things people say that I hate
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Posted by Sharon Creese on August 24, 2010
Do you ever see notices or signs that irritate you, or just bring a really bizarre image to mind? Even if they’re grammatically correct, the wording is so odd or unexpected that it grates on you every time you read it. And then, of course, there are the myriad ones where the grammar isn’t so [...]
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Posted by Beth Penfold on July 26, 2010
So, somebody please tell me when the word fine stopped being fine?
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When exchanging greetings with friends, I used to reply to any enquiry as to my health as ‘Fine, thanks’. When I still lived up North, a wry ‘Mustn’t grumble’ would usually suffice. This does not seem to be adequate any longer. People have begun [...]
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Posted by Sharon Creese on July 20, 2010
I feel I must begin this post by clarifying a couple of things. No, I don’t have a best mate called Tracey, and no, I’ve never in my life danced around my handbag in white stilettos in a nightclub. OK, glad we got that cleared up.
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Non-native English speakers may be wondering what on earth I’m [...]
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Posted by Jonathan Cole on December 21, 2009
Below are links to some of our most popular posts of the year. Many of the posts still have ongoing conversations so don’t hesitate to leave a comment!
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Horrible Americanisms?
Who decides what is “good” or “correct” English when the way it is spoken differs from country to country?
Casting a spell on English.
Stephen Bullon’s series of posts [...]
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Posted by Tim Bowen on December 17, 2009
Tim Bowen, teacher trainer and Onestopenglish author of the OSE-BuzzWord Lesson Plans, ponders the use & abuse of the word literally…
Don’t forget! Macmillan Dictionary and Onestopenglish have teamed up for a fantastic Christmas special for teachers in the month of December!
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On a recent train journey, I heard a fellow passenger say to her companion:
“It [...]
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Posted by Stephen Bullon on December 09, 2009
Well, it’s over. The Plain English Campaign 2009 awards were announced yesterday, and one of the winners was Lord Mandelson. Having left the cabinet twice in less than ideal circumstances, Mandelson is back in a position of some authority, and is seen as the government’s Great Communicator. But this observation, referring to the MPs’ expenses [...]
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Posted by Stephen Bullon on December 07, 2009
“Perhaps I could say, by way of introduction, welcome to our stakeholders. We look forward to our engagement, as we roll out our dialogue on a level playing field, so that, going forward in the public domain, we have a win-win step change that is fit for purpose across the piece.”
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That was Dr Tony Wright, [...]
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Posted by Michael Rundell on November 12, 2009
One of the downsides of being in the dictionary business is that most people have a completely erroneous idea of what we do. A recent article in the Times ticked all the boxes in its caricature of the lexicographer: old, “boffinish” and hopelessly outmoded (still working with card indexes, apparently), we are nevertheless seen as [...]
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Posted by Michael Rundell on November 04, 2009
The sad news that Chambers Dictionary is about to lose its lexicographic staff prompted a sympathetic article in the Times. Its author, Allan Brown, contrasted the efforts of Internet dictionaries (“pop-cultural hogwash”) with what he regarded as the work of “proper” lexicographers (“we know that our tongue is safe in their hands”). Very nice of [...]
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Posted by Michael Rundell on August 05, 2009
Some people get very upset about nouns being used as verbs. A recent row in the press centred on the verbal use of medal (How many of their athletes were medalled at the last Olympics?) but it turns out that this usage is at least as old as Thackeray. Which is hardly surprising, since forming [...]
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