rachel quin

The Barbenheimer effect: 9 portmanteaus you need to know about

It’s been a summer of cinema this year, with Greta Gerwig’s long-awaited Barbie movie finally hitting the screens at the same time as Christopher Nolan’s biographical thriller Oppenheimer. Barbie’s marketing team have been painting the town hot pink, from transforming London’s Barbican underground station into Barbie-can,… Read More

Around the world in 8 words: The changing language of travel

Not all those who wander are lost, and when it comes to travel, sometimes wandering is one of the most exciting things you can do. And if you live in the UK, you’re lucky enough to have access to many beautiful destinations on your doorstep. In a time when travellers… Read More

9 words of Tolkien terminology

Arguably one of the most epic high-fantasy novels ever written, The Lord of the Rings trilogy introduced fans to Middle-earth, a fantastical place full of hobbits, dwarves and elves in an imaginary period of Earth’s past. J. R. R. Tolkien’s books have captured the imagination of readers for nearly 70… Read More

7 music genres to spice up your playlist

As Shakespeare once said, if music be the food of love, play on. As we head into the summer, music festivals such as Coachella and Glastonbury dominate the airwaves and megastars such as Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Harry Styles embark on global stadium tours, entertaining thousands of adoring fans in… Read More

A beginner’s guide to the language of AI

Technology has a way of completely revolutionising the way we live. Cars replaced the good old horse and carriage, washing machines and hoovers saved people hours of housework, and the mobile phone became… well, much more than just a phone. The latest technological advancement dominating the conversation at work, at… Read More

For the bants: 12 British slang words

Alright? Don’t worry, you’re not actually expected to respond to that question. Just like any other language, English has many quirks and a whole range of idioms that can cause confusion when you’re learning the language. But when it comes to British English even native speakers can find themselves scratching… Read More

Dinna fash: 11 essential Scots and Gaelic words for Outlander fans

Dinna fash, sassenach. With those three little words, a thousand Google searches were launched. The sizzling romance between Jamie and Claire from Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling Outlander series have had people glued to their screens for almost 10 years. The hit show has helped fuel an increase in people wanting to… Read More

15 words & phrases to get the Eurovision party started

Are you ready for Eurovision? An annual celebration of music, culture and questionable fashion choices, the Eurovision Song Contest is a live broadcast international song competition in which members of the European Broadcasting Union – plus Australia! –  compete each year. Since its establishment in 1956,… Read More

11 craic-ing words for St Patrick’s Day

Whether you like to toast with a pint of Guinness or paint the town green, St. Patrick’s Day is a day of celebration marked around the world. Officially a feast day for St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, March 17th is a day of religious services and feasts in… Read More
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