Archive for 'News'
English Words in the News Posted by Gary Locke on Sep 27, 2019
If you’ve been following the news coming out of the US lately, you’ve no doubt heard some terms which don’t mean what you might think they mean. This is typical of the English language. We have a talent for creating metaphors, colloquialisms, and idioms to convey meaning. Some of these have been in usage for…
Mankind’s Greatest Achievement Posted by Gary Locke on Jul 18, 2019
“I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth.” That quote, by President John Kennedy on May 25, 1961, set the stage for what may well have been humanity’s greatest moment. There are certainly…
UFOs in America Posted by Gary Locke on Jun 6, 2019
There has been an increase lately in the news concerning UFOs – Unidentified Flying Objects. I’m talking about serious journalism from respected media sources talking about something which was dismissed as tabloid junk for years. If you’ve always wanted to learn the unique vocabulary and terminology of flying saucers, this is your lucky day! The…
What is Country Music? Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 11, 2019
If you are a music fan in the United States, or many other places in the world, you have likely heard of the Billboard charts. This is a weekly tabulation of the popularity of songs in a variety of genres, or styles. These lists are compiled by Billboard Magazine and its online presence, Billboard Biz…
Do You Speak Legalese? Posted by Gary Locke on Mar 28, 2019
Language which was once exclusively reserved for television courtroom dramas is now being used by everybody on Twitter. Experts who appear on talk shows to explain legal decisions are now as famous as professional athletes. Legal terms and phrases are now common elements of daily English conversation. If you want to understand, or at least…
The U.S. School Yearbook Posted by Gary Locke on Feb 7, 2019
Schools, colleges, and universities throughout the United States create academic yearbooks. They document the school year, highlighting the accomplishments and campus life of all students and not exclusively graduating seniors. Generally, these annual collections of photos and short essays are considered journalistic endeavors. Indeed, most high school and college yearbooks are assembled by students in…
Speaking of Walls Posted by Gary Locke on Jan 9, 2019
We’re hearing a lot about walls these days. The President of the US wants one built along the southern border with Mexico, Congress doesn’t. Some days they substitute the word fence, but the meaning doesn’t change very much. It may be the single most controversial topic in the English-speaking world right now. Walls have also…