Reports

Language Matters - June 5, 2023

Loanword or Word on Loan?

Many of the English words we use every day actually come from other languages. Retrace a loanword’s steps on its journey into English and reflect on when it becomes fully integrated into the lexicon.

Word Stories - May 15, 2023

Contronyms

This Word Stories instalment shines a spotlight on contronyms - the strange words that can act as their own antonyms.

Language Matters - April 3, 2023

Mislaid Modifiers

Good grammar helps us write clearly and precisely. One way to avoid convoluted and confusing writing involves watching out for misplaced modifiers.

Word Stories - March 14, 2023

PIE Day

This Word Stories instalment digs deep into the history of common English words, to celebrate the legacy of Proto-Indo-European or PIE.

Language Matters - February 14, 2023

Romance Is in the Air? Romance Is in English!

Latin has given more than we assume to English. This month’s Language Matters covers all the bases: from the morphemes that pepper our speech to how to properly cite your favourite philosophers.

Word Stories - January 2, 2023

January is a forward-looking month, so it seems appropriate that sci-fi lovers have chosen this time of year to mark Science Fiction Day. It’s also a good time for word lovers to celebrate the way English has been enriched in recent centuries by science and science fiction.

Language Matters - December 5, 2022

Unwrapping the History of Yuletide Language

Have you ever heard anybody say, “Keep the Christ in Christmas”? They probably don’t know that “Xmas” is very Christian indeed, unlike many other words we use around Christmastime. Find out more in this festive edition of "Language Matters".

Word Stories - November 3, 2022

Sandwich Day

As food lovers celebrate Sandwich Day, can you explain why hot dogs contain no dog, hamburgers contain no ham, and dagwoods contain no wood? This month’s Word Stories will nourish your curiosity by examining some common words associated with the noble yet humble sandwich.