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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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...