34.2616, FYI: New Mobile App Release: Word Ladders from ABSTRACTION Project

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-34-2616. Mon Sep 04 2023. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 34.2616, FYI: New Mobile App Release: Word Ladders from ABSTRACTION Project

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Date: 30-Aug-2023
From: Marianna Bolognesi [m.bolognesi at unibo.it]
Subject: New Mobile App Release: Word Ladders from ABSTRACTION Project


Dear colleagues,

I am reaching out to share information about an application that has
been under development over the past year as part of the ABSTRACTION
project (ERC-2021-STG-101039777). The application, known as Word
Ladders, is now available for download on mobile devices and is owned
by the University of Bologna.

For Android users: Download from Google Play --> https://play.google.c
om/store/apps/details?id=it.synesthesia.abstraction&pli=1
For Apple users: Download from the App Store -->
https://apps.apple.com/it/app/word-ladders/id6448751602

Word Ladders presents a linguistic game where players construct chains
of words, stemming from a given word. The aim is to make these ladders
longer, by adding broader terms as you advance upwards (for instance,
moving from "CAT" to "FELINE," "MAMMAL," "ANIMAL," etc.), and more
specific and precise terms as you descend (like "PERSIAN"). Beware:
not all words are that easy!

This game serves as a valuable tool for data collection within the
ABSTRACTION project. Our primary interest is in examining how the
depth of our mental lexicon and the specificity of words are
influenced by factors such as age, reading habits, education, and
profession. Moreover, we will investigate how word specificity varies
in different types of text, and how it correlates with texts’ clarity
and informativity.

For players, Word Ladders offers a chance to interact with language
while also nurturing an active vocabulary. It challenges players to
recall words that may not be part of everyday language due to their
high specificity or extreme generality.

We encourage you to download and explore the application at your
convenience, and you're welcome to share it with others if you wish.
The app caters to both individual gameplay and the option to engage
friends and colleagues in the creation of word chains from a shared
starting point. The general leaderboard already features participation
from almost a hundred users!

Rest assured, the application aligns with the stringent European data
protection regulations, and comprehensive information about privacy,
terms of use, and the research's purpose can be found within the app.

Word has been made possible through funding from the European Research
Council. We are also excited to mention that the development has been
carried out in collaboration with the gaming studio Synesthesia.

Lastly, I want to extend my gratitude for taking the time to read this
message.
Best regards,
Marianna Bolognesi and the ABSTRACTION team
https://www.abstractionproject.eu/

Linguistic Field(s): Applied Linguistics
                     Cognitive Science
                     Computational Linguistics
                     Language Acquisition
                     Lexicography
                     Philosophy of Language
                     Psycholinguistics
                     Semantics
                     Writing Systems

Subject Language(s): English (eng)
                     Italian (ita)




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