One of the stickiest problems in education is the issue of language and dialect. Schools tend to teach kids a variety of English that is used by the middle and upper classes. This can alienate kids from poorer backgrounds - why do we need the learn the language of the oppressor?

Basil Bernstein's work says: because if you want to explain new ideas, you need a different style of language ("elaborated code") than the day-to-day vernacular ("restricted code"). "Restricted/condensed code is therefore great for shared, established and static meanings (and values): but if you want to break out to say something new, particularly something which questions the received wisdom, you are going to have to use an elaborated code."

2/12/2014 Update: interesting take on the cultural functions of the restricted code. Also points out that Bernstein's later work became more specific about how language reproduces the division of labor.

Anna asked about this and I couldn't come up with enough in real time. I've done this before.

• Key, e.g. "key drivers of profitability". Accused of: vagueness. Usually used as a synonym for "most important", but even that's too vague. Important why? Are they statistically most predictive? Are they the drivers most important for you to act on in the long term? Or just the most important for purposes of today's discussion?
• Choiceful. For fuck's sake.
• Drill down, e.g. "drill down to the key drivers of profitability." Nothing inherently wrong with it, I'm just sick of hearing it.

*I don't mean to sound contemptuous. I've used all of these, even choiceful. It's all love. Love and tireless self-criticism in the service of the revolution.

"'Political jokes weren't a form of active resistance but valves for pent-up public anger.'" And the understanding that inspired such humor makes the inaction that accompanied it all the more unforgiveable: "...the country wasn't possessed by 'evil spirits' nor was it hypnotised by the Nazis' brilliant propaganda, he says. Hypnotized people don't crack jokes."

Before you make the understandable misinterpretation, I think the Daily Show et al provide a valuable service in exposing the vapidity of current political discourse. But if it's a narcotic (it is) let it be an amphetamine, not an anaesthetic.

Lexical and semantic tools applied to words. "Search for words that are (connected to, part of, rhyme with, synonymous with, etc) this word."

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Blog on data visualization and data visualization art.