Language Hat has a good post talking about Robin J. Sowards' essay in The Minnesota Review encouraging literary critics to study linguistics. The Hat applauds, of course, though with reservations. Best part: he calls Chomsky the Dark Lord of Linguistics.

As a bonus, he throws in an aside on Slovak cursing.

[via Language Hat via Language Log via The Minnesota Review]

Labels: cursing, Language Hat, Language Log, linguistics, Noam Chomsky, The Minnesota Review

Maledicta, "The International Journal of Verbal Aggression," has been in print on and off since 1977. Published by Reinhold Aman (whose interest in abusive language is more than just academic: he spent a year in the federal pen for sending his ex-wife threatening postcards), it's a strange little artifact that might appeal to connoisseurs of foul language and/or wingnut ranters.

And Aman does seem like a true crank. He's an ex-con with a Ph.D. in medieval German literature who publishes a journal--by turns scholarly and juvenile--on cussing. He consistently refers to his former employer, the University of Wisconsin, as "Dungheap U." He put his time in the clink to use writing a book on prison argot in the form of a Herzog-style letter to Hillary Clinton.

He's hung up on the Clintons. He attacks them repeatedly, though he's not too particular about his sources. Or source, since most of his quotes come from one person, the thoroughly discredited Larry Patterson.

So, you've been forwarned: he's not the most savory character. But Maledicta has serious freak value, and there's some good linguistic bits sprinkled throughout.

Labels: cursing, Hillary Clinton, Maledicta, Rheinhold Aman, wingnut