Finally read this incredible book - Chai time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran. www.sbs.com.au/audio/podcas...

In academia, we spend a lot of time applying for things... it seems like constantly, sometimes. So this makes this award very special - I had no idea I was being nominated, and had no expectation that I'd win it. A really touching surprise all round 🩷

So I'm just back from two weeks in Belgium and it was so (good) busy I didn't have time to post, so I'm belatedly beginning with something I brought back home. I'm calling it "for science".

So great to celebrate with Rukiya at her PhD graduation on Tuesday. My first PhD supervision, and as principal supervisor, and a really wonderful experience all round 🤗

My kid just hole punched this cute paper flower which seemed on theme

Today I introduced the White Australia Policy and its dictation test to primary school students (aged 8 to 13). They had to attempt a real dictation test. The verdict: way too hard. The way it was used: totally unfair. #HarmonyWeek

Food part two today: get yourself a 9 year old kid who's been wanting to make pickled octopus for ages. "This is the best day ever". (I did nothing other than take this photo)

Today, the figs became this.

Got some figs today, which I rarely ever have and they sparked two very different travel memories. The first, 2014, in a small town in the Turkish-Syrian border, where we were fed a full delicious bowl of them. Second, in Belgium in 2023, from my colleague's tree -hadn't expected them to grow there!

Meet my friend wilderness.org.au/sugar-gliders

The little Greek dictionary I bought about 20 years ago in my undergrad languages degree is finally paying off (9 year old decided he wants to write a book/ create a Greek myth) 😅

Weekend beach holiday is complete with some local language learning (10/10 to the holiday house owner 🥰🤩)

Another angle. Strong trees!

I saw some epic stag horns on the weekend. #Langsky I'd love to know what these are called in other languages (the plants growing on the trees)

From what I understand, the closest meaning would be just recompense for good or bad deeds. Great rice nonetheless!

Interestingly the definition of جزاء used by the brand seems to require a certain amount of poetic licence...

Love a creative language-related label! Here, the brand logo features the Arabic word جزاء combined with its transliteration jazaa with the j and ز one letter

I found them on instagram! Plot twist: they seem to enjoy travelling to Mexico.

And first book of the new year is by another wonderful Australian author, Michelle de Kretser. Can't put this one down. www.theguardian.com/books/austra...

Thanks, Australian government. Now we're all expected to deliver our ID to random companies on the internet for safe keeping.

Also, because I've had the.. pleasure... of going through Australian borders a couple of times recently, let's re-up this one from a great project with Ingrid Piller (@languageonthemove.bsky.social) and @htorsh.bsky.social bsky.app/profile/laur... On the Border Security tv show 📸from recent travels

At PAFLL's first biennial conference Prof Rachelle @lerache.bsky.social shared her latest research, with cross-disciplinary colleagues, observing court hearings involving Indigenous people. Court rules require proceedings to be in English, even if all participants share another L1.

Not exactly language, but an interesting story behind the Christmas decorations currently going up in the Town Hall/ local government in Malaybalay City. This year the theme/ goal is to incorporate local products throughout the displays. Christmas tree is made of colourful woven fans and straw hats

Know where your entry fee is going. Full transparency on display here..

Visiting a Benedictine monastery, seeing an amazing collection of art and vestments, incorporating Indigenous fabrics and styles. I was trying to figure out what the Arabic text read, before being informed it was the script of a local language

Speaking of Spanish, check out this caution sign at the domestic airport terminal in Manila

Meanwhile, outside the Indigenous Women Weavers Cooperative in Malaybalay city, we noticed Spanish dominating the linguistic landscape

A tour around various lovely places in Bukidnon brought us some more interesting things in the linguistic landscape, like this set of rules, communicated in three different ways

But just metres away, this cool wall display... 🤗

University linguistic landscape, featuring some language policy/ policing....