Tag Archives: vocabulary
The English Village (and Other Places) Posted by Gary Locke on Aug 23, 2017
Do you live in a town, a township, a village, or a city? In English, we have different names for our communities, but what distinguishes one from another? And what is so special about those English villages, anyway? The Community Let’s start by defining a community. To live in a community is to live within…
Somewhere in the English Language Posted by Gary Locke on Jul 27, 2017
Where do you find something in a group? Between, among, amid, betwixt, amongst, and amidst are all similar prepositions. What’s the difference, and when should you use one over another? I have a lot of books. No. Really. I have hundreds and hundreds of books in my library and bedroom, packed neatly onto shelves, stacked…
English Ologies, Ographies, and Onomies Posted by Gary Locke on Jul 20, 2017
In English, you will find many words with the same suffix, or word ending. Three of the most common suffixes sound somewhat alike, and are often confused with each other. Here’s how to tell them apart, and some of the most common examples of each. Ology Ology is a real word, a noun taken from…
That’s a Real Word? Posted by Gary Locke on Jun 29, 2017
It is easy to mangle the English language. I hear native speakers do it all the time. But when I learn that a word, which I assume is either mispronounced or made up, is a real word then I’m gobsmacked. Gobsmacked Let’s start there. Gobsmacked is common British slang for being surprised and, to my…
Berry, Berry Good! Posted by Gary Locke on Jun 15, 2017
If you need a reason to celebrate summer, look no further than the four objects in this picture. Last week I made a delicious and refreshing strawberry dessert and, as I hulled and sliced up the fruit, I began to wonder…Why do we call a strawberry a strawberry? This, in turn, led me to wonder…
Top English Abbreviations from Latin Posted by Gary Locke on Jun 7, 2017
We rarely speak in Latin today, although a few fragments and quotes have made their way into everyday English usage. Many of us will invoke carpe diem when setting out to seize our day, or at least have a second dessert. There are occasions, however, when an abbreviation, taken from Latin, is commonly used when…
English Vocab for Drinkers Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 21, 2017
Learning English isn’t easy. It’s a complicated, sometimes almost incomprehensible language with rules that rarely seem to make any sense. In fact, it sometimes seems that English was made up by people who were drunk. Which brings me to the subject of today’s blog. The English language is filled with colorful words and phrases for…