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 …
English Language
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 …
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, …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 rather appealing. But, …
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 …
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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 what somebody has said. …
British place names you probably can’t pronounce
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 …
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Do English people speak too quickly?
Do English people speak too quickly? Any language can sound as if it is being spoken with indecent haste when you don’t understand it. English …
Tomorrow will be a good day – touch wood!
Tomorrow will be a good day – touch wood! The English language is loaded with strange phrases and sayings but there is none stranger than …
Is English a gender-biased language?
Is English a gender-biased language? Gender bias in all aspects of life has been a hot topic for some time. In recent years, the spotlight …
