Research backs up something I have said for a long time, the way we speak has a huge influence on the way we are perceived. People who come from around the Newcastle area are said to have a Geordie accent Early in 2010, the Geordie accent was voted the sexiest in Britain. Researchers believe celebrities […]
Whether we realise it or not, it turns out much of our common language originated in science - more specifically, in the oldest scientific journal in the world. If you've asked someone to take your photograph, been told you have a negative attitude or ordered your food wrapped in aluminium foil recently, then you can […]
Apple has filed an 873-page briefing paper to the court laying out its claim to exclusive use of the name "pod". In a worrying trend, companies and brands are trying to corner the market on everyday words. Rupert Murdoch’s BSkyB is already fighting a legal battle with the internet telecommunications pioneer Skype, claiming that it […]
"Welcome to Ukraine! I am a state traffic inspector," Ukrainian police officers are learning English in preparation for the Euro 2012 football tournament. According to the interior ministry, free English lessons are being organised for officers in the four Ukrainian cities expected to host matches: Kiev, Lviv, Donetsk and Kharkiv. They are learning to say […]
According to the UK's Education watchdog Ofsted, children in Britain are starting nursery school unable to speak and listen properly because of continuous noise and poor conversation at home. Some schools report spending days or weeks educating parents and improving children's social skills. The study said, "The schools attributed weak listening skills not only to […]
A British police officer has been put on suspension this week for allegedly using song titles while providing evidence to an inquiry surrounding the fatal shooting of barrister Mark Saunders. The policeman in question gave evidence as Alpha Zulu 8 or AZ8 -- the transcript revealed certain phrases which are also song titles. The extensive […]