Do you want to keep track of some the most important issues in the world today? Maybe you could pick up an issue of the magazine The Big Issue to read about them.
Issue. Continue reading
Big Issue!
etymology
In Concert
I was thinking about the word concert recently. A very common word, but it struck me that, like so many others, we use it in different ways without really noticing. Continue reading
Horoscope
I saw this word today, and thought straight away that its origins were pretty clear.
-scope is clearly related to watching or looking (periscope, telescope etc.) And horo- must be related to time (hour). And that’s the case.
It comes from the Greek horoskopos, made up of hora (hour, season, period of time) and skopos (watcher, that which is watched). There was one thing I was slightly wrong about though. Continue reading
Whoa!
I thought about the word wow a little while ago. I’m not sure why it came to me: I don’t recall being particularly surprised by anything today. Continue reading
Catchphrase!
I briefly considered the word catchphrase today. Continue reading
Furlough
This word has been in the news a lot lately, specifically American news stories. It’s mainly only used in American English, and for that reason I’ve actually never heard it spoken aloud. Continue reading
Weird Flex, but OK…
This is slang, modern internet slang, as you’re probably aware. I’ve been aware of it now for a few months, so that means it’s probably about three or four years old. And already out of date.
You also probably know that flex in this context means boast. Until very recently though, I’d assumed it meant fetish. Continue reading
English-Language Thoughts 