Archive for 'News'
Black, with a Capital B Posted by Gary Locke on Jun 11, 2020
We appear to be undergoing a significant cultural moment. For the first time in 50 years, real and fundamental changes in how people think about race relations are taking place. This isn’t just happening in the United States, although the moment most profoundly affects our nation. The worldwide reaction has also been significant and is…
Understanding Sarcasm Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 30, 2020
You may have heard that controversial statement last week in which injecting disinfectant should be studied as a possible treatment for COVID-19. That was quickly dismissed, of course, and later explained as a sarcastic statement. And while the suggestion may have been a subject of scorn due to its rather unscientific nature, the more interesting…
Missing the Daily Routine Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 16, 2020
There’s a great English idiom, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” It conveys a feeling that life goes on even as we all have to adjust to the inevitable surprises that come our way. But this time is very different, isn’t it? We all find ourselves facing a very new routine…
English Acronyms and Initialisms Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 9, 2020
We’re living in a world of acronyms and initialisms. They are both forms of abbreviations that have filtered into our daily lives in a multitude of ways. You see, and probably use them yourself, in text messages and social media. They are all over the news right now. And you likely have been using them…
English Words of Support Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 2, 2020
For the last several weeks I have been hearing a common phrase on television and radio, in teleconferences, and among friends – “We’re all in this together.” This is meant to encourage people to feel better about the situation we’re all in. It’s a way of saying that, as difficult as this may be, you…
Cabin Fever Posted by Gary Locke on Mar 26, 2020
Do you have cabin fever yet? It’s an English language phrase of American origin, expressing a feeling of restless anxiety and boredom from being indoors for a prolonged period of time. It is also something that you may soon be experiencing. Literally billions of people all over the world are finding themselves in self-isolation, or…
English Words in the News: Coronavirus Edition Posted by Gary Locke on Mar 19, 2020
How’s your week going? The world, it seems, is having a singular experience. That is to say, we’ve never seen anything like this before. Before anyone argues that the so-called Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918, or the events surrounding 9/11, were similar, let me stop you right there. The world is far more interconnected than…