well, it amused me

I mentioned to a non-linguist the other day that I was going to a meeting of the Linguistic Circle.

This is in fact Edinburgh’s research group for local and visiting academic linguists, but my friend innocently inquired, “Linguistic Circle? Is that a bit like circle time?”

I suddenly got this amazing image of the LEL staff members sitting round cross-legged on little mats, while Geoff Pullum read aloud James and the Giant Peach, and then we all had a little time for reflection to share our personal feelings about the things that were important to us.

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