Archive for 'Culture'
Juneteenth Posted by Gary Locke on Jun 17, 2021
The United States has two independence days. You are undoubtedly familiar with July 4th, commemorating the Continental Congress’ formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence. You would be forgiven for being less familiar with Juneteenth, marking the final, formal emancipation of slaves in this country. This is not a new holiday, nor is it a…
What Are Neopronouns? Posted by Gary Locke on May 27, 2021
By now you should be well acquainted with the classic English pronouns, such as he, she, we, they, them – those words that take the place of nouns. We use pronouns in place of other nouns. Some pronouns traditionally were also gender-specific. Subjective male/female pronouns: He/She Objective male/female pronouns: Him/Her Possessive male/female pronouns: His/Hers Reflexive…
The Curious History of the Hillbilly Posted by Gary Locke on May 20, 2021
There are few words in English that have as curious a history and an even more curious reputation hillbilly. It is derided as both hateful and a stereotype. It is also honored as an American tradition and a source of pride. It has no cultural equivalent outside of the United States because it is associated…
The Eruption of Mt. Saint Helens Posted by Gary Locke on May 6, 2021
Image by Keith Hardin from Pixabay In the United States, we rarely think about volcanos. Iceland, Japan, and several sites south of the Equator are seeing dramatic activity as I write this. A live, erupting volcano in the US, however, is quite rare, especially in the 48 contiguous states. Oh, sure, we all know about Kilauea in Hawaii…
The Vocabulary of Mysteries Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 29, 2021
There is nothing quite so satisfying as a good mystery. Peel back all the layers of the story, from the crime to the suspects, to the motive, to the various clues, and you have the answers that you’ve been seeking since page one. Add to this the fascinating characters who solve the crimes, whether they…
Talking About Death in English Posted by Gary Locke on Mar 11, 2021
People don’t want to talk about death. It’s a difficult thing to discuss, but there are times when we must. It’s especially hard for those who find themselves in a conversation that is not in their native language. No one wants to say the wrong thing in even the simplest situation. There is nothing simple…
America’s Pioneering Female Composer Posted by Gary Locke on Mar 4, 2021
There’s a pretty good chance that you’ve never heard of Amy Beach. She was one of the finest composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She had been a musical child prodigy, a concert pianist at 16, composer of the first symphony by a woman to ever be published, and had a long…