Category: 2016-2020

Genericized words in Slavic languages

Although speakers might not be aware of it, especially if the word is in use for decades, genericized words are numerous in almost every language… But what exactly are genericized words and how do they enter a language? Genericization (or genericide) is when a trademark becomes so successful that people start using its name to…
“2020 Is Going So Quickly, I Literally Cannot Keep Up” — a comparison of English and Mandarin conceptual metaphors about Time

Editor’s Note: In this article, Time, Motion and Space are discussed as metaphorical concepts. You may have noticed the different capitalisation of those words — it’s intentional! “Time” and “time” are different. In academic writing we’d capitalise the entire word (ie. TIME), but to keep with the blog’s casual format and style, we’ve done it…
Single or double? – Single, how about you?

The title of this article might be confusing for you. You’re thinking, what could this article possibly be about? It is actually a piece relating my personal experiences working in a bar which I connect to the way language is used in the service industry. The environment in which this particular encounter occurred is not…
Language decay or language evolution?

I am sure many of you have heard comments about language and that it’s getting…‘worse’ (to put it lightly). Many have made angry claims about how language is being ‘demolished’ by the young generation and their slang, the way they text and whatnot. Take for example, an article in the Daily mail presenting the views…
‘I’m Sorry You Were Offended’- ‘Cancel Culture’ and the Language used in Apology Videos

As we come to the end of 2019, it is interesting to reflect on the continuously evolving internet culture. We were blessed with an abundance of embarrassing, poorly executed and ‘Razzie award worthy’ apology videos. A few names may spring to mind such as James Charles, Gina Rodriguez and Laura Lee etc. It seems ‘terrible apology videos’…
Byelingualism

On the issues that come with being a bilingual speaker in a foreign country Have you ever forgotten a word mid-sentence while everyone is waiting for you to continue? Have you felt the awkward silence setting in and finally the inevitable feeling of embarrassment following? Now imagine that happening to you more than usually. Well,…
Second Language Experiences; Does direct confrontation aid L2 learning?

There are many theories on acquiring a second language; some researchers say it is best learnt by starting with simple vocabulary, others say languages should be learnt in sentences and expressions, not single words. I spoke to a brave young woman, Larissa Erath, who moved from a Central-European to a Latin-American country for a year,…
Where are you from?

Where are you from? A staple question in small talk. But have you ever thought hard about the answer to that question? I never thought much about it until numerous instances made me question how I should identify myself in regards to ethnicity and why it seems to matter to everyone. There was this one…
‘Don’t Call me Angel’- is it time us ‘bunnies’ started biting back?

Without attempting to sound pedantic about how subtle forms of sexism are shown in society, it’s time we really thought about the terms of ‘endearment’ used for women. Now, I understand why people may question why this is even a topic of discussion. Can something as meager and innocent as the nicknames ‘babe,’ ‘bird’ or…
Out of Hours with Ben Rampton

Get to know Ben Rampton Learn about his academic journey, struggles, personal life and interests. Ben Rampton is a professor of Applied and Socio-linguistics at King’s. His work centres around ethnographic and interactional discourse analysis, with particular interest in anthropology, sociology, and cultural studies. His publications focus on language in relation to urban multilingualism,…