Category Archives: Language

USA! USA! USA!

Posted on May 27, 2012 by

The BBC on “10 Things Americans Do That Drive Brits Nuts”: “10. Saying ‘panties,’ ‘fanny’ and ‘bangs’ We’re all aware from watching Americans onscreen that these are the words for knickers, a bottom and a fringe. But when you live … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Kultur, Language, UK | 1 Comment

“Rock A House Party At The Drop Of A Hat”

Posted on May 18, 2012 by

Beastie Boys, live in Glasgow ’99 I had a lot of grading to do this past week so I had this video running pretty much non-stop in my office.  There’s no need to spill more ink on the untimely passing … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Art, English, Kultur, Language, Music | Leave a comment

“Babyccino”

Posted on May 16, 2012 by

South Korean coffee shops are getting the younglings started early on the capitalist tip: “The Babyccino is just what it sounds like, a kid-friendly version of the very adult cappuccino. Offered at A Twosome Place, it is hot chocolate served … Continue reading →

Posted in Korea, Kultur, Language | 1 Comment

Language Makes Your More Rational

Posted on May 1, 2012 by

Wired on how “Thinking in a Foreign Language Makes Decisions More Rational”: “’Would you make the same decisions in a foreign language as you would in your native tongue?’ asked psychologists led by Boaz Keysar of the University of Chicago … Continue reading →

Posted in ESL, Language | Leave a comment

Something Else

Posted on March 28, 2012 by

Via Metafilter, an online database of metaphors in English. Addictive.

Posted in English, Language | Leave a comment

Guttural Girls

Posted on March 15, 2012 by

Young American women are adopting an annoying linguistic pattern known as “vocal fry”: “Since the 1960s, vocal fry has been recognized as the lowest of the three vocal registers, which also include falsetto and modal—the usual speaking register. Speakers creak … Continue reading →

Posted in English, Kultur, Language | 1 Comment

Grammar Police

Posted on February 1, 2012 by

For language and ESL nerds like me, “20 Common Grammar That (Almost) Everyone Gets Wrong.” Nice article, but whither my personal favorite — hanged vs. hung?  (What can I say, I’m immature like that.) Also, nonplussed. Also, I had to … Continue reading →

Posted in English, ESL, Language, Teaching | 4 Comments

“Bunga Bunga”

Posted on November 24, 2011 by

Oxford University Press offers up their new words and expressions of the year for 2011 — the winner is “squeezed middle.” I’m partial to “bunga bunga” myself.

Posted in English, ESL, Language | Leave a comment

Dog’s Life

Posted on November 13, 2011 by

Daegu, Korea.

Posted in Daegu, Korea, Language, Photography | 3 Comments

Salsa! Salsa! Salsa!

Posted on November 2, 2011 by

Via Metafilter, a cool series of videos done by an American woman explaining her culture to Chinese people (OMG! 美语).  What’s amazing is that she does it in fluent Chinese.  Take, for example, Mexican food (well, Chipotle isn’t exactly Mexican … Continue reading →

Posted in America, China, ESL, Kultur, Language | 1 Comment