Humans are unique in their ability to acquire language. But how? A new study published in the Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences shows that we are in fact born with the basic fundamental knowledge of language, thus shedding light on the age-old linguistic “nature vs. nurture” debate. While languages differ from each other…
Category Archive for: English language
The American educational system has a difficult time understanding dyslexia and an even harder time identifying children with dyslexia in order to provide the correct intervention for students who are native English speakers. When a school has the added challenge of identifying struggling English language learners (ELLs), the task becomes an even more complicated process,…
If you find it frustrating that the default Microsoft Office Word dictionary doesn’t recognize the medical terms you use every day, there’s a simple way to make the spelling checker work for your specific needs. Just customize your Word dictionary so that the default dictionary points to Stedman’s Medical Dictionary or another medical terms list that you…
Your website is the front line of your content marketing strategy, so don’t cut corners with the copy. Visitors tend to leave websites within ten to 20 seconds and only read about 20 percent of the content on each page. Your copy therefore has to be something special to grab their attention, inspire action and drive up your website…
Non-native speakers exposed to English before moving to America are more likely to use the language in their daily lives in the United States, according to a report led by Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Such early exposure – through newspapers, books, TV and classes as well as traveling –…
Jargon wherever it appears is the death of good prose and common sense. Where does jargon come from? After all, no one is taught to express themselves like this in school—so where does the rot set in? A few years ago, I was standing in a queue behind two men and eavesdropping on their conversation.…
What’s the most beautiful word in the English language? Different people, using various criteria, will give a slew of answers. Surveying more than 7,000 English speakers in 46 countries, the British Council decided on “mother” — an unglamorous word, yet one that conveys comfort and the deepness of human relationships. Others on their list include…
The 2014 TESOL International Convention & English Language Expo will bring together educators from more than 75 counties in Portland, Oregon USA, for this industry event, which is the largest of its kind. The annual convention is organized by TESOL International Association, the professional association for more than 13,000 teachers of English to speakers of…
Word – among most offensive in English language – added under ‘c’ section ‘Old Etonian’, ‘bathroom break’, ‘beat boxer’, and ‘scissor kick’ also added Other words on the list include ‘bookaholic,’ ‘e-ticket,’ ‘bestie’, and ‘honk’ The latest round of words has been added to the Oxford English Dictionary – including one of the rudest in…
Pi may go on forever, but your writing shouldn’t. Pi Day is celebrated on March 14 (i.e. 3.14), and in honor of everyone’s favorite endless irrational number, we’ve curated six tips for more concise writing. Overly Long Words. Eschew sesquipedalian diction! In other words, don’t use long words–at least not when short ones will do. Our…
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