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Origin of words

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Read more about the article How sticking to your knitting will get you stuck: idiom usage
Pivot on your toes Pic by David Hoffman -unsplash

How sticking to your knitting will get you stuck: idiom usage

  • Post author:Iza Grek
  • Post published:May 22, 2020

There was not enough wool to buy for all the crochet hours I would need to fill during the slumpy ‘non-work’ hours of lockdown. For one thing, I only bought…

Read MoreHow sticking to your knitting will get you stuck: idiom usage
Read more about the article How years and ears distort the English language: origin of idioms
pic by Thomas Morse

How years and ears distort the English language: origin of idioms

  • Post author:Iza Grek
  • Post published:May 19, 2020

Shakespeare was the theme of our Toastmasters meeting last week. We learnt about how much The Bard contributed to the English language – from general words and phrases to idiomatic…

Read MoreHow years and ears distort the English language: origin of idioms
Black/brown ram
On the horns of a dilemma

On the horns of a dilemma: origin of idioms

  • Post author:Iza Grek
  • Post published:April 17, 2020

Idioms add to the language. And idiom is a cultural expression that gives descriptions to situations.

Read MoreOn the horns of a dilemma: origin of idioms
Read more about the article Oh, for the life of Rilely: origin of idioms

Oh, for the life of Rilely: origin of idioms

  • Post author:Iza Grek
  • Post published:March 5, 2020

I guess it’s no co-incidence that my blog today is about living the life of Riley. As I have been feeling restless and vigorously browsing travel sites (Coronavirus notwithstanding –…

Read MoreOh, for the life of Rilely: origin of idioms
Bad day...
Grumpy?

Valentine’s chip on shoulder: how idioms originate

  • Post author:Iza Grek
  • Post published:February 14, 2020

As it’s Valentine’s Day, I was remembering one of the less romantic dates of my early dating life. I think it was the second date and Charles had asked to…

Read MoreValentine’s chip on shoulder: how idioms originate
Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic enjoys the limelight

Limelight or spotlight? Use the right phrase.

  • Post author:Iza Grek
  • Post published:February 4, 2020

The English language is full of tricks and words of similar meaning that are confusing to second language speakers. One of these is limelight and spotlight. While some believe that…

Read MoreLimelight or spotlight? Use the right phrase.
Read more about the article From six yards to nine: how idioms originate

From six yards to nine: how idioms originate

  • Post author:Iza Grek
  • Post published:January 28, 2020

In mid-January I asked my bookkeeper for an updated statement of my account. I wanted to look at my Dec/Jan financial affairs to prepare myself for 2020. What he sent…

Read MoreFrom six yards to nine: how idioms originate
Read more about the article Magnate or magnet: Use the right word
Fridge magnets – the scientific kind

Magnate or magnet: Use the right word

  • Post author:Iza Grek
  • Post published:January 16, 2020

This week South Africans bade farewell to our stalwart entrepreneur Richard Maponya. Mayponya, who died at the age of 99, brought to the country, the first shopping mall in a…

Read MoreMagnate or magnet: Use the right word
Read more about the article Black Friday and bargain idioms
Madness

Black Friday and bargain idioms

  • Post author:Iza Grek
  • Post published:November 29, 2019

When Game of Thrones captured the imagination of millions of fans to an obsessive degree, I used to say, “You get two kinds of people – those who watch Game…

Read MoreBlack Friday and bargain idioms
Read more about the article Take the log out of your eye and other idioms

Take the log out of your eye and other idioms

  • Post author:Iza Grek
  • Post published:October 23, 2019

Last night while watching Come Dine With Me, I latched on to satirist David Lamb’s shortening of an idiom. He simply used the two words of comparison and said, pot/…

Read MoreTake the log out of your eye and other idioms
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Iza Grek

Iza is an award-winning journalist. She has worked in advertising and communications for more than 20 years. A word or 2 has been in operation since October 2014 and continues to thrive, offering customers writing and editing services across the board from blogs to speeches and e-books.

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