weekly posts on literature, languages, and learning
Each year, lexicographers1 working for prominent publishing companies announce a word that, in their judgment, marked the previous year. Their choice usually tells us something about the state of affairs2 in the world we live in and the way language reflects it. In this post, we’ll look at the English words of the year 2021. …
[Please scroll down to the bottom of the page for vocabulary notes and comments designed for ESL / EFL learners.] The shortest day and the longest night of the year... The Winter Solstice is here! Far more than just an annual astronomical occurrence, the Winter Solstice has inspired countless seasonal customs, traditions and festivals in …
[This post has been written primarily with English language learners in mind, levels B2 and above. You’ll find comments on the highlighted words at the bottom of the page.] Are there any films that you watch every single year, as if by habit? Films that have become your personal cult classics and that you traditionally …
It's been claimed that the Inuit languages of North America have over 50 different words for snow. You may be surprised to learn that English comes pretty close: if we include all the regional variants and dialects, the list gets pretty long! But don't worry, in this post we'll only look at the most common …
grammaticus 