The word ‘like’ has a grammar, and by looking at it, we can learn a lot about what ‘like’ means and what it contributes to someone’s speech.
Articles on English
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English will remain an official EU language – even after Brexit – and this will impact the way it evolves.
Companies often go out of their way to avoid clearly explaining actions like firing people or informing investors and others of bad news.
This explains why some aspects of English can be hard to learn for speakers of other languages.
Debunking the myth that English is the only language you need.
A decolonising curriculum would consider ways in which writers negotiate linguistic, literary and cultural legacies of the colonial era.
Languages are said to be disappearing faster than endangered species with a different one dying every two weeks.
It was a rocky beginning for English spelling. Then things got worse.
Why do some words sound pleasant to us, while others provoke disgust? Learning a new language can help us find out.
An unspoken class war has long been waged around the pronounciation of the letter “h” - is it haitch or aitch? Despite a snobbish leaning to the latter, haitch makes more sense.
The short answer is that the accent you have depends on the people you grew up with and the history of the place that you live in.
Teachers who are just starting out often lack the subject knowledge needed for effective teaching.
Having English as a common language can and does lead to problems.
Back in the Middle Ages, as well as speaking English and Latin, many people living in Britain also spoke French.
There are many myths associated with St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. But Patrick’s own writings and early biographies reveal the person behind the legend.
Every few years there’s a furphy that our beloved ‘Strine’ slang is doing a Harold Holt – but in fact Aussies are still slinging true-blue slang.
Spanish is not overtaking English in the US, despite political fearmongering. In fact, due to the ‘three-generation pattern,’ Spanish speaking in immigrant families tends to decline over time.
The world is becoming increasingly connected, but local accents still define who we are.
Afrikaners in post-apartheid South Africa struggle with a historical sense of inferiority that reinforces their whiteness.
The Anglo-Saxons were written into history by their descendants.
Top contributors
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Professor of Linguistics, Monash University
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Professor of Linguistics and English, Florida International University
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Professor of ESOL, University of South Wales
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Researcher in TESOL & Literacy, University of Notre Dame Australia
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Senior Lecturer in Linguistics, Monash University
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Professor of English Language and Literature, University of Oxford
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Senior Lecturer in Māori Language Revitalisation, Auckland University of Technology
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Research assistant, University of Oxford
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Professor of Language Education and Linguistics, University of Leeds
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Professor of Linguistics and English Language, Lancaster University
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Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Bangor University
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Senior Lecturer in English Language and Linguistics, University of Westminster
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Senior Lecturer, Applied Language and Literacy Studies, University of Cape Town
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Professor of Sociolinguistics, Manchester Metropolitan University
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Associate Professor in Sociolinguistics, University of Cambridge