What are (linguistic) nothings? ~ Reading comments and studying Saussure together

My last animation about why linguists believe in invisible words was captivating, also confusing. Let me consider your feedback and try once more. Join me and we'll study zeros again.

~ Links mentioned this time ~
Saussure in French:
Saussure in English:

~ Briefly ~
Today we do two things together. First, let's look at the love and confusion expressed in your comments on "Zeros", and let me add a bit of thoughtful commentary. Two, we'll read what Saussure had to say about those unpronounced but meaningful signs we met in "Zeros". All along the way, instead of explaining things to you, I'll animate our study time as we learn and read and think through this together.

~ Credits ~
Art, animation, narration and music by me. Other credits linked in sources document above (relinked here):

[auntiecarol]

For anyone not a linguist— in your first week at university, you will identify, easily, slightly awkward people, sat by themselves, making strange sounds as they work their way though their mental map of the IPA. These are interesting people. Talk to them.

Beautiful animation as always. Doggo is a big plus!

[NativLang]

A good study partner? Did you enjoy this style of video? Next time, something other than nothing(s).

[surreanne]

Hi, I loved the "let's take you by the hand" format. Although I was familiar with the concept of 0 in linguistics (and so, wasn't lost by your first video), I still value your humility and integrity in attempting to simplify and 'go slow'. I look forward to Part 2, just as I look forward to all your uploads. As a French native speaker, I find your French accent really accurate - an impressive feat, you really sound native to me. And your voice is really soothing + your animations just beautiful! Continue being poetic!!! You are a joy to follow and an inspiration.

[atlasaltera]

There's nothing wrong with going in too deep in the esoteric end! I love how humble and responsive you are. Thank you for taking the time to reflect and keep the conversation going.

[AncientAmericas]

I love this channel because you clearly want to help people to learn things that are not always easy to understand and taking the extra time to aid us is a humble and kind gesture that is much appreciated. Can't wait to see where you'll take us next!

[ashenen]

I already grabbed the meaning of zero-marking last time, but thought that "default" form is more often the one with a zero marker. But the example with Paleoslavic (I think Saussure meant Proto-Slavic) it broadened my understanding of zero-marking

[Kleshumara]

You are not “pretentious”, I hate it when this word is used to make smart people feel bad. Also: “complex”, “subtle”, “meditative” and the like are not negative descriptions as far as I’m concerned — and I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling so. Please keep on as you have been.

[flyesenmusic]

As a native Russian speaker I'm aware of the zero ending, and I remember it being mentioned it during the Russian language lessons in school. It's basically the same thing as in the Czech example you've shown: odna žena - mnogo žën (one wife - many wives), odno slovo - mnogo slov (one word - many words). I just accepted that it's a thing: removing a part of some word to add some other meaning to it makes perfect sense to me, especially as a part of case system.

[LeslieTheCaliforniaJewel]

Thank you for mentioning my comment at 2:44.☺️
Your videos are ALWAYS beautifully done and I TRULY thank you for going back to grab those of us who didn’t quite “get it”🥰 and providing links and source. You’re a true teacher to those who desire to learn.♥️

[seanspartan]

Ok, I think I get it now. Example, in Icelandic Hestur means horse with the stem being Hest. But if I see the word Hest with no ending, I know it's in a accusative case because the word is declined Hestur, Hest, Hesti, Hests. So lack of an ending tells me something about how the word is being used.

[racheljensen]

As someone with a BA in linguistics, I loved you last video. Maybe it's because I already have groundwork, but I LOVE when you dive deep. I always assumed this channel was for fans of linguistics (thus those already with basics).

Please also don't change your delivery. It's wonderful as is. Your "poetic style" is so much nicer, more fun, (honestly less boring) then others.

DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING! :D

[MartaRzehorz]

as a czech who did by accident some saussurean linguistics at uni while nobody seems to care much about saussurean stuff, I am once again shook like why are there czech examples in his text, pfff - so I dunno what to say, you did pretty good job with the pronunciation, you deserve headpats, I can give ya minor insight into pronunciation if you wanna - o's being too *tense* - they are more open and less rounded (like mine are almost unrounded/sometimes fully unrounded but that can be just my idiolect) and maybe bit centralized, coda /v/ fully devoices to /f/ but my ears are super not used to lack of final devoicing so I cannot clearly tell if you did or did not do that, and ž's being too (sub)apical ("retroflex") sounding to me, they are not like rz/ż in polish or pinyin r, they are more like vanilla palatoalveolar - oh and I did not find your previous vid confusing

[thekarategirl]

The comment that said "[clearly omitted but relevant superlative]" was a great example for me (non linguist) to grasp the concept
As I /know/ that format and what it means so I kinda grasped the concept

[windsaw]

I never heared about those zero signs until I got a book on Sumerian grammar. In the transliteration of sentences there were zero signs which puzzled me at first until I read that the zero signs indicate the absolutive case. I thought "wow, what a neat trick, it is amazing how much easier it is go grasp the grammatical structure of a sentence".
And that was all I ever thought of it.

[БронгоХролоролобиц]

You are and continue to be my favourite Youtuber especially because of the fact that you dare to venture into places that most people don't even know of. Naturally, I am glad you took the feedback of your community, but I hope above all that you aren't dissuaded now to keep doing your videos in the poetic, well produced, researched and entertaining style you've always done— pretentious as they might seem—. And most importantly I hope you are not dissuaded from venturing into more in-depth topics like the one from last video.
Can't wait for your next one!

[logankennedy]

I absolutely loved the style of your first zero's video even though I didn't understand the concept that was being explained. I am super grateful that you took the time to give examples and break down the concept of linguistic zeros in a more intuitive way! Now I have a better understanding and am able to appreciate your first video more. Your music is amazing in this video again!

[kala_asi]

I'm so used to the mystical poetic storytelling presentation style that this channel has meticulously sculpted over the years that listening to a video being *direct* felt almost unreal

[johnhoelzeman]

Always a pleasure to see your videos pop up on my notifications 😁

[OscarMSmithMusic]

I guess there are still questions about who your audience is on YouTube, and more generally, who edu-tubers are catering for with "explainer" style videos. Of course, your videos are a little more niche than, say, Vox, but I guess the feedback you got suggests that it's not just linguistics nerds watching your videos. There's a balance to be found between catering to a bystanders who would love videos like this one, and the nerds (like you) out there who don't necessarily want to sit through the basics of Czech grammar...
I think what you manage to do beautifully across all your videos, including this one, is communicate complex knowledge primarily dispersed through academic text-based publications through a visual format. As a goal for edu-tubers, I see that as being quite important, rather than simplifying ideas so drastically as to be reductive. It has the benefit of expanding reach beyond the insular communities of academic journal readers. You demonstrate that the medium of video can be used for communicating such ideas as complex as the null/zero marker, and I think the free YouTube world should be a space where that can happen, as one step away from intellectual gatekeeping.

[faenethlorhalien]

From linguist to linguist, let me tell you this: I appreciate your content and the effort you put into it.