Language and words in the news – 25th July, 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

10 Words Whose Pronunciation Has Changed Over Time
As languages change, so do pronunciations. This list contains ten words that have gone through relatively recent shifts in pronunciation.

11 words that are much older than you think
The ‘recency illusion’ makes us believe words and phrases we’ve just noticed are new. But it isn’t always the case.

Because Internet
This interview with Gretchen McCulloch about internet-y language is not new, but you may have missed it at the time so here it is.

Whose Word Crimes?
The ‘Word Crimes’ video has provoked intense debate. You can read an excellent summary, with links to many of the other contributions 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..

Global English

spastic, learning disability
As the ‘Word Crimes’ debate rumbles on (see above), here’s a transatlantic take on the terminology used to talk about disability.

Language teaching and resources

Learning from Genius
Seven lessons that language students can learn from the greats.

Books, science, dictionaries, words and language

“I can’t even”
H.P. Lovecraft was the pioneer of being unable to describe the indescribable. If you haven’t read any Lovecraft, you really should. It is a blast.

Want to write like a spy?
Here’s the CIA’s 2011 style manual, all 190 pages of it. Enjoy.

Podcast

No, Your Language Doesn’t Influence How You Experience The World
Listen to Slate’s show about The Language Hoax, in which author and linguist John McWhorter pushes back against the idea that language affects culture (34 minutes, contains explicit language).