I can see why Portugal (and Brazil, Angola and the rest) would want to standardize the different variations of Portugese spoken around the world. The Spanish must have similar issues with the Latin American and European versions diverging a bit, and let’s not start on what the Americans and Aussies do to English.
Entries Tagged as 'Language'
Staying put
February 21st, 2008 · 6 Comments · Work
Well I am not moving to France. There was a slight possibility of an opportunity at work that came totally out of the blue and I pursued it, but ultimately it came to nothing.
Usage question
January 11th, 2008 · 6 Comments · Life
A question for the pedants out there: is it ever correct to say “a tad bit”? ((maybe I should do a poll…))
Tags: Language
Language Skills
November 27th, 2007 · Comments Off on Language Skills · Life
I came across a great quote today. It was from Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys talking about his German language skills. I think I may have to steal it and use it to describe my own abilities in French: I’m not fluent. I can’t even get by as a tourist. But I like to […]
Spanish practices
October 13th, 2007 · 1 Comment · Politics
Where did this term ‘Spanish practices’ come from all of a sudden? All the media reports on the postal workers’ strike are throwing it around as if it is a term everyone uses all the time, but I can’t recall hearing it before. Someone else please admit to also being unfamiliar with it – or […]
Tags: Language·Trade Unions
Back online
September 25th, 2007 · Comments Off on Back online · Life
I spoke to Mum tonight. Her computer is working again (she fixed it herself – way to go!) so she says she will now be able to keep up with my comings and goings again. I guess that means I’ll have to to try and use the word “fuck” less often. Oops. I’ll start tomorrow.
Arrrrr…
September 20th, 2007 · 1 Comment · Life
Well buckle me swashes and shiver me timbers – for the second year running I missed Talk Like A Pirate Day! I be ever so upset. It should be made a public holiday so its more easily remembered.
Favourite words
September 16th, 2007 · 4 Comments · Life
The charity Education Action is trying to raise awareness of children who do not have access to education because of conflict or displacement, and they are doing it by asking people what their favourite word is. To drum up some interest, they have been asking MPs and authors about their favourite words. I think the […]
Tags: Language
Deathless prose
June 19th, 2007 · 26 Comments · Politics
Back in May, at the Broadfield Forum, a letter was read out to general hilarity. The letter was from somebody at the Highways Agency in response to questions about the phasing of the traffic lights outside the K2 leisure centre. I now have a copy of the text of that letter and it seems a […]
Essential website of the day
June 11th, 2007 · Comments Off on Essential website of the day · Life
I stumbled across this website earlier today and it stopped me dead in my tracks. It is absolutely brilliant, taking pointlessness to a whole new level, being dedicated to telling you the correct way to spell a word which you have to spell correctly to type in the URL. Just knowing that there is someone […]
