Watch this Space

I’ve been thinking about my watch a lot lately. Well, maybe not a lot, exactly, but more than normal.

You see, my watch has recently started losing some of its batons. Continue reading

Venetian Blinds

I was reading an Italian short story the other day (in an edition with English translations on the right-hand page) when I saw an interesting word: la persiana. Continue reading

You and I

I was reading a novel recently in which a character speaks a language which doesn’t have the concept of the first and second person, basically no concept of I (or me) and you. As a result of this, the character himself cannot conceive of these concepts. Continue reading

Sshhh!!!

OK, now we can begin.

I’m not sure what got me thinking about this word (or, ejaculation at least, I’m not sure it merits being considered a word). It’s certainly not one I like to use much. Still, it’s curious. Continue reading

I am a Human Being!

Have you ever thought about how strange that term, human being, really is? Continue reading

Joker

This morning, perhaps influenced by the current anticipation for the upcoming Joker film, it occurred to me that the word joker sounds very similar to the Italian verb giocare. Continue reading

Talk with the Animals

I came across a video of one former English-Premiership footballer interviewing another. On Twitter, I think. And for some reason I stopped to listen to a little of it. Continue reading