Language and words in the news – 20th December, 2014

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

Et In Amusement Arcades Ego
Shopping arcades and amusement arcades are from the Italian word for arch: arcata. The idea is that an avenue covered with arcati is therefore an arcade.

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..

Language teaching and resources

Increasing advanced students’ lexical range
An interesting post on using SkELL, the free corpus access tool, to expand advanced students’ vocabulary.

Books, dictionaries, words and language

The world still needs its dictionaries, but how we define them is changing
“Dictionary?” said a friend, “Who needs a dictionary? If I need a word I just look it up on my phone.”

Want to influence the world? Map reveals the best languages to speak
Speak or write in English, and the world will hear you. Speak or write in Tamil or Portuguese, and you may have a harder time getting your message out.

Do Men Read Books Written By Females?
Do men read books written by female authors? This infographic may reveal the answer.

Pineapple Naming
Seemingly everyone else calls it ananas, or some variant thereof. English likes to be different.

Audio

First Words: How do children develop language?
Michael Rosen finds out about the first sounds, words and phrases that babies recognise and learn to say. (28 minutes. May not be available in all areas)