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    Stephen Fry Kinetic Typography - Language

    Built By Matt

    4 HN recommenders · recommended in 10 months, 2012–2025

    YouTube

    6:34 · 3M views · Sep 30, 2010

    A kinetic typography animation set to Stephen Fry's spoken essay on language. Fry argues against grammar pedantry and for the way language evolves, including the verbing of nouns.

    HN uses it as the go-to short piece against pedantry and for language change, recommended whenever grammar disputes come up.

    Ideas, Learning & LanguageLanguage & linguisticsGraphic design & typography
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    10 comments from Hacker News

    1. @inlinedAug 2019· in “Flawed Algorithms Are Grading Millions of Students’ Essays”

      > the engines also focus heavily on metrics like sentence length, vocabulary, spelling, and subject-verb agreement... The systems are also unable to judge more nuanced aspects of writing, like creativity. This reminds me of a wonderful essay/speech by Stephen Fry on the harm done by pedantry. I also feel that schools focus so much on a single structure of essay writing and similarly take the joy out of language. this video

      Strongly recommendsView on HN
    2. @sethammonsApr 2022· in “Researchers home in on possible “day zero” for Antikythera mechanism”

      > let them dumb down a language If you've not seen it, I highly encourage this 6 minute take by Stephen Fry on Language: this video And besides, while you may be honing a blade or skill, my Homing Pigeon is homing in on home.

      Strongly recommendsView on HN
    3. @sethammonsMar 2021· in “Write libraries instead of services, where possible”

      Take ~6min to watch Stephen Fry Kinetic Typography - Language. It is my favorite take on changes in English and addresses verbing of nouns directly. this video

      Strongly recommendsView on HN
    4. @skeuomorfAug 2015· in “How to Fold a Julia Fractal”

      That was kinda my point, I was not nitpicking -relative OP's- grammatical usage, I just thought it was convenient to refer to the author in a more specific manner since his details were obvious. I had no idea whether their -relative OP- :) intention was to use "their" in a singular or plural manner. Heck, one of my favorite Stephen Fry videos [0] talks exactly about this! Also, the videos you referenced are great :) [0] this video

      RecommendsView on HN
    5. @Arkhaine_kupoAug 2022· in “The Age of Distracti-Pression”

      While I tend to whinge at that kind of writing, I at the same time remind myself that Stephen Fry had a beauitful essay about how to use language, and how we can be wildly innovative with it. At the end of the day Shakespeare was the first to table a meeting and that must have sounded novel and too out there back then. Not everything will age well, but I would rather we try new things. this video

      RecommendsView on HN