how to pronounce portmanteau
How to pronounce portmanteau Sometimes the English language fails to yield the perfect word for a particular concept. In these situations, only a phrase or …
Sandwiches and silhouettes – famous eponyms are everywhere
Sandwiches and silhouettes – famous eponyms are everywhere An eponym is a word that is derived from the proper name of a real or fictional person or …
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Prophetic names – the wonderful world of aptronyms
Prophetic names – the wonderful world of aptronyms Personal names can be so damn funny, can’t they? It’s impossible not to laugh when you discover …
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Stupidly clever – oxymorons in all their glory
Stupidly clever – oxymorons in all their glory An oxymoron is a creative phrase or figure of speech that contains words that appear to be …
Meet Tanjiro Kamado
Meet Tanjiro Kamado If you’re not familiar with Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba yet, trends suggest that you soon will be. Set in Japan’s Taisho …
Are there any English speaking EU countries?
Are there any English speaking EU countries? Until the 1990s, French was the dominant language of the EU. But new countries continued to join the …
The problem with English plurals
The problem with English plurals English grammar is complex, contradictory and downright confusing! There are many aspects of the language which make mastering English tough, …
Borrowed words – the real Franglais
Borrowed words – the real Franglais All languages are continually evolving. Advances in technology require us to develop new words to describe things that didn’t …
The language of the Euros – football clichés in all their glory
The language of the Euros – football clichés in all their glory International football tournaments are always exciting prospects for sports fans. Euro 2020 is …
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How to use interjections in English
How to use interjections in English You might not know it, but you probably use interjections every day. Interjections are one of the parts of …
Internationalisation in DITA
Internationalisation in DITA (and how to deal with Japanese index terms) Companies generate enormous amounts of data and technical documentation. This presents huge challenges for …
There’s more than one way to skin a horse
There’s more than one way to skin a horse The English language is loaded with idioms. These strange phrases are generally understood and used frequently …
Motivating monikers: why job titles matter
Motivating monikers: why job titles matter You will spend a huge proportion of your life at work. The nature of that work is inevitably fundamental …
All about spoonerisms
All about spoonerisms Sometimes your brain can get way ahead of your mouth. When your tongue and mouth are struggling to keep up with your …
Commonly misunderstood and misused English words
Commonly misunderstood and misused English words English boasts a huge vocabulary in comparison with many languages. When there are hundreds of thousands of words to …
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Euphemisms in marketing and advertising
Euphemisms in marketing and advertising The term euphemism is derived from the Greek word euphēmismos which means to use auspicious words. Euphemisms are neutral, innocuous …
Is it wrong to pull out all the glottal stops?
Is it wrong to pull out all the glottal stops? People will always be judged by the way they speak. In Britain, the language police …
Iconic Mountains: What’s in a Name?
Iconic Mountains: What’s in a Name? We have previously discussed how English has progressively become the world’s lingua franca. The use of English doesn’t please …
SLV or MLV? That is the question!
SLV or MLV? That is the question! Translation and localisation projects vary dramatically in size, scope and character. Happily, language service providers (LSPs) are equally diverse, …
Jamaican English and Patois
Jamaican English and Patois The official language of Jamaica is Jamaican Standard English, a variety of Standard English. However, the island is also notable for …
