Learning English is Hard Work Posted by Gary Locke on Jan 9, 2020
Lots of people begin every new year with a resolve to work out, or lose weight, or even learn a language. We’re looking to improve ourselves. If you are trying to improve your English then I promise you that I will help you. But, you need to know that English is a very difficult language…
2019 highlights Posted by carol on Dec 30, 2019
Good morning, dear readers! The time has come for our highlights of the year! The bustling 2019 came to an end and, with it, the second decade of the 2000s. We witnessed a year full of political antagonism, climate crises and new personalities that have been in the spotlight in worldwide media coverage. What can…
Top English Language Blogs of 2019 Posted by Gary Locke on Dec 19, 2019
As 2019 comes to a close, it always seems important to reflect on the year past. We all do it, don’t we? Maybe you want to remember those things which made you laugh, the moments of success, special memories of friends and family. What did you learn? What surprised you? And which of these lessons…
“Humbug!” and Similar English Exclamations Posted by Gary Locke on Dec 12, 2019
“Christmas a humbug, uncle!” said Scrooge’s nephew. “You don’t mean that, I am sure?” In the story A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, when his nephew wishes him a “Merry Christmas”, Ebenezer Scrooge exclaims, “Bah! Humbug!” It is one of the enduring lines in English literature, known by nearly everyone. But, what exactly does it…
A Decade of Songs in English Posted by Gary Locke on Dec 4, 2019
That sound you hear is the clock ticking out the final seconds of the decade. The 2010s are coming to a close and we at Transparent Language are going to bid farewell to 10 of the most tumultuous years in human history by compiling lists of the decade’s best songs in many languages. These lists…
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…