Bugs
If my husband were an insect it might well be a bug — a squat creature imbibing nutriment in liquid form.…
The Spanish village that thought it was called ‘Kill Jews’
A village has changed its name because it seemed offensive. But I think the villagers were under a misapprehension. The…
Matajudíos
A village has changed its name because it seemed offensive. But I think the villagers were under a misapprehension. The…
How a prayer became business speak
No doubt you, too, have had the feeling, upon glancing at an article in a paper picked up in a…
Due diligence
No doubt you, too, have had the feeling, upon glancing at an article in a paper picked up in a…
On the cusp: a cliche with a hidden astrological side
‘A stalker who dressed a pillow “mannequin” in his ex’s nurse’s uniform, then sent her a picture, has been told…
On the cusp
‘A stalker who dressed a pillow “mannequin” in his ex’s nurse’s uniform, then sent her a picture, has been told…
What kind of life-form boasts that it can ‘speak human’?
The next Labour leader will have to be able to speak human, said a piece in the Observer. This, it…
Speak human
The next Labour leader will have to be able to speak human, said a piece in the Observer. This, it…
Trigger warning: this is an article about the word ‘trigger’
A notion is going about that, just as readers of film reviews receive spoiler alerts, so readers of anything should…
Trigger
A notion is going about that, just as readers of film reviews receive spoiler alerts, so readers of anything should…
The rise and rise of the brain fade
‘Aa-aah,’ groaned my husband, ‘we fade to grey.’ He had never been much of a Young Romantic, even when Visage…
Brain fade
‘Aa-aah,’ groaned my husband, ‘we fade to grey.’ He had never been much of a Young Romantic, even when Visage…
The real contest at Eurovision: worst lyric
Like a reluctantly remembered nightmare, last week’s Eurovision Song Contest already seems very distant. But, in the manner of the…
Eurovision-speak
Like a reluctantly remembered nightmare, last week’s Eurovision Song Contest already seems very distant. But, in the manner of the…
Mind your language: Heritage this and heritage that
Benidorm has applied for World Heritage status. To achieve this, says Unesco, a site must have ‘outstanding universal value’ in…
Heritage
Benidorm has applied for World Heritage status. To achieve this, says Unesco, a site must have ‘outstanding universal value’ in…
That irritating use of ‘progressive’ is more than a century old
I was interested by the widespread annoyance at the use of progressive by the lefty parties before the election. Irritation…
Progressive
I was interested by the widespread annoyance at the use of progressive by the lefty parties before the election. Irritation…
Don’t want a Princess Charlotte? Try Violant, Fatima, Davina, Senna…
It could have been much worse. Someone had pointed out that among the new baby’s ancestors was Queen Violant of…
Charlotte
It could have been much worse. Someone had pointed out that among the new baby’s ancestors was Queen Violant of…
English cities don’t have quarters – whatever the executives say
‘No quarter given,’ yelled my husband as he stabbed at a cushion with his stick, spoiling the cavalier effect a…
Quarter
‘No quarter given,’ yelled my husband as he stabbed at a cushion with his stick, spoiling the cavalier effect a…
Does the English language need a Norwegian lesson?
‘Ten Norwegian phrases that don’t exist in English but should,’ said the headline. So I had a little look, as…
Non-existent phrases
‘Ten Norwegian phrases that don’t exist in English but should,’ said the headline. So I had a little look, as…
