Welsh translation blunders making headlines
Welsh translation blunders making headlines Visitors to the UK are often surprised to discover that English is not the only language...
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Sep 2, 20224 min read
The meaning behind British small talk
The meaning behind British small talk It would be easy for any outsider to believe that the British are obsessed with the weather....
May 4, 20225 min read
How to use a monolingual paper dictionary
How to use a monolingual paper dictionary There are a wide variety of English dictionaries to choose from. Each dictionary is a unique...
Apr 26, 20224 min read
Should you capitalise animal species and breed names?
If you have ever read an article about cats or dogs, the chances are that you have encountered one of the most common errors in written...
Apr 11, 20225 min read
The Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary For more than a century, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has been considered the most authoritative of...
Oct 20, 20214 min read
Why do puns make us smile – or roll our eyes?
Why do puns make us smile – or roll our eyes? Like football, politics and savoury spreads made of yeast extract, puns divide opinion. For...
Sep 27, 20213 min read
Infamous and hilarious translation disasters
Infamous and hilarious translation disasters Translation is an art, a science and a minefield! Get it right and nobody notices. Get it...
Aug 11, 20214 min read
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...
May 31, 20214 min read
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...
May 25, 20214 min read
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...
May 16, 20214 min read
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...
May 14, 20214 min read
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 are...
May 9, 20215 min read
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...
Feb 1, 20214 min read
The English West Country Accent
The English West Country Accent There’s no mistaking the pleasing sound of the West Country accent. Many people find West Country speak...
Jan 26, 20214 min read
Registering the difference – language and context
Registering the difference – language and context Consciously or not, we all adapt the way we speak and write to suit our audience or the...
Jan 18, 20215 min read
Mondegreens in all their glory
With Sellotape and knives – mondegreens in all their glory We’ve all experienced those awkward moments when we have completely misheard...
Jan 14, 20214 min read
British place names you probably can’t pronounce
English is a very difficult language to master. So difficult that most native speakers struggle to remain grammatically correct or to...
Oct 29, 20204 min read
Interesting facts about the English language
Interesting facts about the English language It should come as no surprise that there are many interesting facts about the English...
Oct 26, 20204 min read
Why you should choose your English words carefully
Why you should choose your English words carefully English is a language fraught with complications. With its inconsistent grammar and...
Oct 19, 20204 min read
English Accents – Brummie
English Accents – Brummie the Birmingham Accent There are many regional accents in England. Whenever research is conducted to establish...
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