Cute Cat Photos Are Data-Driven Science Behind Cunning New Language Learning App

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Cute Cat Photos Are Data-Driven Science Behind Cunning New Language Learning App

Posted by Unknown on Wednesday November 20, 2013 @06:21AM from the no-wonder-i'm-a-genius dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Cats are cute, and cute is good for cognition. Which is why Memrise, a language learning startup, settled on using lolcat-style cat photos as mnemonic aids for a new series of apps aimed at people who normally wouldn't bother learning another language. The first CatAcademy app is 'Cat Spanish' From the article: 'What we found, however we sliced it, was that pictures of cats — cute pictures specifically, of which over 50% were cats — just kept on coming out as the most effective mnemonics... I have to admit we were slightly skeptical to begin with. We're a scientific group, and data driven — but the data did drive us towards cats.'" Now, just to add cat pictures to Mnemosyne.

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Cheeseburgers by NoImNotNineVolt · 2013-11-20 06:24 · Score: 5, Funny

I can has espanol?

--
Chuuch. Preach. Tabernacle.
1. Re:Cheeseburgers by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 06:41 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  I think you mean: Yo puedo tiene una hamburgueza?
  
  And as a side-note, as I was coming up with that using Google Translate, when I entered I can have a cheeseburger? in the from language box, Google suggested "I can haz a cheezburger" instead. Sadly, the suggestion did not translate.
2. Re:Cheeseburgers by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 06:47 · Score: 0
  
  I haz lurnt engrish diz way! Tutally recomend.
3. Re:Cheeseburgers by sensei+moreh · 2013-11-20 08:21 · Score: 2
  
  Do you really mean ÂYo puedo tener hamburguesa con queso?
  
  --
  Geology - it's not rocket science; it's rock science
4. Re:Cheeseburgers by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 10:24 · Score: 1
  
  Change that "tener" to a "tiene", and the "s"s to "z"s, and yes, that is what I meant.
  
  Yes, it is grammatically incorrect, but I was trying to maintain the same sense of grammatical-incorrectness and misspelling that "I can haz cheezburger" has.
5. Re:Cheeseburgers by sensei+moreh · 2013-11-21 00:43 · Score: 1
  
  Or, perhaps ÂYo puedo tengo hamburgueza con quezo? Surely there's someone on Slashdot thqat can do a proper translation for us
  
  --
  Geology - it's not rocket science; it's rock science
misread subject by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 06:25 · Score: 2, Funny

I read it as "cube sat photos"...
This shouldn't be surprising. by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 06:26 · Score: 0, Funny

Most guys are constantly thinking about pussy.
Alternatve hypothesis? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2013-11-20 06:26 · Score: 4, Funny

"We're a scientific group, and data driven — but the data did drive us towards cats."
I assume they've excluded all other explanations including toxoplasmosis...

--
Ezekiel 23:20
1. Re:Alternatve hypothesis? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 06:32 · Score: 1
  
  Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii.[1] The parasite infects most genera of warm-blooded animals, including humans, but the primary host is the felid (cat) family. Animals are infected by eating infected meat, by ingestion of feces of a cat that has itself recently been infected, and by transmission from mother to fetus. Cats are the primary source of infection to human hosts, although contact with raw meat, especially lamb, is a more significant source of human infections in some countries. Fecal contamination of hands is a significant risk factor.[2] Nicolle and Manceaux first described the organism in 1908, after they observed the parasites in the blood, spleen, and liver of a North African rodent, Ctenodactylus gondii. The parasite was named Toxoplasma (from the Greek words for arc: toxo and creature: plasma), gondii (after the rodent) in 1909. In 1923, Janku reported parasitic cysts in the retina of an infant who had hydrocephalus, seizures, and unilateral microphthalmia. Wolf, Cowan, and Paige (1937–1939) determined these findings represented the syndrome of severe congenital T. gondii infection.[2] Up to a third of the world's human population is estimated to carry a Toxoplasma infection.[3][4] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes the overall seroprevalence in the United States as determined with specimens collected by the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2004 was found to be 10.8%, with seroprevalence among women of childbearing age (15 to 44 years) 11%.[5] Another study placed seroprevalence in the US at 22.5%.[4] The same study claimed a seroprevalence of 75% in El Salvador.[4] Official assessment in Great Britain places the number of infections at about 350,000 a year.[6] During the first few weeks after exposure, the infection typically causes a mild, flu-like illness or no illness. However, those with weakened immune systems, such as those with AIDS and pregnant women, may become seriously ill, and it can occasionally be fatal.[citation needed] The parasite can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and neurological diseases, and can affect the heart, liver, inner ears, and eyes (chorioretinitis).[citation needed] Recent research has also linked toxoplasmosis with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia.[7] Numerous studies found a positive correlation between latent toxoplasmosis and suicidal behavior in humans.
2. Re:Alternatve hypothesis? by sandytaru · 2013-11-20 07:11 · Score: 2
  
  Sometimes I suspect that all crazy cat ladies are infected with that.
  
  --
  Occasionally living proof of the Ballmer peak.
3. Re:Alternatve hypothesis? by Russ1642 · 2013-11-20 07:15 · Score: 1
  
  It's actually one of the current theories for explaining crazy cat lady behaviour.
4. Re:Alternatve hypothesis? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 07:27 · Score: 1
  
  loneliness and severe social disfunction is by far a better explanation. as anyone whose had a pet will tell you, they typically become family, the same as humans, thus people who lack the ability to connect with other people will resort to fulfilling their social needs in the only way they know how - through pets.
5. Re:Alternatve hypothesis? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 07:31 · Score: 0
  
  "We're a scientific group, and data driven — but the data did drive us towards cats."
  I assume they've excluded all other explanations including toxoplasmosis...
  Golf clap. You sir win the internet today. Shut er down, boys. Time to go home.
6. Re:Alternatve hypothesis? by Chelloveck · 2013-11-20 08:25 · Score: 1
  
  So why don't you ever hear about "crazy dog ladies"?
  
  --
  Chelloveck
  I give up on debugging. From now on, SIGSEGV is a feature.
7. Re:Alternatve hypothesis? by Provocateur · 2013-11-20 08:34 · Score: 1
  
  I would like to believe you, but half of the problems in the series Star Trek: TNG was blamed on plasma.
  
  --
  WARNING: Smartphones have side effects--most of them undocumented.
8. Re:Alternatve hypothesis? by KiloByte · 2013-11-20 09:24 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  Dogs want a competitive pack with rivalry as a basis for its social order, and lots of physical exercise. All cats want from a pack is watching over them when they're sleeping.
  
  --
  The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
9. Re:Alternatve hypothesis? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 10:50 · Score: 0
  
  That doesn't explain having hundreds of cats though.
10. Re:Alternatve hypothesis? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-27 23:53 · Score: 0
  
  Certainly one of my cats feels that way. The other must have a bit of dog in him, he wants to play fighting or chasing whenever he's awake.
Ignorance really is bliss by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 06:34 · Score: 0

If learning is best with cats, then I don't want to learn anymore.
thank god slashcode is ancient... by Shakrai · 2013-11-20 06:35 · Score: 0

Can you imagine what the comment threads would look like on more up-to-date forum software that allowed people to post photos?

--
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
1. Re:thank god slashcode is ancient... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 06:38 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Page after page of goatse?
2. Re:thank god slashcode is ancient... by stewsters · 2013-11-20 06:41 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Yeah, most of you cannot even edit your posts.
  
  [Edit] changing you're to your
3. Re:thank god slashcode is ancient... by egcagrac0 · 2013-11-20 06:45 · Score: 2
  
  I, for one, am glad that we are not on dotchan.
4. Re:thank god slashcode is ancient... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 06:50 · Score: 0
  
  up-to-date
  You misspelled 'shit'.
5. Re:thank god slashcode is ancient... by geekoid · 2013-11-20 06:50 · Score: 1
  
  Those sucker not knowing about the real /. login, are bunch of rubes.
  [Edit] Fixed spelling.
  
  --
  The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
6. Re:thank god slashcode is ancient... by dotancohen · 2013-11-20 07:20 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I, for one, am glad that we are not on dotchan.
  I resemble that comment.
  - dotancohen
  
  --
  It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
7. Re:thank god slashcode is ancient... by anagama · 2013-11-20 08:00 · Score: 1
  
  wish I'd saved a mod point for you. Very funny.
  
  --
  What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
Been known for years. by drainbramage · 2013-11-20 06:42 · Score: 1

Where do you think the question 'Cat got your tongue" came from?
Wake me after my cat nap.

--
No brain, no pain.
1. Re:Been known for years. by dkf · 2013-11-20 10:30 · Score: 1
  
  Where do you think the question 'Cat got your tongue" came from?
  Our cats prefer liver, but nobody ever said "cat got your liver?".
  
  --
  "Little does he know, but there is no 'I' in 'Idiot'!"
Maravilloso! by TheNastyInThePasty · 2013-11-20 06:45 · Score: 1

Esta nueva aplicación me ayudó muchísimo! Por desgracia, todo lo que realmente sé hacer en español es hablar de gatos. Estoy atrapado en México y tengo que encontrar mi camino de regreso a los Estados Unidos! Qué haría el gato gruñón?

--
The best thing about UDP jokes is I don't care if you get them or not
1. Re:Maravilloso! by geekoid · 2013-11-20 06:54 · Score: 1
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_mDTLphIVY
  [Edit] Fixed link.
  
  --
  The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
2. Re:Maravilloso! by TheNastyInThePasty · 2013-11-20 07:22 · Score: 1
  
  Por favor, ayúdame! Estoy fuera de las hamburguesas para comer y perdí mi bicicleta invisible!
  
  --
  The best thing about UDP jokes is I don't care if you get them or not
3. Re:Maravilloso! by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 07:46 · Score: 0
  
  Aparentemente te han cambiado las hamburguesas y la bicicleta por Google Translate.
4. Re:Maravilloso! by geekoid · 2013-11-20 09:29 · Score: 1
  
  JAJAJA
  
  --
  The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
5. Re:Maravilloso! by mcswell · 2013-11-23 16:15 · Score: 1
  
  Todos sus basos son pertenece a nosotros
I thought it said Cue Cat. by geekoid · 2013-11-20 06:45 · Score: 3, Funny

I was like, enough people hack those they can get some useful data?

--
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
1. Re:I thought it said Cue Cat. by Monoman · 2013-11-20 06:47 · Score: 1
  
  I did too! . I think I finally tossed mine in the garbage a few months ago.
  
  --
  Keep the Classic Slashdot.
Yeah... cats... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 06:46 · Score: 1

The one living with us wakes us around 6am. That's when I want to kill it. Then I come home from work and the urge to kill disappears... damn cats and their hypnotic powers. And I had to pick this cat when we were at the shelter...
1. Re:Yeah... cats... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 07:07 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Cats can be trained. You need to let your cat know that waking up the human is not acceptable behavior.
  My cat will sit on the bed and wait for me to awaken. It knows that rule #1 is: "Under no circumstances are you to wake up the male human."
2. Re:Yeah... cats... by sandytaru · 2013-11-20 07:10 · Score: 1
  
  That doesn't help when they patiently wait for you to wake up, and when they do, sit on your chest effectively trapping you in the bed.
  
  --
  Occasionally living proof of the Ballmer peak.
3. Re:Yeah... cats... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 07:28 · Score: 0
  
  Unless your cat is bigger than one of these pretties, you're probably strong enough to pick the purrball up and relocate the bundle of cute next to you as you sit up.
4. Re:Yeah... cats... by anagama · 2013-11-20 08:11 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Is your cat waking you up to get fed?
  My cats used to do that and I got tired of it, so I set my phone to ring a particular ring tone at feeding time. It took them three meals at most to connect the breakfast/dinner bell to breakfast/dinner, and now they never hound me for food at all. They will gather around when the time nears, but they don't start clawing at my legs or batting my face while I sleep. They wait patiently, hear the bell, and run to the kitchen.
  Also, one thing that keeps them happy, is to play with them for about 15 or 20 minutes before dinner -- cats are wired to hunt, kill, eat, groom, sleep. This works really good at keeping down fights between cats because they're all so satisfied.
  
  --
  What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
5. Re:Yeah... cats... by JamieIanMacgregor · 2013-11-20 11:11 · Score: 2
  
  Mine has a constant supply of food, only gets something extra at dinner time but still insists on waking me up as soon as the sun rises. I think he just likes the attention.
6. Re:Yeah... cats... by mattack2 · 2013-11-20 13:45 · Score: 1
  
  It took them three meals at most to connect the breakfast/dinner bell to breakfast/dinner, and now they never hound me for food at all.
  I think your cats are really dogs. Maybe Russian dogs, even.
  heh heh
7. Re:Yeah... cats... by anagama · 2013-11-20 14:37 · Score: 1
  
  Boris looks like he was former KGB, then went through some rough times, then found me. Oddly, he also tends to wag his tail, like he grew up with dogs.
  
  --
  What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
8. Re:Yeah... cats... by anagama · 2013-11-20 14:39 · Score: 1
  
  But yeah, I was thinking of Pavlov when I put them on the dinner bell. I was surprised at how instantly they picked it up.
  
  --
  What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
9. Re:Yeah... cats... by anagama · 2013-11-20 14:48 · Score: 1
  
  You could try a quartz infrared spaceheater. Nothing calms a cat like having a "fire" to sleep by. It's like cat heroin. Hot air from forced air ducts won't cut -- it's gotta glow.
  
  --
  What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
10. Re:Yeah... cats... by JamieIanMacgregor · 2013-11-20 16:19 · Score: 1
  
  interesting thought although it's a bit warm where I live to leave a heater going... I only used heating for one evening during our last winter. he does like sitting under lamps but tends to choose the ones with fluro bulbs which don't produce much heat so I see what you're saying about 'it's gotta glow' maybe I'll just try some cat heroin. that sounds much easier.
LOLcats are more memorable than schoolwork by themushroom · 2013-11-20 06:49 · Score: 1

And are more widely exchanged between students than homework answers.
So this is how you make Tumblr be considered an educational tool, other than for studying tattoos, bad photographic art, and self-destructive methods.

--
Laughter is the Spackle of the Soul.
Damn cats to hell by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 06:50 · Score: 0

I am extremely allergic to cats you insensitive clod.
1. Re:Damn cats to hell by cusco · 2013-11-20 07:30 · Score: 1
  
  Is that why you never get any pussy?
  
  --
  "Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin
Reminds me of Disney by timeOday · 2013-11-20 06:57 · Score: 2

Why are so many of the people in Disney cartoons drawn as animals? They have human minds and emotions, and move as humans, but with animal bodies. Clearly this is appealing or disarming for some reason, but I can't quite think of why.
TOONCES!? by digitalPhant0m · 2013-11-20 07:15 · Score: 1

but the data did drive us towards cats.
Or perhaps the cat drove towords the data
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_hwerqogzQ
1. Re:TOONCES!? by plopez · 2013-11-20 10:50 · Score: 1
  
  Or perhaps the cats herded *them*!
  
  --
  putting the 'B' in LGBTQ+
Matthew 25:40 by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 07:16 · Score: 0

"teh king will says, srsly, whatevr yu did teh other kittehs, evn lame kittehs, yu liek did to me.
NOW try and forget the Teacher's ideas!
Why Spanish? by bickerdyke · 2013-11-20 07:32 · Score: 1

Wouldn't german have been the obvious language to start with?
http://www.catsthatlooklikehitler.com/cgi-bin/seigmiaow.pl

--
bickerdyke
Re:GAYTARDED! HOW IS THIS NEWS? YOU MORONS! by NoImNotNineVolt · 2013-11-20 07:43 · Score: 1

Now tell us how you really feel.

--
Chuuch. Preach. Tabernacle.
Memrise works well by Camembert · 2013-11-20 07:50 · Score: 1, Offtopic

I have been using Memrise since a while to learn Mandarin vocabulary including both characters and pronunciation and I have to say that its playful approach works very well indeed. It does not teach you the finesses of grammar but it works well for vocabulary. Really a cool app.
1. Re:Memrise works well by Camembert · 2013-11-20 21:59 · Score: 1
  
  I forgot to mention one thing which would have made my post more on topic: in the stock Memrise app that I use with the Mandarin course download, I have not yet encountered cute cats. Even so the methodology works really quite well to learn this fiendishly difficult to memorise language. It seems to be a case of whatever rocks your boat.
AWESOME! new vector for patent trolls!!! by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 07:54 · Score: 1

for patent in `wget http://uspto.gov/patents/search/all`;do wget http://uspto.gov/patents/apply --post-data="$patent WITH CATS!!!";done
I think I just retired!
Re:GAYTARDED! HOW IS THIS NEWS? YOU MORONS! by Redmancometh · 2013-11-20 07:59 · Score: 1

The -1 means we don't share your views.
wow great study by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 09:02 · Score: 0

so science...
STEM dudez
Most cool science
~doge
Your comment violated the "postercomment" compression filter. Try less whitespace and/or less repetition.
Cute cats by Curunir_wolf · 2013-11-20 09:12 · Score: 1

Welcome to the Internet!

--
"Somebody has to do something. It's just incredibly pathetic it has to be us."
--- Jerry Garcia
1. Re:Cute cats by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 11:34 · Score: 0
  
  Meow gusta.
Mod parent down by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 09:23 · Score: 0

Way to sound like a nagging elementary school teacher. Everyone is entitled to his own view whether you like it or don't. Your mindset is the harmartia of society that results in failures like the two-party American political system.
Re:GAYTARDED! HOW IS THIS NEWS? YOU MORONS! by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 09:43 · Score: 0

Unknown Lamer, You are an IDIOT for posting this as a story.
Well, it came from an anonymous reader... did you submit this story?
So basically by ByteSlicer · 2013-11-20 10:10 · Score: 2

Cat pictures make the best meow-monics?
1. Re:So basically by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-21 11:35 · Score: 0
  
  I see you've learned English from CatAcademy
too soon? by Thud457 · 2013-11-20 10:32 · Score: 1

still doesn't explain the ::cue::cat, cain't 'splain dat

oh, wait, maybe it does

--
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
extra misread subject - blast from the past by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 10:36 · Score: 0

I misread it as "Cue Cat Photos"...
Chevy Citation : most desired auto on teh intarweb by Thud457 · 2013-11-20 10:38 · Score: 1

good grief, [citation needed]

good grief, googled it, and it was a already thing

--
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Re:GAYTARDED! HOW IS THIS NEWS? YOU MORONS! by Anonymous Coward · 2013-11-20 14:46 · Score: 0

-1 and deserved. Let me guess. You're an MBA!
See u later "capcha: diploma"
just wait by Chrisq · 2013-11-20 21:52 · Score: 1

Until Dreamworks sue them for infringing their copyright on Hispanic cats.
What idiot wrote that headline? by Crypto+Gnome · 2013-11-20 21:55 · Score: 2

It should read:

Pretty Pussies Train Cunning Linguist

--
Visit CryptoGnome in his home.
Is that why half the internet uses Lolspeak? by Kodack · 2013-11-21 02:52 · Score: 1

Perhaps this is true. Combine cute cats with Lolspeak and half teh internetz nao usez lolzpeak.