Language
The clever lexicographers at the Australian National Dictionary Centre have chosen ‘Colesworths’ as their Word of the Year 2024. They…
Language
Speccie reader Louise has been in touch with an intelligent question that must have occurred to many of us over…
Language
Speccie reader Doug writes to ask about ‘mansplaining’. This comes from the same feminist language cauldron as ‘toxic masculinity’ (meaning…
Language
Here’ s a style guide suggestion – it’s time to resurrect the word ‘Aboriginal’. With a lower case ‘a’ this…
Language
I never thought I’d grow up to be a Grumpy Old Man – but look how good I am at…
Language
A Speccie reader (Greg) has asked me to say something about the expression ‘AI’, meaning artificial intelligence. The expression is…
Language
When human rights commissions were established both federally and in all the states, we assumed this was a good thing…
Language
I have recently come across the worst case of language vandalism I’ve encountered for many years. Namely, the claim that…
Language
Given the time of year we must once again be ready to pull sour faces and make rude noises when…
Language
Speccie reader Peter has written asking me to write something about ‘begs the question’, which, he says, is ‘regularly misused…
Language
Speccie reader Raymond has asked me to explain the meaning of the compound noun ‘common sense.’ It was Aristotle who…
Language
Can ‘difficult’ be used as a verb? Surely not, I hear you mutter. But on the web I encountered the…
Language
Strangely, the latest word Kamala Harris has chosen to apply to Donald Trump is ‘unserious’. (Or perhaps it was her…
Language
Speccie reader Alan has asked me to explain ‘toxic masculinity’ adding ‘why is there never any mention of toxic femininity?’.…
Language
Speccie reader John is puzzled by an American expression that we’ve heard only recently in Australia: when a politician is…
Language
Kamala Harris keeps telling us she wants ‘equity’ not ‘equality.’ What does she mean? She is using ‘equality’ to means…
Language
There are times when I am tempted to think that English, in general terms, is richer and more colourful than…
Language
A Speccie reader has been in touch to complain about the use of the expressions ‘wind farm’ and ‘solar farm’.…
Language
A fellow Speccie writer asked me about what he called the ‘absurd equivalence’ being drawn between ‘anti-Semitism’ and ‘Islamophobia’. He…
Language
If you haven’t come across it before, let me introduce you to ‘linguistic engineering’. This useful expression has been around…
Language
In the light of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump we need to look at this term ‘assassination’. The core…
Language
Angry people keep chanting ‘Free Palestine’ on our streets. They shout that ‘Palestine’ should stretch from the Jordan River to…
Language
I’ve been searching through the language used to describe the train wreck of a presidential debate between Joe Biden and…
Language
How are you enjoying dealing with the bureaucrats who run our lives these days? (I heard your answer, and you…
Language
My thanks to Speccie reader Ian from Cairns for suggesting that the members of the Albanese government are post turtles.…
