EngLangBlog
@englangblog.bsky.social
English Language & Linguistics for A-Level students and teachers.
One of the Lexis podcast team https://tinyurl.com/yckh3vy5
EngLangBlog: https://englishlangsfx.blogspot.com/
English & Media Centre: https://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/
He/him
One of the Lexis podcast team https://tinyurl.com/yckh3vy5
EngLangBlog: https://englishlangsfx.blogspot.com/
English & Media Centre: https://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/
He/him
Reposted by EngLangBlog
“each time my university friends jokingly echoed my Leeds-accented “no” with a noise that is perhaps best approximated as “nerhhh”, I found myself undergoing elocution conditioning.”
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... by @robynvinter.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... by @robynvinter.bsky.social
It’s not easy being an English northerner surrounded by southerners. Here’s how we survive | Robyn Vinter
University undergraduates are forming northern societies, but in other circumstances we find different ways to be ourselves, says Guardian north of England correspondent Robyn Vinter
www.theguardian.com
January 6, 2026 at 10:22 AM
“each time my university friends jokingly echoed my Leeds-accented “no” with a noise that is perhaps best approximated as “nerhhh”, I found myself undergoing elocution conditioning.”
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... by @robynvinter.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... by @robynvinter.bsky.social
One for discussion in English Language lessons? Good material for connotations and semantics, but also representation in general?
BBC journalists have been banned from describing the kidnapped Venezuelan leader as having been kidnapped.
The BBC News Editor has sent this to BBC journalists.
The BBC News Editor has sent this to BBC journalists.
January 5, 2026 at 2:31 PM
One for discussion in English Language lessons? Good material for connotations and semantics, but also representation in general?
ICYMI in the run-up to the festive period, I did an @engmediacentre.bsky.social blog on teachers' accents, accent prejudice and a survey of teachers' experiences here: www.englishandmedia.co.uk/blog/pride-a...
Survey of teachers and accents
EMC's Dan Clayton explores the implications of a survey looking at teachers and accents
www.englishandmedia.co.uk
January 5, 2026 at 11:21 AM
ICYMI in the run-up to the festive period, I did an @engmediacentre.bsky.social blog on teachers' accents, accent prejudice and a survey of teachers' experiences here: www.englishandmedia.co.uk/blog/pride-a...
Reposted by EngLangBlog
Here's a quick roundup of EMC's 2025 in numbers! We'd like to welcome teachers back after the Christmas break and we're looking forward to working with as many of you as possible in the coming year 🙌
January 5, 2026 at 7:30 AM
Here's a quick roundup of EMC's 2025 in numbers! We'd like to welcome teachers back after the Christmas break and we're looking forward to working with as many of you as possible in the coming year 🙌
The accent elements to this story are at the end.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
‘Oh my gosh, they’re all from London and Cambridge’: York University’s northerners fight back
Lucy Morville, from Burnley, thought most students would be from the north and felt ‘culture shock’ surrounded by southerners
www.theguardian.com
January 4, 2026 at 3:00 PM
The accent elements to this story are at the end.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
We christen this child Alexander Slop, or Al Slop for short.
The parents of the first baby born in 2026 in this county outside Baltimore got their name ideas from ChatGPT. Hudson Oakley Winkler.
www.baltimoresun.com/2026/01/01/c...
www.baltimoresun.com/2026/01/01/c...
ChatGPT named Carroll County’s first-born baby in 2026
The first baby born in Carroll County in 2026 was named with help from ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence chatbot.
www.baltimoresun.com
January 2, 2026 at 4:52 PM
We christen this child Alexander Slop, or Al Slop for short.
Reposted by EngLangBlog
Our Spring 2026 webinar packages are available for purchase! Buy yours now to secure access to all the webinars coming up this term for yourself and your whole department: buff.ly/vtsFPnq
January 2, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Our Spring 2026 webinar packages are available for purchase! Buy yours now to secure access to all the webinars coming up this term for yourself and your whole department: buff.ly/vtsFPnq
This is good! www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Rage bait, goblin mode … do words of the year have any real value?
Analysis shows obscure and barely used choices, drawn from online slang, do not stand the test of time
www.theguardian.com
January 2, 2026 at 7:42 AM
This is good! www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
I bet this story is about a man unjustly treated for his love of good spelling and grammar.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01...
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01...
National Trust blacklists volunteer who pointed out spelling mistakes
Andy Jones banned from helping out after criticising charity’s boss
www.telegraph.co.uk
January 1, 2026 at 6:30 PM
I bet this story is about a man unjustly treated for his love of good spelling and grammar.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01...
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01...
This is worth a look, especially for ideas around how language represents actions, events and people.
bit.ly/3MFtEM2
bit.ly/3MFtEM2
Northumbria expert delivers training to help address victim-blaming language
A Northumbria University academic is leading pioneering training to support police forces across the country to tackle victim-blaming language during investigations, with a particular focus on Violenc...
bit.ly
December 28, 2025 at 11:30 AM
This is worth a look, especially for ideas around how language represents actions, events and people.
bit.ly/3MFtEM2
bit.ly/3MFtEM2
The changing meanings of symbols. We actually talked about this example in the latest @lexispodcast.bsky.social with @mashedradish.bsky.social!
BBC News - How frogs went from right-wing meme to anti-ICE protest symbol
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
BBC News - How frogs went from right-wing meme to anti-ICE protest symbol
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
How frogs went from right-wing meme to anti-ICE protest symbol
The frog has become a frequent symbol at protests against the Trump administration.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 28, 2025 at 7:14 AM
The changing meanings of symbols. We actually talked about this example in the latest @lexispodcast.bsky.social with @mashedradish.bsky.social!
BBC News - How frogs went from right-wing meme to anti-ICE protest symbol
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
BBC News - How frogs went from right-wing meme to anti-ICE protest symbol
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by EngLangBlog
I’m scheduled to be on Radio 4’s The World at One today—sometime after 1:20—talking about (what else?) people not enjoying Americanisms in British English
December 26, 2025 at 11:21 AM
I’m scheduled to be on Radio 4’s The World at One today—sometime after 1:20—talking about (what else?) people not enjoying Americanisms in British English
Have a read of this for a good overview of what's what in WOTY land.
My new newsletter contains more than FIFTY Words of the Year from around the world.
Those won't be the final hashtag#WotY2025, but it is the final newsletter of the year!
lynneguist.substack.com/p/2025-words...
Those won't be the final hashtag#WotY2025, but it is the final newsletter of the year!
lynneguist.substack.com/p/2025-words...
2025 Words...so far
This time: Words of the Year and Links of the Month
lynneguist.substack.com
December 23, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Have a read of this for a good overview of what's what in WOTY land.
Nice overview of recent WOTYs and the worlds & times they reflect. Decent style model for P2Q4 as well!
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Each year, word of the year gets darker. ‘Six-seven’ may be annoying – but it’s bucked that trend | Coco Khan
Some might regard this slang as ‘brain rot’, but the first word of the year just for tweens and teenagers could be the most hopeful development of 2025, says writer and podcaster Coco Khan
www.theguardian.com
December 20, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Nice overview of recent WOTYs and the worlds & times they reflect. Decent style model for P2Q4 as well!
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by EngLangBlog
2025 has been a very busy year here at EMC. We supported thousands of students and teachers through our courses, conferences and resources this year and hope for more of the same in 2026!!
December 19, 2025 at 11:10 AM
2025 has been a very busy year here at EMC. We supported thousands of students and teachers through our courses, conferences and resources this year and hope for more of the same in 2026!!
This is really interesting but I also have lots of questions about methodology and application. I'll do some more reading!
theconversation.com/people-with-...
theconversation.com/people-with-...
People with personality disorders often use language differently – our research reveals how
Words reflecting anger and swearing are more common in people with personality dysfunction.
theconversation.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:50 AM
This is really interesting but I also have lots of questions about methodology and application. I'll do some more reading!
theconversation.com/people-with-...
theconversation.com/people-with-...
So many headlines I could use for this, but I am not *that* basic.
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Don’t hold back, swearing can boost performance by lowering inhibitions, study finds
Study finds dropping an expletive can raise confidence and help people push harder during physically demanding tasks
www.theguardian.com
December 18, 2025 at 7:51 PM
So many headlines I could use for this, but I am not *that* basic.
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
I’ve written a long blog here that comes out of various things that I’ve worked on with other people this term. It’s about accents... again! Sorry, not sorry.
englishandmedia.co.uk/blog/pride-a...
englishandmedia.co.uk/blog/pride-a...
Survey of teachers and accents
EMC's Dan Clayton explores the implications of a survey looking at teachers and accents
englishandmedia.co.uk
December 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM
I’ve written a long blog here that comes out of various things that I’ve worked on with other people this term. It’s about accents... again! Sorry, not sorry.
englishandmedia.co.uk/blog/pride-a...
englishandmedia.co.uk/blog/pride-a...
Reposted by EngLangBlog
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
December 15, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
Reposted by EngLangBlog
📯 Babel No53 is online now! Trinidadian English Creole, Estonian humour, the roots of fruits, and much more
🖥️ Digital subscribers can read on at: cloud.3dissue.com/18743/41457/...
✉️ Print copies will be posted out through December
🏪 Subscribe at babelzine.co.uk
🖥️ Digital subscribers can read on at: cloud.3dissue.com/18743/41457/...
✉️ Print copies will be posted out through December
🏪 Subscribe at babelzine.co.uk
December 15, 2025 at 9:09 AM
📯 Babel No53 is online now! Trinidadian English Creole, Estonian humour, the roots of fruits, and much more
🖥️ Digital subscribers can read on at: cloud.3dissue.com/18743/41457/...
✉️ Print copies will be posted out through December
🏪 Subscribe at babelzine.co.uk
🖥️ Digital subscribers can read on at: cloud.3dissue.com/18743/41457/...
✉️ Print copies will be posted out through December
🏪 Subscribe at babelzine.co.uk
Reposted by EngLangBlog
I had a great time talking to Dan Clayton (@englangblog.bsky.social) and cohost Raj Rana on the Lexis podcast about the Word of the Year. Our conversation spanned how they are chosen, why they matter, what patterns we see in 2025, what they say about us, and so much more.
New episode just out! It features an interview with John Kelly aka @mashedradish.bsky.social on #WOTY2025 and the whole Word of the Year phenomenon. Word nerd heaven or cynical marketing ploy from BiG dIcTiOnArY? spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/pnwYbTXR3Yb
Episode 78 - John Kelly and the 2025 Words of the Year by Lexis
Welcome to episode 78 of Lexis in which Raj & Dan talk to John Kelly, former head of content at Dictionary.com, previous contributor to Merriam-Webster and Oxford Dictionaries, emoji lexicographer for...
spotifycreators-web.app.link
December 14, 2025 at 10:00 PM
I had a great time talking to Dan Clayton (@englangblog.bsky.social) and cohost Raj Rana on the Lexis podcast about the Word of the Year. Our conversation spanned how they are chosen, why they matter, what patterns we see in 2025, what they say about us, and so much more.
Oh dear. This is almost archetypal in its clichéd, patronising advice & pseudo-linguistic 'evidence' (the JESP study on exclamation marks *didn't* make that specific claim).
BBC News - Can I just check - are my emails holding me back at work?! Xx - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
BBC News - Can I just check - are my emails holding me back at work?! Xx - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Can I just check - are my emails holding me back at work?! Xx
What impact is my email etiquette having on how I'm perceived, evaluated and promoted at work?
www.bbc.co.uk
December 15, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Oh dear. This is almost archetypal in its clichéd, patronising advice & pseudo-linguistic 'evidence' (the JESP study on exclamation marks *didn't* make that specific claim).
BBC News - Can I just check - are my emails holding me back at work?! Xx - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
BBC News - Can I just check - are my emails holding me back at work?! Xx - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...