words

Seven of the Most Beautiful Words in the Dictionary

It’s not every day that a world leader – in this case, US president Donald Trump – declares a somewhat functional word such as tariff the most beautiful word in the dictionary and, by implication, the English language. Admittedly, Trump later changed his mind by declaring God, religion and… Read More

The Fascinating Journey of the Word ‘Tariff’

Recent news headlines have been dominated by tariffs, and US president Donald Trump frequently refers to tariff as “the most beautiful word in the dictionary”. Have you ever wondered about the story behind the word? If we dig deeper, we find that this everyday economic term has a rich… Read More

Tartan Day and the language of tartan

Think Scotland, see tartan. From shortbread biscuit tins to carpets to the kilts of the Tartan Army, this pattern shouts ‘Scotland’ louder than any other nation’s symbol. And who among us has never owned a tartan travelling rug or picnic rug? It’s not every day, metaphorically, we give a… Read More

National Spinach Day

Eat largely of spinage The twenty-sixth of March is National Spinach Day, a lead-in to talking about one of my favourite vegetables – and that host of others that can bring joy to our tables. Well, ‘joy’ not just in my and Popeye’s opinion but in that of the Methodist… Read More

Words for World Wildlife Day

The third of March marks the twelfth international World Wildlife Day, set up by United Nations (UN) resolution in 2013. The date was chosen for a good reason: it’s the birthday of the 1973 signing of CITES, the landmark Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna… Read More

Formula One™ and the vocabulary of motor racing

This year is a major one for Formula One racing. There’ll be more Grand Prix (GP) races than ever before – twenty-four in twenty-one countries – including the final of the series in Abu Dhabi this December. In the British Grand Prix on the legendary Silverstone circuit in… Read More

Paris 2024™

Between 26 July and 11 August sports fans the world over will be abuzz as France hosts what is officially the twenty-third Olympiad™ – in Paris, in sixteen other sites across France and on French Tahiti, where the windsurfing competition will take place. In French, the games are… Read More

Welcome to the ton: 7 new Bridgerton words

Dear reader, we are honoured to welcome you back to the ton! Last time we spoke, we gave you 9 words to sweep you into the world of Bridgerton, and now, with season 3 streaming on Netflix, we thought it was high time to return to everyone’s favourite Regency-era… Read More

National Backwards Day

Able was I ere I saw Elba.  !Day Backwards National of anniversary sixtieth the for piece this writing am I. That’s right. This day of fun and pranks, National Backwards Day, 31 January, intended to get children in particular thinking creatively and box proverbial the outside, was inaugurated in 3691. Read More