Are Ships, Cars, and Nations Always Called 'She'?

Nobody knows why people started calling ships "she." Old English nouns had genders, but experts don't think this is the reason for ships being treated as female.

If you are lucky enough to own a boat, is it a “she”? Have you given your car a girl’s name or a boy’s name?

Wordymology

Wordymology is a series in which the editors at The Free Dictionary explore the origins of the names of things. Did you have any idea how many different fruits are actually named after the apple? Let’s explore some of these juicy etymologies.

The Persian Apple

Academic Reading

Slide Set created by Natalia Cherkashina with GoConqr

Essay Writing

The Most Clever Essay Hacks You Know You Used In School   Writing an academic paper can be hard. There's a set word count to abide by and a page limit to follow—and obviously a lot of research and writing that goes into it. But, some slick students have tried using clever hacks that make the overall process a little less grueling. Here are some of the most crafty (and downright ridiculous) tricks students have used when turning in a research paper.

Life in London

Today we are out and about in the suburbs of London. Come with me and visit a very special shop, an art gallery full of paintings, sculptures, and other art works. But it's an art gallery with a difference, as money made from sales goes to an organisation called Street Souls, a charity for homeless people. We'll be chatting to David, who runs the gallery and chooses the art works to display there. We'll hear about the special opening of the gallery, attended by a famous London-based film star (I'll give you a clue -- he has appeared in Lord of the Rings!). This is a chance for you to listen to real conversation between two native English speakers, as well as to learn about English culture. So, if you're ready, let's go in...

Emoji

or upside-down face emoji.  What does it mean?

The upside-down face emoji, sometimes known as the upside-down smiley face, has several meanings depending on context or the personality of its user. It can indicate silliness, sarcasm, passive aggression, or frustrated resignation. Outside of these, this emoji can be used for even still more ambiguous emotions.

Toxic Friends

Words that Describe your Most Toxic Friends. Warning: They're probably not a friend you want around

Rapacious

The word rapacious comes from the Latin term, rapāci, which is associated with greed. It's fitting since someone who exhibits a rapacious characteristic  is

Be Happy!

Words of the Year 2017

Before you completely psychologically move on to 2018, let’s have some fun looking back on the words of the year from 2017.

Collins Dictionary, American Dialect Society and the News on the Web Corpus: Fake News

How To Make Small Talk

When words fail you

If you're on Dictionary.com, you love words. So, why is it so hard to put two words together when you’re at a wedding reception, holiday party, or networking event?

Making small talk is not about the size of your vocabulary. Many people get anxious at the thought of talking to strangers or dislike idle chitchat because it feels fake. The good news is that making small talk is a skill that can be learned, and these idioms can be your guide to enjoyable and lighthearted conversation. 

Put on a brave face

Before you even say a word, put on a brave face so you appear more confident or cheerful than you really feel. Pay attention to your body language—smile and uncross your arms.

Do schools kill creativity?

Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.

Harvard University

Harvard College Is Founded (1636)

Founded with a grant from the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Harvard  College was named for its first benefactor, John Harvard. He bequeathed his books and  about £780 to the fledgling college. The oldest and one of themost prestigious institutions  of higher education in the US,Harvard originally trained Puritan ministers. Today, it has  the largest university endowment in the US, estimated at more than $25 billion in 2009.  Why did Harvard athletes first adopt the color red?

Why Making Your Bed Matters

The world is divided into two kinds of people: Those who make their beds, and those who just…don’t. If you’re part of the latter group, it’s time to get your act together! Why, you might ask. Well, besides the fact that your mother said so, everyone from feng shui devotees to sleep researchers has found good reasons to keep the Sheets neat. Here are some of them…

6 New Words We Need in English Right Now

English is a vast, glorious language, yet even with its incredible number of words, it feels like it’s still missing some absolute basics. The lack of these words leads to either lengthy clarifications or awkward situations—like getting stuck taking your friend’s llama to the flea market (more on that below).

Love Yourself

Transition Words and Phrases

www.grammarcheck.net

Murder at the Beach

Murder at the Beach     By Clare Whitmell

SATURDAY MORNING

When you wake up on a perfect summer’s morning, you never imagine that the day will end in a murder. Especially when you’re only 16 years old, and on holiday with your family.

You’re Dreaming!

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/pp/3617950/ppt0.html

Dreams are the result of a busy sleeping brain. Dreams are also in many of our expression!

On this show we talk about the origins and meanings of common expressions in American English. Every week we dream up topics you might find interesting. Well, we also do research. But today we have dreamt up a show on “dreams.”

Stop it!

Being a Good Listener

We hear a lot about how to speak well in public, but very little about how to learn the equally important art of listening properly to others.