Language and words in the news – 20th March, 2015

This post contains a selection of links related to language and words in the news. These can be items from the latest news, blog posts or interesting websites related to global English, language change, education in general, and language learning and teaching in particular.

Feel free to contact us if you would like to submit a link for us to include, or just add a comment to the post, with the link(s) you’d like to share.

Language change and slang

Clambering Is Best Done Without a Clamor
In youth, my friends and I found the need to create a word for the practice of finding an obvious path up the side of a building and making an ascent, an activity that was rarely practiced but often spoken about. The word that sprung to mind was clabbing.

Global English

‘Making strange’ in Ireland
The verb phrase make strange means to act up or be nervous or shy, etc., when encountering a stranger or strange situation.

Improve your English

Semicolons: How To Use Them, And Why You Should
The semicolon represents nuance, a gray space between an unbroken thought and two entirely separate ones.

Language teaching and resources

Learn English games
The British Council’s Learn English website and Facebook page were worthy third place winners in our Love English awards. You can try some of their fun language-learning games here.

From a language point of view, what’s happening in Iraq, Syria, and environs has revived words that have not been common for many years. – See more at: http://www.cjr.org/language_corner/language_corner_063014.php?utm_content=buffer811d0&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer#sthash.WQopCEDs.dpufFrom a language point of view, what’s happening in Iraq, Syria, and environs has revived words that have not been common for many years.From a language point of view, what’s happening in Iraq, Syria, and environs has revived words that have not been common for many years..

Books, dictionaries, words and language

There Is No ‘Proper English’
It is well past time to consign grammar pedantry to the history books.

The 50 books every child should read
Some great stuff on this list, but it’s weak on more recent writers and contains several books that most children would not necessarily enjoy. See what you think.

We counted literally every road in America. Here’s what we learned.
Jeff Guo has counted all the street names in the US, to find out which one is the most popular.

Most common street names by country in Europe
And someone is doing the same for the commonest street names in the countries of Europe. Plus there’s an opportunity to help with crowdsourcing the data.

A Brief Tribute to Sir Terry Pratchett’s Death
There have been countless tributes to Terry Pratchett. This one focuses on one of his most oddly endearing characters, Death.