Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Any other procrastinators out there?

I've spent the last half hour muddling my way through the Linguist List's "game without rules". Most of the levels are easy for linguists, because they are often things we've given our intro classes ourselves (or used at our dept trivia nights).

But I'm stuck on level 14.

I'm sure the answer should be cranberry, but obviously it isn't, because that doesn't work. But because I am so sure it should be cranberry, my brain is refusing to come up with any other possibilities. How many synonyms are there for "crayon", anyway, dammit?

I was feeling guilty about wasting time playing this game, especially when I turned around and saw one of my supervisors standing in my doorway, watching me play. But while I sat there blushing, he asked, "What level are you up to? I've just finished level eight." So I'm not alone.

But if anyone knows the answer to level 14, please send me an email. (I promise I'll only read it if I still haven't worked it out for myself by tomorrow).

6 Comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm already stuck. Am only on level 3. Poo.

StyleyGeek said...

I worked it out without help. The answer sucked, though, because something I thought was just a clue was part of the answer.

Clair -- if you want a hint, let me know. Level three is one of the harder ones. It's a lot easier from there on in.

Unknown said...

I want a hint for three!

StyleyGeek said...

I've emailed you a hint, shrinky.

Anonymous said...

Can I have a hint of three please? Pretty please? With a cherry on top?

StyleyGeek said...

Read the wikipedia page on phonology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonology. Alternatively, open any introductory linguistics textbook to the phonology section and you'll find the term you need somewhere near the beginning.

This level is tricky, because it expects you to know a specific piece of terminology taught in linguistics, but almost unknown outside of it.

I'm now completely baffled by level 17