Seeker of strange correlations, digger of data, language evolver. Video Game Dialogue Corpus: https://correlation-machine.com/VideoGameDialogueCorpus/ Lecturer in Linguistics at Cardiff University https://profiles.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/robertss55https://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.social/post/3mkk6yinyik2aHow did language evolve? We ran some experiments in Minecraft to find out! https://youtu.be/7vgS8s6MhSk?si=5OxEUNgzB0oIcCFQ And link to paper: https://academic.oup.com/jole/article/10/1/lzaf001/832166028 Apr 2026 08:44 +0000at://did:plc:prk6hymxbfaaafuac6zleecp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkk6yinyik2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.social/post/3mcupukmxf22sWe had a great time at #AdventureX in November. You can now watch our our talk on women's dialogue in video games here ... With BSL interpretation! #videogames #linguistics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA--J9d5Qgc20 Jan 2026 17:51 +0000at://did:plc:prk6hymxbfaaafuac6zleecp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcupukmxf22shttps://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.social/post/3m7kz2xrx2s2rLooking for a gift for geeky kids? Check out this fun mission pack - use your STEM skills to fix the Voyager Space Probe! I had a lot of fun working with Collider Cafe on this. https://collidercafe.com/shop/ws-/products/voyager-mission-game09 Dec 2025 16:53 +0000at://did:plc:prk6hymxbfaaafuac6zleecp/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7kz2xrx2s2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.social/post/3m7kp7kuvek2dInteractive #dialogue is a key mechanic in #videogames for giving the player a sense of agency. Can we improve player experiences by taking inspiration from real life conversations? Join our free online workshop for game developers, writers and researchers https://www.eventbrite.com/e/197704100787509 Dec 2025 13:57 +0000at://did:plc:prk6hymxbfaaafuac6zleecp/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7kp7kuvek2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.social/post/3m7hn4npnpk2gCan the way you speak affect your attitude to the future? Cole Robertson and I talk to @becauselanguage.com about our new work showing that, actually, maybe possibly could-sort-of-be-going-to-be definitely yes. https://becauselanguage.com/130-back-to-the-ftr/08 Dec 2025 08:42 +0000at://did:plc:prk6hymxbfaaafuac6zleecp/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7hn4npnpk2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.social/post/3m733w5yeb22vLast month we published a new experiment into how symbolic languages evolved. Today, we've published a follow-up, REVEALING WHAT REALLY HAPPENED. New paper with Kateryna Krykoniuk, Fiona Jordan and @gamemakerstoolkit.com. https://academic.oup.com/jole/article/10/1/lzaf006/836209603 Dec 2025 09:02 +0000at://did:plc:prk6hymxbfaaafuac6zleecp/app.bsky.feed.post/3m733w5yeb22vhttps://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.social/post/3m5ldr7ch622wLiz Irvine and I once ran an experiment which went so wrong that I spent the next 10 years figuring out what had happened. Today we've published the explanation: a new theory for the evolution of symbolic signals (with Kateryna Krykoniuk & Fiona Jordan). https://academic.oup.com/jole/article/10/1/lzaf001/832166014 Nov 2025 09:14 +0000at://did:plc:prk6hymxbfaaafuac6zleecp/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5ldr7ch622whttps://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.social/post/3m4ji3eosos2rA little late in the witching hour, but Space Ghost Train 12 is here. youtu.be/l0x2nfpeElc #SpaceGhostTrain https://youtu.be/l0x2nfpeElc31 Oct 2025 22:01 +0000at://did:plc:prk6hymxbfaaafuac6zleecp/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4ji3eosos2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.social/post/3lxhnggx5uk2gNearly a third of women who play mobile video games in the UK feel guilty about their hobby – new study with Steph Rennick. https://theconversation.com/nearly-a-third-of-female-gamers-feel-guilty-about-their-hobby-new-study-26375228 Aug 2025 13:26 +0000at://did:plc:prk6hymxbfaaafuac6zleecp/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxhnggx5uk2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.social/post/3lqwzf6otdc2tI talked to @nhpr.org about the relationship between language and the environment! https://www.nhpr.org/environment/2025-06-06/outside-inbox-does-the-environment-influence-the-evolution-of-a-language06 Jun 2025 14:13 +0000at://did:plc:prk6hymxbfaaafuac6zleecp/app.bsky.feed.post/3lqwzf6otdc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.social/post/3lqwt3dr6vk2sI got my copy of the Oxford Handbook of Approaches to Language Evolution! https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-of-approaches-to-language-evolution-9780192886491 It's amazing to see the investment that so many people have put into developing methods in our field! Kateryna Krykoniuk and I have a chapter on Causal Graphs in correlation-machine.com/CHIELD/06 Jun 2025 12:20 +0000at://did:plc:prk6hymxbfaaafuac6zleecp/app.bsky.feed.post/3lqwt3dr6vk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.social/post/3lqdktgia3s2kSad to hear that Mike Peters has passed, but a fitting tribute here “He lived as he sang — with passion, courage, and an unshakeable belief in the power of people to make a difference.” https://nation.cymru/feature/going-out-in-a-blaze-of-glory-saying-goodbye-to-mike-peters/29 May 2025 20:32 +0000at://did:plc:prk6hymxbfaaafuac6zleecp/app.bsky.feed.post/3lqdktgia3s2khttps://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.social/post/3lqafb4e32c2mNew book on the Interaction Engine by Steve Levinson, a fresh perspective on one of the most influential ideas in linguistics: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/interaction-engine/A1B3AC730A9F185E51EBFA4E86EFD23528 May 2025 14:14 +0000at://did:plc:prk6hymxbfaaafuac6zleecp/app.bsky.feed.post/3lqafb4e32c2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/seangroberts.bsky.social/post/3lhqvjqjby22rI made a tool to add Balatro-style mechanics to D&D. Ever wanted to roll a billion points of damage? Now you can! Feedback welcome. correlation-machine.com/DnDPowerCards/09 Feb 2025 15:01 +0000at://did:plc:prk6hymxbfaaafuac6zleecp/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhqvjqjby22r