Tag Archives: Words

To be on Tenterhooks in Spitalfields

Posted on October 9, 2019 by

Have you ever heard of the phrase “on tenterhooks”?  It has come to mean being in a state of tension, uneasiness, anxiety, or suspense, and that is because tenterhooks were once very common sights indeed.  Tenterhooks aren’t the big hooks you … Continue reading →

Posted in Heritage, history, Life, London | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Words that are becoming extinct

Posted on November 21, 2018 by

Like many of us, I am a big fan of and user of words.  One of my most popular blog posts is 102 great words that aren’t in English but should be102 great words that aren’t in English but should … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Heritage, history, Life | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

There’s English and there’s English.

Posted on February 19, 2018 by

Language is very important to all of us, which ever one it is that we speak.  Over 20,000 people a year read my old post on 102 Words That Aren’t In English But Should Be 102 Words That Aren’t In English … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool Britannia, Culture, Life, News, Opinion | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Tracing words back through time

Posted on February 12, 2018 by

Back in the mid 1990’s when I was studying at SOAS, one of the classes that I most enjoyed were those given by Professor Alexander Piatagorsky.  He is said to have been the greatest Russian philospher of all time and … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Heritage, history, Life | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

My New Book – Straight from the Horse’s Mouth : 100 Idioms, their Meanings and Origins

Posted on May 29, 2017 by

Today is one of those wonderful days that can be the highlight of my creative year, the launch day of my latest book.  I’ve always enjoyed words and sayings, some of them archaic that seemingly make no sense to us … Continue reading →

Posted in Heritage, Life, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Apricity – The Warmth of Winter Sun

Posted on November 30, 2016 by

It’s freezing cold outside this morning.  At 8.30am the garden is still minus 10C or 10F, the garden is covered in frost and ice and a pale blue stretches across the horizon with a very weak and watery like pale … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

U and Non-U

Posted on July 21, 2015 by

U, or should I say you, might think I am off my trolley with this blog title or maybe my carefully worded prose has finally given way to text-speak.  However U and Non-U is actually a book title from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Words we still use from Shakespeare!

Posted on April 26, 2014 by

This week marks both the death and supposed birth of the greatest writer of the English language, William Shakespeare.  He was born in 1564 and died in 1616 and whilst much about him is sometimes doubted such as his birthday, … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Life, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

102 great words that aren’t in English but should be!

Posted on August 28, 2013 by

I spent 4 years at a college in London University studying Africa and Asia.  It was the most wonderful place due to the exposure of various languages and cultures and when I say various I mean hundreds.  I remember one … Continue reading →

Posted in Funny & Humour, Life, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 86 Comments