Archive by Author
The American Barbecue Posted by Gary Locke on Jun 1, 2017
It is smoke and sizzle. It is wood and fire and meat. It may be a pit or a drum or a homemade kettle, but it is where the magic happens. Carolina, Kansas City, Texas, or beyond, it’s barbecue American-style. Let’s get something out of the way immediately. I am not talking about grilling. I…
DARE to Learn American English Posted by Gary Locke on May 25, 2017
What if I told you that American English is so diversified that there are different words and phrases for the same thing not only from region-to-region, but even from neighborhood-to-neighborhood? Let me introduce you to one of the most remarkable dictionaries of the English Language. The Dictionary of American Regional English, or DARE, documents and…
This is JEOPARDY!® Posted by Gary Locke on May 18, 2017
In the history of American television there has never been anything quite like the continuing phenomenon that is Jeopardy®. This brainy, yet seemingly simple game show is a cultural institution in the United States. It is also a marvelous way for students of English to test themselves. The show began as the brainchild of entertainer…
It’s Tea Time! Posted by Gary Locke on May 12, 2017
Tea is the beverage most closely associated with the English, so it is no surprise that the English language is filled with idioms and terms related to the humble, delicious brew. Let’s explore the curious case of tea and English speakers. I am a tea drinker. I rarely drink coffee, never drink sodas (or, as…
The Dying Art of Cursive in English Posted by Gary Locke on May 4, 2017
Cursive is any writing in which the letters are joined together in a flowing manner. In English, we call this penmanship in longhand. It is also known as writing in script. Whatever you call it, this is becoming a disappearing skill. The letters in English cursive writing always loop, eventually finding and connecting with each…
The World’s Best Selling Author Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 28, 2017
She was Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE. She was a world traveler, an accomplished archeologist, a pharmacist, a philanthropist, and remains the most successful novelist of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. You know her as Agatha Christie. If you are going to talk about writers of the English language, you must…
English Vocab for Drinkers Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 21, 2017
Learning English isn’t easy. It’s a complicated, sometimes almost incomprehensible language with rules that rarely seem to make any sense. In fact, it sometimes seems that English was made up by people who were drunk. Which brings me to the subject of today’s blog. The English language is filled with colorful words and phrases for…