SA President is set to dodge the dangling Sword of Damocles in his Trump duel
Some South Africans may think that our President Cyril Ramaphosa has the Sword of Damocles swaying threateningly over his head as he touches down on US soil. He has a…
Ball Python - Clown Morph Tongue Flick
How speaking with a forked tongue led prospective content manager astray: Origin of idiom
I am disappointed to learn that I am so naïve and take people at face value. If someone in an interview situation says ‘let’s try you for a month’ I…
Thunderstorms keeping it lush and green: word usage
I love the Johannesburg afternoon thunder showers. Yesterday I was caught in one crossing from an open parking lot into a shopping centre. I sprinted as much as I could…
Stoking the fire with a book in hand; does life get any better?
A word that warms the cockles of your hearth
Let’s go back in time. Just two days really. Because I did not like today’s word of the day. Browsing back to Tuesday I found the word ‘inglenook’ – and…
Ferment and foment confuse the best of us: word usage
Foment means "to incite or rouse." The words have some overlap in use, as they can both be used to express agitation and situations that can cause change or unrest.’
Shopping basket
”Shrinkflation: Pay More, Get Less” Now showing at a supermarket near you.
Remember when Cadbury’s 200g was that big slab you could enjoy with big pieces of chocolatey goodness. You really felt you were getting double the value of the 100g bar.…
Now you can have your cake and eat it too: Idioms are a piece of cake
In recent months I ‘ve heard many sitcoms and dramedies use the phrase cakewalk. As someone who is familiar with the term ‘piece of cake’ I wondered how the word…
From Superheroes to Greek Gods: Unpacking the Meaning of Weakness
Is your love of chocolate your Achilles' heel or is it just Kryptonite? If you want to know the difference and talk about it correctly, read on. Kryptonite: A…
Athleisure - pic by Wesley Tingey: Unsplash
Words follow fashion and lifestyle trends: 690 new ones
Have you ever felt like making up your own words? Don't be shy, the English language is always growing and changing. You may just find your creation in the dictionary…
Young smiling woman enjoying in smell of fresh coffee at home
Joe Soap comes clean on why his name is popular in idioms
The English language is full of idioms across many genres and categories. There are several names used in literature such as Jane Doe, Sam Hill and Typhoid Mary all lending…
