This post contains a selection of links related to recent 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.
Global English
On identifying phishermen
People are very ready to make deductions about the background of a user based on language use, and the argument ‘carelessness in spelling must mean carelessness generally (and thus an unsatisfactory product)’ is applied regardless of the realities.
Google+ and the friends v acquaintances debate
The much-hyped arrival of the Google+ social networking site throws open the debate on the difference between friends and acquaintances. So where is the line?
Non-Native English Speakers Inspire Linguistics Archive
Everyone speaks English a little differently, especially if it is not your first language. It was these unique nuances of non-native English speakers which inspired linguistics professor Steven Weinberger to create the Speech Accent Archive at George Mason University.
Language resources
Linkedin in the classroom
Using authentic, company materials can help to make this activity feel more real, more relevant and more engaging. The majority of companies will advertise vacancies on the website, and accessing these jobs, in English if possible, and then using Linkedin to find suitable candidates for them will help to personalise the activity.
Jane Austen Throws Down In New ‘Word Fighter’ Game
A character based on the Pride and Prejudice author uses the power of words to take down enemies in the upcoming iOS/Android game Word Fighter.
Improve your English
Over the top!
Many of our students come to us woefully unskilled in English usage. … While it may be tempting to guide them through the thicket of English usage by giving them simplistic “rules,” we do them no favor if we fail to train them to make intelligent distinctions about the ways that literate people actually use the language.
Books, words, science and the history of language
Fewer Verbs and Nouns in Financial Reporting Could Predict Stock Market Bubble, Study Shows
When the language used by financial analysts and reporters becomes increasingly similar the stock market may be overheated, say scientists.
Video
Typography about language
Video, using kinetic typography, by Ronnie Bruce
Poem ‘Totally like whatever, you know?’ by Taylor Mali
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