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…
Unravelling the Gordian Knot:history and usage This is not the first time I have seen the term ‘Gordian Knot’ but reading Pieter du Toit’s The ANC Billionaires, I saw it…
Put up your hands, everyone who's fallen for a scam in the past 12 months? They’re everywhere and if you’re not on your toes all the time it's easy to…
Sisyphean: Perhaps the most direct linguistic legacy of the myth, "Sisyphean" describes any task that is endless and ineffective, mirroring Sisyphus's eternal struggle. Whether it's tackling a never-ending workload or battling an insurmountable challenge, calling something Sisyphean immediately conveys the exhausting and futile nature of the endeavor. (Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
September 8th marked the annual celebration of World Literacy Day, a day dedicated to highlighting the importance of literacy as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone for individual and…
In a recent radio talk show, a caller commented that "people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones". He was referring to the Teflon nature of EFF leader Julius Malema who…
“Former YouTube chief and Silicon Valley pioneer Susan Wojcicki died Friday at 56, after a two-year battle with non-small cell lung cancer.” I’ve just read this in a non-frivolous newsletter put together…
I am seldom stirred by stories, be they children’s, Essop’s or fireside tales. But yesterday I was more than a little disturbed while reading a book with the title, “Would…
Today it's all about the nose. Nose-based idiom on the English Club ‘idiom of the day’ post and a ‘The nose knows’ video that popped into my email. The latter…
Working through a government document recently, I noticed the use of the word ‘appraise’. It was used incorrectly, and the writer intended the meaning of the word apprise. Unfortunately I…
