Archive for November, 2019
Call me a cab! The word ‘call’ in English Posted by carol on Nov 30, 2019
You might remember the scene: two man stand by the sidewalk, one of them asks the other: call me a cab! to which the other replies: you’re a cab! well, these two are none other than the great Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor in the unforgettable 1952 musical “Singing in the rain”. Besides the obvious…
A Simple English Word – Ours Posted by Gary Locke on Nov 27, 2019
These two cats love each other. He is hers; she is his. They belong to my wife and me. They are ours. We all know that English is a very complicated language. Spelling is difficult, grammar structure is frustrating, rules are confusing, and don’t even get me started on homophones. If you want an example…
English Words in the News: Impeachment Posted by Gary Locke on Nov 21, 2019
If you’ve been following the news, and it’s been hard to miss it, the United States is currently dealing with the fourth presidential impeachment inquiry in its history. Remarkably few American citizens actually know exactly what impeachment means, and how it works. Putting aside the politics of the moment, let’s take a look at the…
America’s Belt Regions Posted by Gary Locke on Nov 15, 2019
The United States has belts. I’m not talking about the kind which holds up your pants. I’m referring to select regions of the country which are distinctive in some way. Those distinctions, over time, have led to these areas being designated as a belt region. Some of these areas can be quite important because their…
The American Veteran Posted by Gary Locke on Nov 7, 2019
Americans celebrate Veterans Day every November 11 as a way of honoring every person who has ever served in the United States Armed Forces. Note that the word Veterans has no apostrophe. Memorial Day, which is celebrated on the last Monday of May, honors those service members who died in combat while serving in the…