This blog post aims to look at the language that is emerging as countries are relaxing their coronavirus restrictions and moving on towards a new phase. Replicating the format of a previous blogpost (dealing with the terminology the Coronavirus arrival brought with it, here), I will introduce language relevant to this stage while providing context examples taken from newspapers.
Continue reading “Coronavirus Covid-19: Easing restrictions”
When I first heard the word mish-mash, it was love at first sight.
We were sitting by the fire in the rustic living room of an old National Trust farmhouse located in a remote valley of the Peak District. A perfect end to a day of volunteering work in the morning, and an afternoon in the hills.
I was having a drink and chatting about languages with the international team. One of them (a fellow volunteer at the time and now a close friend) used the word mish-mash. It was clear from the context that she meant something like a jumble, a mixture of things. A pot-pourri. I asked her to repeat the word just to hear the sound of it in her beautiful British accent. Mish-mash! Love it. Continue reading “A mish-mash of some of my favourite reduplicatives”
Activity-based on the analysis article:
How the World Will Look After the Coronavirus Pandemic
Published by Foreign Policy Insider on March 20, 2020
(The first click is free)
Continue reading “Reading activity: How the World Will Look After the Coronavirus Pandemic”
In this global Coronavirus COVID-19 health emergency, Vitoria has sadly become a hotspot (site with multiple cases of infection) in Spain. In an attempt to prevent the spread of disease, the local authorities are implementing containment measures such as the closure of schools since last Tuesday.
At present, the coronavirus crisis is on everybody’s lips so I have compiled a vocabulary list to enable students to hold a conversation in English about this major issue. This image shows the vocabulary list and down below, each of these expressions is illustrated in the context of current news.
Speaking exams are tough but with the right preparation and mindset, you can step into the examination hall with a good dose of self-confidence in your abilities and a feeling of being in control of the situation rather than overwhelmed by it.
Keep reading for some ideas to help you build confidence and take away some of the anxiety so that you can perform better on exam day.
Continue reading “Self-study for speaking tests: 4 steps that will raise your game”
PORTMANTEAU is an English term that originates from the French words: porter (carry) and manteau (cloak). It literally refers to a large travelling case, usually made of leather.
ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10,
THIS TRIP TURNED OUT TO BE AN 11!
What follows is a compilation of the pictures and comments I posted on Facebook while travelling around New Zealand. I hope it served some of you to learn a bit of vocabulary against the backdrop of this fascinating country. And for non-Facebook members, here it goes again.
The Antipodes, pronounced [ænˈtɪpədiːz]: Magical word that evokes a world of contrast and adventure. For us, living in Spain, that would be The Land of the Long White Cloud, translated from the Maori Aotearoa; in other words, New Zealand, also known as Kiwiland, name which derives from the kiwi, a native flightless bird, which is a national symbol of New Zealand.
The following map shows highlighted the area equivalent to Spain on the opposite side of the world:
https://www.antipodas.net/antipodaspais/espana/ Continue reading “Off to Kiwiland!”
Dogs and humans have been part of each other’s lives for time immemorial and that shows in the language. Keep reading for some of these expressions explained. Continue reading “Dogs and English”
