jeremy butterfield

European Day of Languages

Monday 26 September marks The European Day of Languages. It was launched in 2001 by the Council of Europe at the end of the Year of Languages, which was jointly organized with the European Union (EU). The day aims to encourage language learning, multilingualism and cultural… Read More

National Radio Day

20 August marks National Radio Day, a celebration on the calendar since the early 1990s. Its organizers enjoin us to savour to the full this overlooked everyday miracle of science. Many readers of this blog will have their favourite programme(s). I certainly do; I wake up every morning to the… Read More
graphic showing calendar

Bastille Day

Allons enfants de la patrie… July brings us two major celebrations of liberty: the Fourth of July for U.S. independence and ten days later, French Bastille Day, 14 July, known in France as le quatorze juillet and never as Jour de la Bastille. But what exactly does it commemorate? And… Read More

Global Beatles Day

This Saturday 25 June is Global Beatles Day. Yes, that’s right: such a worldwide influence have the Beatles had that a day in the year is devoted to them and their legacy. They were the soundtrack to the lives of many people… Read More
graphic containing a calander

National Gardening Week

In an English country ga-a-a-rden What’s the most popular UK hobby? Why, gardening, of course. An estimated twenty-seven million people in a population of sixty-seven million plus indulge in it in some shape or form. During recent lockdowns, many people confined to home developed an interest in their gardens for… Read More
man drinking tea while walking

National Tea Day

Thursday 21 April is National Tea Day. By a happy non-coincidence, that’s the date of the Queen’s real birthday (Many Happy Returns, Your Majesty!) as opposed to her official birthday in June, when the weather is more suitable for celebratory parades. Apart from Her Majesty, there is nothing more stereotypically… Read More
world hearing day

World Hearing Day

Thursday 3 March is World Hearing Day. This is an annual event organised by the WHO (World Health Organization) to promote awareness of hearing loss and advocate for measures to avoid it. This year’s slogan is ‘To hear for life,… Read More

Pearls before Swine

Recently the consumer research company Perspectus Global commissioned a survey about English phrases. They asked 2,000 people aged 18 to 50 whether they used any of a list of fifty expressions. The list was ranked with the least used phrases at the top. Thus, 78 per cent of respondents said… Read More