robert groves

OK Boomer, Fishetarian, and Baby Yoda: Words in the News

If there’s one thing that never changes, it’s inter-generational antagonism. The current incarnation of generational conflict is between the Millennials (also known as Generation Y), born between 1981 and 1996 (according to some reckonings), and the Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964. And by now pretty much everyone has… Read More

Bird Box Challenge, Woke Advertising & Octothorpe: January’s Word in the News

Another year, another potentially dangerous YouTube challenge. I’m sure we all remember things like the Cinnamon Challenge or Neknominations. (At least, if we didn’t die doing them, we do.) Well, 2019 is barely a month old, and already people are endangering themselves and others with the Bird Box Challenge. Read More

Rainbow Tree, Asymmetric Wreath, and Period Poverty: November’s Words in the News

Trawling through news headlines, even when it’s only in search of new and interesting vocabulary, can be a depressing task, especially in recent years, and then you read about new mothers bringing their babies to a retirement community to cheer up the residents. Two community groups in Essex, a… Read More

Tabular iceberg, drill music, and the Strictly Curse: October’s Words in the News

October is the “scary month”, and I have scary news. No, it’s not Brexit. That’s for next year. It’s a weird, rectangular iceberg that NASA has discovered in Antarctica. In other words, an iceberg that looks “made” instead of “naturally formed”. Like some intelligent life form carved it. But so… Read More

Meme Ban, Heart Age & Collagin: September’s Words in the News

It’s Two For the Price of One month on the Collins Dictionary blog. Yes, one news story is yielding two new pieces of vocabulary. Lucky me! And not so lucky for anyone who uses the internet to communicate on a regular basis. The European Parliament has voted in favour… Read More

Scallop War, Monkey Dust & Fortnite: August’s Words in the News

It’s not often I get to report Breaking News in this blog, but August ended with a bang, as British and French fisherman came to blows off the coast of Normandy. The cause? Scallops! Though it started with stones, smoke bombs, and farting in one’s general direction, this so-called Scallop… Read More

Audrey Brow, Unicorn Farts & Space Grease: June’s Words in the News

Although I’m fluent in German, I first heard the word Schadenfreude (literally “harm-joy”, or the malicious joy one gets from the misfortunes of an enemy) in an episode of The Simpsons, in which Lisa uses it to describe Homer’s glorying in the downfall of their goody-two-shoes neighbour, Ned Flanders. I… Read More

GDPR, yanny/laurel & MadaBaka Beat: May’s Words in the News

Greetings. I have really enjoyed informing you about new and trending vocabulary in the news and social media over the past few years. However, new data regulations are coming into effect, and these will change what data I can retain and how I can use it. So if you would… Read More

Ruby Chocolate, Fatberg & Right to be Forgotten: April’s Words in the News

There’s a new chocolate in town: ruby chocolate, also called the “fourth chocolate” (after the milk, dark, and white varieties). From April, chocolate aficionados in the UK could buy it in the form of the Ruby KitKat. But what is ruby chocolate? It looks like white chocolate that has… Read More