Post Tagged with: "English"

Enhanced vision of Croghan Hill rising from the bog in Ireland. The word “bog” is a 16th-century adaptation of the Irish bogach.  (Photo: Sarah777)
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Word Nerd: Few Irish words in English? Put a kibosh on that load of malarkey!

Tis claimed that on Saint Patrick’s Day everyone is Irish. While this may or may not be true, it is a fact that the original Brits were the Celts who arrived in Britain and Ireland by 500 BC. After the Romans left Britain in the 5th century AD, the country [...]

A Gullah Bible, written in Black English. (Photo by Hayley Juhl)
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Word Nerd: Black English: Where African rhythms resonate

In February, in the United States and Canada, we celebrate Black History Month to honour the achievements of black men and women throughout history. As such, let’s reflect on the speech patterns of black people. While negative attitudes toward black English persist, we have to look to yesteryear to see [...]

Word Nerd: “Bespoke” crosses the pond. Crikey!
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Word Nerd: “Bespoke” crosses the pond. Crikey!

Some years ago while on a trip to England, I encountered some words and expressions that made me realize the importance of being bilingual in the English languages. For example, I asked someone in London where I could find an ATM. She looked nonplussed, but her companion translated, “he means [...]

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Word Nerd: Skunk’s aroma wafts through English words

If a reader peruses this article, should I be a) disinterested, or b) nonplussed? It depends on the meaning ascribed to the three italicized words. Let me explain. Traditionally, “disinterested” meant impartial, but nowadays the majority of people use it to mean “not interested.” I regret this modern usage because [...]