Groundhog test the weather
Groundhog Day: origin of idioms
From Ricky Gervais’ production of “Afterlife” (Netflix) to a number of recent articles in the press, the term groundhog day, seems to be popping up everywhere. Not sure what it…
Imagine money on the laundry line
A new take on money laundering
Last week while editing an academic text, my hawkish eyes fell upon the phrase money laundry. The esteemed professor had made a typographical error. I smiled quietly to myself as…
Smoking gun as only evidence of crime
Is there a smoking gun in the Zondo Commission? idiom origin
While the Zondo Commission takes a deep dive into state capture, many South Africans may hope it finds the "smoking gun". And if you are South African you will know…
Are these your monkeys?
Not my circus, not my monkeys. Idiom usage
Not my circus. Not my monkeys. I did a double take. I was having coffee with my Irish friend Paul and he was throwing this phrase around throughout our conversation.…
Black swan as a metaphor for unprecedented events
Black swan, a label for COVID-19
In much of my research for clients in the past couple of months I have often seen the term black swan. As I know swans to be white in most…
On the shoulders of giants: idiom usage
Although English is widely spoken, it’s seldom spoken well. And nowhere is this more true than in the use of idioms. People who speak English as a first language are…
Letting the cat out of the bag: idiom origin
Yesterday on my walk as I approached the park I saw a massive canvas bag, filled to the brim with litter. I hoped that it was a sign that the…
Kicking the can down the road: idiom usage and origin
When I take my evening walk after about six blocks I reach the park and I walk around it. I can’t help noticing that the streets are strewn with litter.…
Veracity and voracity: use these words correctly
In the spell of untruths around COVID-19, today, we are going to have some fun exploring the difference between veracity and voracity. These words if not heard correctly can be…
Cat got your tongue?
Cat got your tongue? Origin of idioms
Sometimes when I wake up in the middle of the night, my mouth feels like a snake has slept in it and left its blanket behind. My mouth gets that…
