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Researchers have analyzed Taylor Swift’s accent in interviews.Credit: Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
Audiologists have seized a rare opportunity to study how a person’s dialect can change over their lifetime by analysing interviews with pop superstar Taylor Swift. Early in her career, when she was living in Nashville, Swift pronounced words with short vowels, a classic feature of a southern US accent. The twang faded as she moved from country into pop music, and the pitch got lower when she moved to New York City. Swift is no different from many other people who adapt their dialect throughout their lives, says linguist Alice Gaby. “The change is not just specific to the location but also how she’s positioning herself.”
Reference: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America paper
Features & opinion
To prompt widespread action on climate change, people need to embrace an emotional response, not just a data-driven one, argues climate scientist Kate Marvel in Human Nature. Through historical examples and personal anecdotes, Marvel explains how anger, fear and grief are powerful forces in demanding action from policymakers, but so too are wonder, love and hope. The book “offers a clear, approachable overview of the field and its broader issues” for both newcomers and seasoned climate scientists, writes demographer Raya Muttarak in her review. “Everyone should read it.”
Ever-more-advanced technologies require ever-more-skilled workers to build them, argues mechanical engineer Roseanne Warren, who teaches micro- and nanofabrication at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. “The university showcases the types of initiative needed to develop people’s skills,” Warren writes, noting its industry–academic partnerships, free clean-room training courses for technicians and support from industry for class fees. But the high cost of such sophisticated programmes means that they often struggle for funding. She recommends that academia, industry and government agencies join forces to fill the ‘skills chasm’.
Evidence has shown that, despite the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to, older people aren’t at a disadvantage when learning a new language, thanks to their lifetimes of accumulated knowledge. Now research shows that, unlike younger adults, people over 60 can succeed regardless of how they are taught, writes applied linguist Karen Roehr-Brackin, who led a study of 80 English-speaking volunteers learning Croatian. “They seem to be sufficiently independent to choose the path that works best for them.”
Reference: Language Teaching Research paper
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Fat Bear Week! The annual face-off between the big, beautiful brown bears of Katmai National Park in Alaska is now on. These burly beasts’ glorious girth will help them survive their winter hibernation. Vote for your favourite chunky cubby here. I also highly recommend spending some time relaxing with the bears on the Brooks Falls live webcam.
Let me know about your favourite healthy, spherical animal — plus any feedback on this newsletter — to [email protected].
Thanks for reading,
Flora Graham, senior editor, Nature Briefing
With contributions by Jacob Smith
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