I think whatever "linguists" did this "research" must be undergraduate internet searchers. For example in Russian the words "fignya/fignyushka" or the less polite "huynya/huynyushka" are used in a very similar way. They are a noun representing an abstract "thing" that the listener would understand from context.
It'd be a really cool if there was a browser plugin that showed you the provenance of any news you read. Like first appeared here, then here then here....
they "sold it" because they owed a lot of money to svb. silicon valley does not understand debt. this is one of the reasons hardware is hard. actually making stuff is hard and expensive.
if I guessed correctly who you are just reached out to you :) If not, please shoot me a note daria@voiceops.com or lmk what the best way to get in touch would be.
