Tag Archives: vocabulary
“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…
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…
Casual Greetings in English Posted by Gary Locke on Aug 1, 2019
We are all familiar with the standard, more formal expressions upon meeting someone. Hello Hi, it’s nice to meet you. Good morning/afternoon/evening. I’m pleased to meet you. However, what do you say when you know someone well but you’re seeing them for the first time after a day or so? I pass coworkers in the…
Hang it Up in English Posted by Gary Locke on Jun 20, 2019
My wife and I are making a lot of changes at home right now. We’re renovating bathrooms, installing tile and hardwood floors, painting walls. This means that whatever was hanging on the walls has come down. The walls are bare. But, soon, it will be time to put new things up on those walls. Will…
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…
Stage and Theater Vocab Posted by Gary Locke on May 9, 2019
As I have mentioned in this space before, I work in theater. The world of theater has its own very unique vocabulary, some of which may sound very familiar to you, while some will probably sound quite odd. This seems like a good time to share and explain some of the most important vocabulary terms…
The Vaccination Vexation Posted by Gary Locke on May 2, 2019
The US Center for Disease Control has announced that measles, one of the most contagious diseases in the world, is at a twenty-five-year high. It is this nation’s highest total since 1994, with eight full months to go in the year. Today, as I write this, a cruise ship has been quarantined because of an…