English language thoughts

Bus

Niall O'Donnell 3 Comments

Did you know that the word bus is an abbreviation?

Continue reading →

Nonchalant

Niall O'Donnell 2 Comments

I was thinking about this word today. I’m not sure what made me think about it. Perhaps, passing a mirror, I noted how nonchalant I was.

Continue reading →

Electricity

Niall O'Donnell 3 Comments

Today I was playing a quiz online. I like quizzes. I also like money, which I would have won, except that I got a question wrong. That question was:

Continue reading →

Guys and Gals

Niall O'Donnell 6 Comments

Why is it that gal is the feminine equivalent of guy?

And what’s the story with guy, for that matter?

Continue reading →

How do You Pronounce Often?

Niall O'Donnell 27 Comments

Is the T silent or not?

Continue reading →

Sent to Coventry (with Captain Boycott and Peeping Tom)

Niall O'Donnell 10 Comments

I’ve often wondered about this expression: to send someone to Coventry. It’s a little old-fashioned, so you may not have heard of it. It means to deliberately ostracise someone, by ignoring them, refusing to talk to them. The obvious question about this phrase is: why Coventry?

Continue reading →

Gravity

Niall O'Donnell Leave a comment

I was thinking about this word, and the related word grave, this morning. Like contract, it’s a curiously multi-purpose word.

Continue reading →