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December 4, 2008 10:54:07 AM CST

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English news stories

12 Stories



 Top 10 
 Most 
 Irritating 
 Phrases 

Absolutely a nightmare, 24/7

Daily Telegraph (UK) Daily Telegraph (UK) Nov 7, 08 10:12 AM CST
(Newser) - At the end of the day, it's not rocket science, but the Guardian reports that researchers at Oxford University have been working absolutely 24/7 to compile a fairly unique list of phrases which, with all due respect, are some of the most irritating in popular use. You’ve just read #1, #10, #6, #9, #2, and #5. More »

More about:  language • English • Oxford University • linguistics

OPINION

Gosh Darn if Her Jargon Isn't as Empty as Folksy

Palin's 'pompom patois' obscures a big lack of substance

New York Times New York Times Oct 5, 08 12:31 PM CDT
(Newser) - From the party whose leader infamously asked "Is our children learning?," we now have the baffling homespun language of Sarah Palin, for whom Maureen Dowd isn't thrilled to have to translate. The vice presidential candidate's "sing-songy jingoism" conceals a mass of contradictions and often a lack of real meaning, Dowd writes in the New York Times. More »

More about:  Election 2008 • Sarah Palin • vice presidential debate • Maureen Dowd • English • grammar

 Dictionary Gives 
 Rare Words 
 One Last Chance 

Apodiectic use could save niddering and oppugnant

Time Time Oct 4, 08 8:49 AM CDT
(Newser) - The Collins English Dictionary is giving rarely used words a last chance before they are dumped from the new edition, Time reports. Language lovers were outraged at plans to  exuviate (shed) words like oppugnant (combative), so the editors have made public a list of 24 candidates for deletion. If the words reappear in the dictionary's database of English usage before January, they can stay. More »

More about:  language • English • dictionary • words • lexicon

LPGA Backs Off English-Only Policy

Tour bows to sponsors, civil rights groups on controversial rule

Golfweek Sep 5, 08 2:43 PM CDT
(Newser) - A firestorm of criticism has forced the LPGA to overturn its plans to penalize tour players who failed to pass an oral English evaluation after 2 years, GolfWeek reports. “After hearing the concerns, we believe there are other ways to achieve our shared objective of supporting and enhancing the business opportunities for every tour player,” said the LPGA commissioner. More »

More about:  golf • LPGA • English • Asians

 LPGA to Test Players' English 

Tour worries about sponsor interaction as foreign players increase

Golfweek Aug 26, 08 4:12 PM CDT
(Newser) - The LPGA will begin mandatory oral English tests for its players next year, and those who fail face suspension and required tutoring, Golfweek reports. The tour is stressing the importance of English as players from Asia have come to play a prominent role in the sport. Of the 121 international players on the tour this year, 45 are from South Korea. More »

More about:  golf • sports • South Korea • language • English • LPGA • LPGA Tour

300M 'Chinglish' Speakers Can't Be Wrong

English as spoken in China may soon become a dialect

Wired Wired Jun 29, 08 5:52 AM CDT
(Newser) - Some 300 million English speakers in China are altering the language in small but important ways—and may be creating their own dialect, Michael Erard writes in Wired . So-called "Chinglish"—which stresses unique syllables, drops dos and dids, and adds sounds for questions—has already been studied in a Hong Kong exhibit and is used widely in Singapore books and films. More »

More about:  language • Singapore • English • Chinese • grammar

 Phonetics Reformers
 Buzzing at Spelling Bee 

Revitalized movement wants to simplify the language

Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal May 30, 08 11:15 AM CDT
(Newser) - Every year, the National Spelling Bee sparks a protest from an 800-year-old movement that aims to simplify spelling by using phonetics, the Wall Street Journal reports. (Think thru vs. through.) “We have 42 different sounds in English, and we spell them 400 different ways,” says the 102-year-old founder of the movement’s modern phase, which blames the high rate of illiteracy on the idiosyncrasies of English spelling. More »

More about:  English • grammar • spelling • spelling bee

Grammatical Dynamic Duo
Wages War
on Typos

Two men travel the
country on a mission

Chicago Tribune Chicago Tribune May 21, 08 8:50 PM CDT
(Newser) - Jeff Deck and Benjamin Herson are out-of-work Ivy Leaguers on a mission. They just wrapped up a three-month cross-country drive to eradicate typos and grammar gaffes in public spaces. Sharpies in hand, the pair confronted store owners about typos on their signs and windows and did their best to correct them, explains the Chicago Tribune . "A grocery store that can't spell grocery makes you question the food they sell," says Deck. More »

More about:  education • English • dictionary • grammar

Philly Steak Shop Can Keep
'Please Speak English' Signs

Statement political, no service denied: panel

Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia Inquirer Mar 20, 08 5:10 PM CDT
(Newser) - The owner of a Philadelphia institution can keep signs that ask customers to order their cheese steaks in English, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. A city agency ruled the signs at Geno's Steaks—"This is America. When ordering, please speak English"—do not violate discrimination rules; owner Joey Vento says he never turned away customers and just wanted to make a political point. More »

More about:  immigration • Philadelphia • America • language • English • foreign languages

If You Really Want to Hear About It ...

Though pushing 60, Holden Caulfield's
story never gets old

NPR NPR Jan 21, 08 7:57 PM CST
(Newser) - Holden Caulfield was an angsty teen before James Dean and rock and roll made alientaed youth an icon. "There's really not the sense of teen culture that there is now," says the producer of "Gossip Girl." NPR takes the measure of Holden, J.D. Salinger, and the 1951 classic The Catcher in the Rye . More »

More about:  literature • English • The Catcher in the Rye • JD Salinger

Winning Word of 2007: 'W00t'

Merriam-Webster word of the year is gamer's victory cry

Associated Press Associated Press Dec 12, 07 10:47 AM CST
(Newser) - W00t is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year. The term is the victory cry of computer hackers and gamers, who also heatedly argue its origins. Merriam-Webster cites the explanation that gamers coined it as an alphanumeric acronym for “We Owned Other Team.” Contentious hackers claim it was code for when they gained “root” or complete access to a system. More »

More about:  language • English • dictionary • Merriam Webster • lexicography

Immigrant Kids Talk the Talk: 90% Master English

Fluency makes dramatic leaps across generations

Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times Nov 30, 07 5:40 AM CST
(Newser) - Although many Spanish-speaking immigrants who moved to America know little English, that's not true of their children and grandchildren, according to a new Pew survey. Only 23% of first-generation immigrants said they were competent in English, but 88% of second-generation and 94% of third-generation residents said they can carry on a conversation in English very well. More »

More about:  immigration • immigrant • language • English • Latinos • Spanish • bilingual education

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