn’t a good sign. If you see a dog pulling both ears tight against his head, it could be a sign of aggression or of fear. Alternatively, it could be a sign your dog has an ear infection, says Schoeff.</p> <p><strong>Yawning</strong></p> <p>Yes, a yawn could indicate tiredness, Bernal says. But it can also be associated with moments of stress, so look for context clues to figure out what your dog’s facial expressions really mean.</p> <p><strong>Lip-licking</strong></p> <p>A dog that’s licking its lips can be communicating a desire to submit to its human, Bernal tells us. Or it could indicate anxiety or dehydration, depending on the context. If nothing anxiety-provoking is happening at the moment, consider it a positive form of doggie communication – and make sure your pal’s water bowl is full!</p> <p><strong>Smiling or grinning</strong></p> <p>Yes, dogs smile, although it doesn’t necessarily signify happiness, contentment or agreement. When a dog lifts its lips to show its canine teeth and incisors, it’s a sign of excitement, says Bernal. This makes sense when you consider that pups tend to smile while out on walks or romping with pals at the dog park. A grinning dog face could also be a sign of submissiveness, but that’s usually when a dog is signalling to other dogs, not humans.</p> <p><strong>Nose wrinkling</strong></p> <p>You don’t need a dog expressions’ chart or canine behavioural specialist to recognise when your dog’s smile is more of a snarl, says Bernal. When your dog pulls its lips up vertically to display its front teeth while also wrinkling its muzzle, it’s angry – especially when it raises its ears up and stares steadily. There’s a good chance a growl is coming, and you’ll need to de-escalate the situation.</p> <p><strong>Grimacing</strong></p> <p>In humans, we understand the difference between a smile and a grimace. The same applies to dogs. When your dog draws its lips back horizontally so that you can see all its teeth, it indicates discomfort or fear, Bernal explains. This becomes even more obvious when it’s accompanied by ear-flattening.</p> <p><strong>When in doubt, consider Fido’s body language</strong></p> <p>Doggy facial expressions should be read in context, says Russell Hartstein, a certified dog and cat behaviourist and trainer. For example, a smile might indicate fear or aggression if the dog’s ears are flat or it’s growling or whimpering. But a smile on a relaxed and wiggly dog signals that all is good.</p> <p><em><span id="docs-internal-guid-7c0ce358-7fff-9d25-2000-1adfb5f71082">Written by Lauren Cahn. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/pets/what-your-dogs-facial-expressions-really-mean" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a></span></em></p>

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An Indigenous language could help humans and AI communicate

<p dir="ltr">One of the most challenging problems impeding humans from communicating with Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems could have a unique solution: a language spoken by Indigenous Australians in the NT.</p> <p dir="ltr">Researchers at the University of New South Wales have published a paper explaining how Jingulu - a language spoken by the Jingili people - could be translated directly into commands that both AI and humans can understand.</p> <p dir="ltr">The study, published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2022.944064" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Frontiers in Physics</a></em>, details how Professor Abbass worked with linguistics expert Associate Professor Eleni Petraki and Dr Robert Hunjet, a member of the Defence Science and Technology Group to create JSwarm, a language inspired by Jingulu.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jingulu uses just three verbs - come, go and do - which also means that the amount of computational power needed to understand the commands is low. </p> <p dir="ltr">“For us, Jingulu is a dream that came true,” Professor Hussein Abbass, the study’s first author, said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A language that can translate straight into AI commands; a human language that humans can understand; an efficient language in its syntax that reduces computational cost; a language where we can change the context of use without changing its syntax to allow us to transfer the AI between different domains with ease; and a language that is born and used in Australia to support research and innovation that are born and used in Australia.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Professor Abbass works with swarm systems of AI, where groups of robots work together to perform tasks and solve complex problems in a system that draws inspiration from how small numbers of sheepdogs can control large flocks of sheep.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This problem is all about movements in different information and knowledge spaces, including the physical spaces,” Professor Abbass said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“These movements are represented mathematically as elements that get attracted to each other or repulse from each other. For a long time, I have been looking at how we can design the languages used at the interface between the swarm and humans.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Having previously investigated systems that rely on gestures, direct commands, and even music, Professor Abbass said these systems all had their challenges.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They either had a richer language than what we needed or did not map exactly to the mathematics we use for guidance and control,” Dr Abbass said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This all changed one day when, out of curiosity, I was searching on Google for studies that looked at the syntax of Aboriginal languages.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I encountered a PhD thesis about Jingulu, I started reading it then it did not take much time before it clicked in my head; this language would be perfect for my artificial intelligence-enabled swarm guidance work.”</p> <p dir="ltr">This isn’t the first time Indigenous languages have been applied to interesting problems either, with applications dating back to World War II.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Aboriginal people have a long history of contributions to the defence of Australia,” Professor Abbass said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“During the Second World War their languages were used for secret communications. Today we are discovering that the wealth and richness of the Aboriginal languages and culture could hold the secret in human-AI interaction.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-f939bc00-7fff-1d15-1260-dd99f6eb4720"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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The must-know Google Translate hack for your next holiday

<p dir="ltr">When travelling overseas, one thing we can often run into is an issue with the language barrier. </p> <p dir="ltr">Whether it's chatting to someone in a store or trying to decipher street signs and menus, when exploring international locations, it's important to be prepared to communicate. </p> <p dir="ltr">One savvy traveller has shared a must-know tip for your next trip abroad, which will get you out of sticky situations. </p> <p dir="ltr">When Nguyen was travelling in Turkey, she found herself stumped when trying to order off a menu written in a language she didn’t speak. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, she discovered that if you open the Google Translate app and point the camera at the foreign text, it will instantly translate it to English. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Literally, it translates everything within seconds. How sick is that?" she said. </p> <p dir="ltr">The feature automatically detects the language shown on camera and immediately translates it to the user's preferred language. </p> <p dir="ltr">The camera can currently interpret over 85 language scripts and can translate into any of the languages supported on Google Translate, which can be downloaded on both iPhone and Android devices.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You guys need to get onto this and thank me later," said Nguyen.</p> <p dir="ltr">While Nguyen found the tech an illuminating discovery, her TikTok video was flooded by users saying they had been using the app for their international travels for years, with the camera feature being available to the public since at least 2018.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I'm 71 and feel good today, been using this for years," said one.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another commented, "Welcome to 2022 you're years late!"</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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