Around the Web: Language, Paper, and Bookstores
Hello again, friends! It’s Friday once more and that means it’s time for me to share some of my favourite pieces of content I found around the web this week.
This week I read a few articles on language that I think you might find interesting as well as some news about book stores and paper supplies. So, word nerds and bibliophiles, you’re gonna like this one.
Doggos and Puppers
It’s no secret that pets are beloved on the internet. If you follow any internet communities in which dogs are a subject, you’ve likely seen words like “doggo,” “pupper” and “fluffer.” These words are all part of “DoggoLingo” or “doggo-speak,” a language trend formed around the love of dogs. NPR has the details of this trend, including its history and current use. Check it out if you’re interested in language or dogs.
Depression and Language Use
Computerized text analysis has allowed scientists to analyze the relationship between depression and language. You might think that depression would cause people to use more negative emotion adjectives like “sad” or “miserable.” But the findings from a new study show that “those with symptoms of depression use significantly more first person singular pronouns” than second and third person pronouns. Understanding the language of depression helps us understand how depression makes people think. Learn more about this study and language analysis in The Conversation.
The Paper Problem
Remember when people thought e-books would be the end of printed books? Well, that hasn’t happened yet, but print publishing is facing a potential problem: paper. Closures of paper mills, deprioritization of book paper, and tariff concerns have publishers worried about the availability of paper for print books. This could mean you might have trouble finding popular books or high book prices in the future. Book Riot has more details.
Indie Bookstores Doing Well
Here’s some good news for those of us who find our happy place among rows of book shelves: small bookstores are booming, according to CBS. The American Booksellers Association says the number of independent dropped 40 percent during the mid-90s and 2009. But some new stores have started to open and sales are up, thanks to the localism movement.
What have you been reading this week? I’d love to know. Share links in the comments!