Some nifty science and language related miscellany for you today, some of which I’ve been hanging onto for a while.
Apparently, stalling techniques — the “ums” and “ahs” we spit out when we’re trying to think of a word — may in fact help children learn. I will try not to let this . . . . uh . . . [Via io9]
Also, a professor at the University of Minnesota has devoted his career to uncovering the etymology of some of the most obscure words in the English language. He’s a latter-day James Murray. Has anyone ever written a novel about lexicography? Because the passions are high in this line of work, and there are even some famous faces. I bet there’s a good story to be told. Probably by someone other than me.
And lastly, although I’m kind of loath to pass this information on: it seems that texting actually improves children’s spelling.
5 Things:
In bed.
Encouragement.
Daph.
David Krumholtz’s adorably floppy hair.
Roses.
Hour of Gold 
I think that if it hadn’t been for AOL Instant Messenger, I would never have learned to type. We had typing lessons in middle school, and I was terrible at them until I started chatting. Pretty much instantaneously, I could touch-type incredibly quickly, and it’s a skill that has been massively valuable to me ever since.
Not exactly the same as increased literacy, but I do think that exposure to words of any kind, even in a magazine or online, is a good thing. Not sure quite where I fall on the “vow to read the printed word” scale (maybe another talk for another time?), but these issues are interesting to me, and obviously pertinent to us both.
PS – Go check the C&R dashboard!
Interesting about AIM and your typing skills. I bet it probably increased the speed of many people of our generation’s keystrokes. And, yeah, you’re right: words are words, no matter where what media they’re in.
And in case I haven’t mentioned it enough, C&R 10 is gorgeous and I love it.