Stephen Chrisomalis
@schrisomalis.bsky.social
Linguistic anthropologist, Wayne State University. Numbers, cognition, writing and literacy, mathematics. Left, 🇨🇦, he/him. https://glossographia.com/ https://phrontistery.info
Pinned
Reckonings
Insights from the history of numerical notation suggest that how humans write numbers is an active choice involving cognitive and social factors.Over the pas...
mitpress.mit.edu
Hey folks, good to see new people here! I mostly post academic stuff. I do research on numbers as cultural and cognitive things. mitpress.mit.edu/978026204463...
But for those of you less book-inclined, let me point you to some podcasts I've featured on, by some amazing Bluesky folks: 1/
But for those of you less book-inclined, let me point you to some podcasts I've featured on, by some amazing Bluesky folks: 1/
Reposted by Stephen Chrisomalis
Quick, now: which is bigger, 25234991 or 25234?
Next: which is bigger, MMI or DCCCLXIV?
Some numerical notations' conciseness indexes their magnitude well, some less so. But how does that matter cross-culturally for their adoption and retention? Check it out @pnas.org:
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Next: which is bigger, MMI or DCCCLXIV?
Some numerical notations' conciseness indexes their magnitude well, some less so. But how does that matter cross-culturally for their adoption and retention? Check it out @pnas.org:
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Gradience as a cognitive principle for evaluating numerical notations | PNAS
More than 100 historically, archaeologically and ethnographically attested numerical
notations have been used over the past 5,000 y; however, becau...
www.pnas.org
February 17, 2026 at 6:11 PM
Quick, now: which is bigger, 25234991 or 25234?
Next: which is bigger, MMI or DCCCLXIV?
Some numerical notations' conciseness indexes their magnitude well, some less so. But how does that matter cross-culturally for their adoption and retention? Check it out @pnas.org:
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Next: which is bigger, MMI or DCCCLXIV?
Some numerical notations' conciseness indexes their magnitude well, some less so. But how does that matter cross-culturally for their adoption and retention? Check it out @pnas.org:
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Stephen Chrisomalis
BREAKING: The Department of Education has ended its directive that attempted to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in schools nationwide.
This is a victory for academic freedom and education equity.
This is a victory for academic freedom and education equity.
February 18, 2026 at 5:39 PM
BREAKING: The Department of Education has ended its directive that attempted to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in schools nationwide.
This is a victory for academic freedom and education equity.
This is a victory for academic freedom and education equity.
Reposted by Stephen Chrisomalis
I just did the dumbest thing of my entire career to prove a much more serious point.
I tricked ChatGPT and Google, and made them tell other users I’m a competitive hot-dog-eating world champion
People are using this trick on a massive scale to make AI tell you lies. I’ll explain how I did it
I tricked ChatGPT and Google, and made them tell other users I’m a competitive hot-dog-eating world champion
People are using this trick on a massive scale to make AI tell you lies. I’ll explain how I did it
February 18, 2026 at 4:37 PM
I just did the dumbest thing of my entire career to prove a much more serious point.
I tricked ChatGPT and Google, and made them tell other users I’m a competitive hot-dog-eating world champion
People are using this trick on a massive scale to make AI tell you lies. I’ll explain how I did it
I tricked ChatGPT and Google, and made them tell other users I’m a competitive hot-dog-eating world champion
People are using this trick on a massive scale to make AI tell you lies. I’ll explain how I did it
Quick, now: which is bigger, 25234991 or 25234?
Next: which is bigger, MMI or DCCCLXIV?
Some numerical notations' conciseness indexes their magnitude well, some less so. But how does that matter cross-culturally for their adoption and retention? Check it out @pnas.org:
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Next: which is bigger, MMI or DCCCLXIV?
Some numerical notations' conciseness indexes their magnitude well, some less so. But how does that matter cross-culturally for their adoption and retention? Check it out @pnas.org:
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Gradience as a cognitive principle for evaluating numerical notations | PNAS
More than 100 historically, archaeologically and ethnographically attested numerical
notations have been used over the past 5,000 y; however, becau...
www.pnas.org
February 17, 2026 at 6:11 PM
Quick, now: which is bigger, 25234991 or 25234?
Next: which is bigger, MMI or DCCCLXIV?
Some numerical notations' conciseness indexes their magnitude well, some less so. But how does that matter cross-culturally for their adoption and retention? Check it out @pnas.org:
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Next: which is bigger, MMI or DCCCLXIV?
Some numerical notations' conciseness indexes their magnitude well, some less so. But how does that matter cross-culturally for their adoption and retention? Check it out @pnas.org:
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Stephen Chrisomalis
"Almost paradoxically, Sequoyah’s numerals could not succeed because they had not yet succeeded, and came into existence in a social context where a prestigious, common notation had been adopted almost universally."
Sequoyah and the Almost-Forgotten History of Cherokee Numerals
The story of a numerical system nearly consigned to oblivion.
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
February 15, 2026 at 4:05 PM
"Almost paradoxically, Sequoyah’s numerals could not succeed because they had not yet succeeded, and came into existence in a social context where a prestigious, common notation had been adopted almost universally."
Reposted by Stephen Chrisomalis
OK, it finally happened! My new article, "Gradience as a cognitive principle for evaluating numerical notations", is now out today in @pnas.org. By focusing on numerals' use for communication instead of arithmetic, we have a new tool to assess their efficiency.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Gradience as a cognitive principle for evaluating numerical notations | PNAS
More than 100 historically, archaeologically and ethnographically attested numerical
notations have been used over the past 5,000 y; however, becau...
www.pnas.org
February 13, 2026 at 7:19 PM
OK, it finally happened! My new article, "Gradience as a cognitive principle for evaluating numerical notations", is now out today in @pnas.org. By focusing on numerals' use for communication instead of arithmetic, we have a new tool to assess their efficiency.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Speaking as a longtime DGS who has sent out hundreds of grad school acceptances over the years, and thus at least as many rejections, sending those good letters is the best part of this role, and sending the rejections sucks but is 100% necessary. And it's trite, but usually, it isn't about you.
February 16, 2026 at 4:17 PM
Speaking as a longtime DGS who has sent out hundreds of grad school acceptances over the years, and thus at least as many rejections, sending those good letters is the best part of this role, and sending the rejections sucks but is 100% necessary. And it's trite, but usually, it isn't about you.
Just sent out all the acceptance emails to our new MA and PhD cohort. I'm probably more anxious than they are. Mainly that I didn't screw it up and send someone the wrong message.
February 16, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Just sent out all the acceptance emails to our new MA and PhD cohort. I'm probably more anxious than they are. Mainly that I didn't screw it up and send someone the wrong message.
I continue to think that sociohistorical factors matter more than cognitive ones for the evolution of numerical notations. But if there is a key cognitive factor, gradience is the most plausible one, because it relies on capacities that underpin numerical cognition generally.
OK, it finally happened! My new article, "Gradience as a cognitive principle for evaluating numerical notations", is now out today in @pnas.org. By focusing on numerals' use for communication instead of arithmetic, we have a new tool to assess their efficiency.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Gradience as a cognitive principle for evaluating numerical notations | PNAS
More than 100 historically, archaeologically and ethnographically attested numerical
notations have been used over the past 5,000 y; however, becau...
www.pnas.org
February 14, 2026 at 10:50 PM
I continue to think that sociohistorical factors matter more than cognitive ones for the evolution of numerical notations. But if there is a key cognitive factor, gradience is the most plausible one, because it relies on capacities that underpin numerical cognition generally.
OK, it finally happened! My new article, "Gradience as a cognitive principle for evaluating numerical notations", is now out today in @pnas.org. By focusing on numerals' use for communication instead of arithmetic, we have a new tool to assess their efficiency.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Gradience as a cognitive principle for evaluating numerical notations | PNAS
More than 100 historically, archaeologically and ethnographically attested numerical
notations have been used over the past 5,000 y; however, becau...
www.pnas.org
February 13, 2026 at 7:19 PM
OK, it finally happened! My new article, "Gradience as a cognitive principle for evaluating numerical notations", is now out today in @pnas.org. By focusing on numerals' use for communication instead of arithmetic, we have a new tool to assess their efficiency.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Very cool new article by @urvi.bsky.social, Jessica Sullivan and @drbarner.bsky.social comparing English and Hindi speaking kids' ideas about infinity, showing a subtly more complicated view of how numerical morphological opacity relates to infinity beliefs.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Counting without end: A cross-linguistic exploration of infinity beliefs in English and Hindi learners
Recent studies (Cheung et al., 2017; Chu et al., 2020; Sullivan et al., 2023) argue that children may infer the existence of infinite magnitudes throu…
www.sciencedirect.com
February 11, 2026 at 9:48 PM
Very cool new article by @urvi.bsky.social, Jessica Sullivan and @drbarner.bsky.social comparing English and Hindi speaking kids' ideas about infinity, showing a subtly more complicated view of how numerical morphological opacity relates to infinity beliefs.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Stephen Chrisomalis
Wayne State beat Grand Valley State, 78-77, for the first win over a No. 1-ranked team in program history. It also snapped WSU's 25-game losing streak to rival GVSU.
'No moral victories today': Wayne State women stun No. 1 GVSU for historic win
Wayne State beat Grand Valley State, 78-77, for the first win over a No. 1-ranked team in program history. It also snapped WSU's 25-game losing streak to rival GVSU.
bit.ly
February 8, 2026 at 3:15 AM
Wayne State beat Grand Valley State, 78-77, for the first win over a No. 1-ranked team in program history. It also snapped WSU's 25-game losing streak to rival GVSU.
Worth reading, expands on previously known extent of their relationship. Also a tough read - take it on only when ready.
Newly released files shed new light on Chomsky and Epstein relationship
Latest communications undermine Chomsky’s earlier claims that he primarily had financial dealings with Epstein
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 4:27 AM
Worth reading, expands on previously known extent of their relationship. Also a tough read - take it on only when ready.
Reposted by Stephen Chrisomalis
I definitely need to know about "the moon’s apparent disinterest in our activities". That and recursive acronyms, but at least I know what that paper is about.
That time I found a pile of old NASA research documents in a skip and took them home for a lark.
February 3, 2026 at 4:45 PM
I definitely need to know about "the moon’s apparent disinterest in our activities". That and recursive acronyms, but at least I know what that paper is about.
Reposted by Stephen Chrisomalis
A good call with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark today.
Greenland’s future is for Greenland and Denmark alone to decide. We reaffirmed our commitment to sovereignty and territorial integrity and discussed our ongoing work to strengthen Arctic security.
Greenland’s future is for Greenland and Denmark alone to decide. We reaffirmed our commitment to sovereignty and territorial integrity and discussed our ongoing work to strengthen Arctic security.
February 2, 2026 at 7:45 PM
A good call with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark today.
Greenland’s future is for Greenland and Denmark alone to decide. We reaffirmed our commitment to sovereignty and territorial integrity and discussed our ongoing work to strengthen Arctic security.
Greenland’s future is for Greenland and Denmark alone to decide. We reaffirmed our commitment to sovereignty and territorial integrity and discussed our ongoing work to strengthen Arctic security.
Reposted by Stephen Chrisomalis
The video from this seminar is now online here: youtu.be/vJfhL_5-w-U?...
February 1, 2026 at 9:12 PM
The video from this seminar is now online here: youtu.be/vJfhL_5-w-U?...
Reposted by Stephen Chrisomalis
GELATINOUS CUBE AT A JOB INTERVIEWE
"A keye feature of my managemente style ys a commitment to transparencye"
"A keye feature of my managemente style ys a commitment to transparencye"
January 31, 2026 at 7:35 PM
GELATINOUS CUBE AT A JOB INTERVIEWE
"A keye feature of my managemente style ys a commitment to transparencye"
"A keye feature of my managemente style ys a commitment to transparencye"
Reposted by Stephen Chrisomalis
We're hiring a pre-faculty fellow (3-year postdoc with a clear path to TT) in sociolinguistics at Wayne State, focus on African American, African diaspora, or African linguistics. Tenure home in English but mainly part of our interdisciplinary Linguistics program.
linguistlist.org/issues/37/382/
linguistlist.org/issues/37/382/
LINGUIST List 37.382 Jobs: African Unclassified; Sociolinguistics: Pre-Faculty Fellow in English, Wayne State University
The LINGUIST List, International Linguistics Community Online.
linguistlist.org
January 31, 2026 at 1:23 AM
We're hiring a pre-faculty fellow (3-year postdoc with a clear path to TT) in sociolinguistics at Wayne State, focus on African American, African diaspora, or African linguistics. Tenure home in English but mainly part of our interdisciplinary Linguistics program.
linguistlist.org/issues/37/382/
linguistlist.org/issues/37/382/
Reposted by Stephen Chrisomalis
Another typical higher ed planification document, unsurprisingly based largely on vibes as opposed to data. The kind of stuff to feed the white hot rage of anyone busting their ass to sustain a social science unit in the age of AI and focused disinvestment in the arts, humanities & social sciences.
Leaked consultant's report at Queen's University points to a push to massively downsize the humanities and social sciences as well as the eradication of disciplinary based departments. I wouldn't be surprised if my university has the same consultants.
www.queensjournal.ca/leaked-consu...
www.queensjournal.ca/leaked-consu...
Leaked consultant document details proposed restructuring at Queen’s - The Queen's Journal
As Queen’s unveiled its Bicentennial Vision for 2041, a leaked consultant document obtained by The Journal outlined specific structural changes on a similar timeline. Announced in the Queen’s Gazette ...
www.queensjournal.ca
January 31, 2026 at 2:41 PM
Another typical higher ed planification document, unsurprisingly based largely on vibes as opposed to data. The kind of stuff to feed the white hot rage of anyone busting their ass to sustain a social science unit in the age of AI and focused disinvestment in the arts, humanities & social sciences.
We're hiring a pre-faculty fellow (3-year postdoc with a clear path to TT) in sociolinguistics at Wayne State, focus on African American, African diaspora, or African linguistics. Tenure home in English but mainly part of our interdisciplinary Linguistics program.
linguistlist.org/issues/37/382/
linguistlist.org/issues/37/382/
LINGUIST List 37.382 Jobs: African Unclassified; Sociolinguistics: Pre-Faculty Fellow in English, Wayne State University
The LINGUIST List, International Linguistics Community Online.
linguistlist.org
January 31, 2026 at 1:23 AM
We're hiring a pre-faculty fellow (3-year postdoc with a clear path to TT) in sociolinguistics at Wayne State, focus on African American, African diaspora, or African linguistics. Tenure home in English but mainly part of our interdisciplinary Linguistics program.
linguistlist.org/issues/37/382/
linguistlist.org/issues/37/382/
Bad news: The HVAC system in our department's hallway is making a noise around 60 dB, a consistent hum.
Good (?) news: At least the hum is pitched right to a middle C.
Good (?) news: At least the hum is pitched right to a middle C.
January 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Bad news: The HVAC system in our department's hallway is making a noise around 60 dB, a consistent hum.
Good (?) news: At least the hum is pitched right to a middle C.
Good (?) news: At least the hum is pitched right to a middle C.
Reposted by Stephen Chrisomalis
Join the Finnish Cultural Center and the Wayne State University Humanities Center for a full reading of the Finnish national epic Kalevala on February 28th from 8am-midnight. Register in forms.wayne.edu/6978db31ceaff
#kalevala #finland #folklore
#kalevala #finland #folklore
January 29, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Join the Finnish Cultural Center and the Wayne State University Humanities Center for a full reading of the Finnish national epic Kalevala on February 28th from 8am-midnight. Register in forms.wayne.edu/6978db31ceaff
#kalevala #finland #folklore
#kalevala #finland #folklore
Just had a startling moment when I thought I got an email whose subject line was 'People know you are on Substack' and I was like "No, I'm not" and then "How do they know?"
Turns out the subject line actually read 'People you know are on Substack', which is very different indeed.
Turns out the subject line actually read 'People you know are on Substack', which is very different indeed.
January 29, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Just had a startling moment when I thought I got an email whose subject line was 'People know you are on Substack' and I was like "No, I'm not" and then "How do they know?"
Turns out the subject line actually read 'People you know are on Substack', which is very different indeed.
Turns out the subject line actually read 'People you know are on Substack', which is very different indeed.
Reposted by Stephen Chrisomalis
“Very, very senior” officials in the Trump administration have had secret meetings with far-right Canadian separatists trying to shake the foundations of the country.
Trump Team’s Secret Meetings With Group Plotting to Break Up Canada Exposed
Trump officials have met with activists from the Alberta Prosperity Project, a separatist group that wants independence for its province.
trib.al
January 29, 2026 at 1:16 PM
“Very, very senior” officials in the Trump administration have had secret meetings with far-right Canadian separatists trying to shake the foundations of the country.