Lavengro

Four once more: 24 February 2014

Breathing new life into old posts. This blog started in 2005. As readership has grown since then I am reposting some of the older posts in batches of four at 06.00 CET every Monday.

Alphabetical order A translation problem

Derby and the rest Why do Brits say Darby?

Pedantry, the Telegraph and relative clauses A newspaper gets it wrong.

Modal auxiliary verbs A useful chart.

Sulphur or sulfur? By far the most popular post on the blog.

This is the last Four Once More that I will post here, having got through my older blog posts. Thank you to everyone who has read them and especially those who have commented on them

 

Four once more: 17 February 2014

Breathing new life into old posts. This blog started in 2005. As readership has grown since then I am reposting some of the older posts in batches of four at 06.00 CET every Monday.

Oats, peas, beans and barley Countable and uncountable foodstuffs.

For free right or wrong? It's right of course.

The Cambridge comma Oxford has one so why not Cambridge?

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. Ambiguity explained.

Four once more: 10 February 2014

Countable and uncountable nouns an exception Some uncountable nouns that have an indefinite article.

The gender of ships Are ships feminine?

Quite so Contranyms – words with opposite meanings.

Frequency of initial letters in English and Spanish A comparison.

Four once more: 3 February 2014

Lingua franca What is the plural of this?

Commas and relative clauses Not hard to use correctly.

Judgement and judgment A difference?

Apostrophes Abolish them!

Four once more: 27 January 2014

Breathing new life into old posts. This blog started in 2005. As readership has grown since then I am reposting some of the older posts in batches of four at 06.00 CET every Monday.

English in the Times A language quiz that is not as good as it should be.

I couldn't give a sausage A Spanish problem with a German name.

Master and captain Who's in charge of a ship?

How to write a descriptivist usage guide Is it a contradiction in terms?

Four once more: 20 January 2014

Breathing new life into old posts. This blog started in 2005. As readership has grown since then I am reposting some of the older posts in batches of four at 06.00 CET every Monday.

A diplomatic problem An unfortunate name.

Language and dialect What is the difference?

Inclusive language An oddity as the language adjusts.

Of metaphorical horses, dog-collars and bricks The problems of translating metaphors.

Four once more: 13 January 2014

Breathing new life into old posts. This blog started in 2005. As readership has grown since then I am reposting some of the older posts in batches of four at 06.00 CET every Monday.

Pencils and crayons and political cartoons The etymology of writing and drawing implements.

Confusion in Oxford The dictionaries differ.

The pope resigns What is the terminology?

An IE family tree A useful and interesting chart.

Four once more: 6 January 2014

Breathing new life into old posts. This blog started in 2005. As readership has grown since then I am reposting some of the older posts in batches of four at 06.00 CET every Monday.

Stomach, abdomen, belly and Zambian English Anatomical confusion.

Commas and grammar The Oxford comma.

Compare – to or with? A subtle difference.

A problem with the present simple An unanswered question.

Four once more: 30 December 2013

Breathing new life into old posts. This blog started in 2005. As readership has grown since then I am reposting some of the older posts in batches of four at 06.00 CET every Monday.

London police learn languages A good idea, but is it being done properly?

Transfer etc., spelling How many r's?

Problems with numbers A billion isn't always a billion.

Why you shouldn't use Google to translate menus The result can be disastrous.

Four once more: 23 December 2013

Breathing new life into old posts. This blog started in 2005. As readership has grown since then I am reposting some of the older posts in batches of four at 06.00 CET every Monday.

On disappearing and being disappeared an English misunderstanding of Spanish grammar.

Surprising etymology It can hold great surprises.

A pernicketiness of pedants The bane of the linguist's life.

Arms, legs and limbs What's the difference?

I wish my readers a very Happy Christmas or whatever else you may be celebrating.