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…
Do you want a shot? Posted by carol on Apr 30, 2021
What’s up, guys? If there’s one thing we can’t stop talking about since the beginning of the year, it’s the vaccines. A lot of people must be wondering when they might be getting their first shot and long they should wait in between shots. But since mass vaccination might still be a while, let’s change…
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…
Confusing Paronyms and Homophones Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 23, 2021
As confusing and maddening as English can be sometimes, learners and even native speakers have particular difficulty dealing with paronyms. In fact, to make matters worse, we even have trouble figuring out the difference between paronyms and homophones! Homophones are words that sound exactly alike, are even pronounced alike, but have very different spellings and…
Us or We? Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 15, 2021
Welcome to another example of why English may be the most infuriating language in the world. Two of the most commonly used words in English are the pronouns Us and We. They are both first-person plural pronouns which mean a group of two or more people. Yet, they are very commonly misused even by highly…
English Words and Phrases for the Library Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 8, 2021
Surround me with books! Fill my head with knowledge, enrich my life with imagination, improve me with wisdom! Take me to the Library! As a child, I was extremely fortunate to live just up the street from a small library. It only had a few rooms, but it was always an adventure to walk there…