by Liz Walter
According to the Cambridge International Corpus, we use the word way 848 times in every million words, making it extremely common (by contrast, method comes up 65 times per million). Continue reading “Is this the way? Using the word ‘way’ (1)”
place lag noun [U]
/ˈpleɪs ˌlæg/
a feeling of surprise and slight confusion that people experience after making a long journey by plane and arriving in a place that is strange and new
The pilot and writer Mark Vanhoenacker has coined the expression “place lag” to describe the wonder of arriving at new locales after a long flight. Parallel to jet lag and its time difference, the temporary spatial disjuncture between the familiarity of home and the unfamiliarity of elsewhere, enabled through the speed of air travel, can reset one’s perspective on the world.
[luxurytraveladvisor.com, 18 October 2022]
trip stacking noun [U]
/ˈtrɪp ˌstækɪŋ/
the activity of booking more than one holiday for the same time period in case one has to be cancelled, for example because of new travel restrictions
Basically, trip stacking refers to the strategy of booking all your reservations ― from flights to accommodations to restaurants to activities ― for multiple vacations during the same time frame. That way, you have backup options if something disrupts your primary travel plans.
[huffpost.com, 22 April 2022]
regenerative tourism noun [U]
UK /rɪˌdʒen.ə.rə.tɪv ˈtʊə.rɪ.zəm/ US /rɪˌdʒen.ə.rə.t̬ɪv ˈtʊr.ɪ.zəm/
the activity of going on holiday to a particular destination and making a positive impact on the place and the people who live there
By definition, regenerative tourism is “the idea that tourists should leave a place in better condition than it was before.” For example, it would be like visiting a garden and instead of leaving no trace, each person planted a tree or air-purifying plant to further build the environment rather than simply leaving it status quo. In a way, regenerative tourism involves travelers to be active in their acts of sustainability rather than neutral, providing a better future for places that do fall victim to overtourism.
[thetravel.com, 12 July 2022]
In a supermarket last week, I heard a mother telling her child not to be naughty. Naughty is, of course, a word usually used for (badly behaved) children rather than adults. It made me think about other words that we use mainly for children, and I thought the subject would make an interesting post. Continue reading “Telltales and fidgets (Words that we use for children)”
butter board noun [C]
UK /ˈbʌt.ə ˌbɔːd/ US /ˈbʌt̬.ɚ ˌbɔːrd/
a wooden board spread generously with butter and topped with other foods, such as herbs, spices, fruit, sauces, etc.
If you’ve ever put together a charcuterie board, you know it usually costs a small fortune to buy all the fixings. Luckily, that’s not the case with a butter board. The simple ingredients make it a much more affordable option that still packs a punch and will leave your guests feeling just as satisfied.
[theeverygirl.com, 13 October 2022]
sourfaux noun [U]
UK /ˈsaʊə.fəʊ/ US /ˈsaʊr.foʊ/
bread that is labelled “sourdough” by the shop that sells it but actually contains cheaper ingredients and is made in a way that takes less time
Sourfaux, sold as sourdough, contains extra ingredients, such as yeast, ascorbic acid and yoghurt and vinegar. While these are not necessarily bad for you or unhealthy, it is misleading. When you are buying something, you should get what you pay for. Particularly when some of the supermarkets are charging a premium for that product. The Real Bread Campaign group says it wants to see a legal definition of the terms “sourdough” or “artisan bread”, so stores cannot “misinterpret” them.
[petitecuisine.ca, 11 April 2022]
cloud bread noun [U]
/ˈklaʊd ˌbred/
a very light, sweet food, made by mixing egg whites with sugar and cornflour, then forming the mixture into round shapes and baking
First up, cloud bread isn’t actually bread at all – made of just 3 ingredients, egg whites, sugar and corn starch, it’s more soft baked meringue than loaf of bread. Essentially, don’t try to slice this up and stick slices of cheese between it.
[you.co.uk, 18 May 2022]
by Liz Walter
My last post looked at linkers that express the contrast between ideas. This post covers linkers for adding extra information, showing the reason for something, and showing things in sequence. Continue reading “Moreover, consequently and therefore: ways to link ideas (2)”
desk-bombing noun [U]
UK /ˈdeskˌbɒm.ɪŋ/ US /ˈdeskˌbɑː.mɪŋ/
the activity of suddenly going to talk to someone who is working at their desk, rather than phoning them or sending them an email, seen by some people as impolite
On “desk-bombing”, Trehan goes on: “One explanation is that workers grew accustomed to going solo during the lockdowns and, once back in-office, felt uncomfortable interacting with colleagues and clients face-to-face. But, if so, surely surprise Zoom calls are much the same thing. Those who’d rather be left alone in the office treat desk-bombing as if it was some kind of HR issue or breach of contract”.
[hrgrapevine.com, 25 October 2022]
Sunday scaries noun [plural]
UK /ˌsʌn.deɪ ˈskeə.riz/ US /ˌsʌn.deɪ ˈsker.iz/
a feeling of stress or anxiety experienced by someone on a Sunday before they have to go back to work the next day after the weekend
Sunday is often a chance to catch up with friends, lost sleep, and recover from last night’s hangover. But for many of us, by the time Sunday afternoon rolls around, a feeling of intense anxiety and dread sets in – often referred to as the “Sunday scaries.” It’s hardly surprising the Sunday scaries are so common. After all, research shows Sunday is our unhappiest day of the week – with Saturday being the peak. There are a number of reasons why the Sunday scaries happen, and how you spend your weekend can play a big role.
[cnn.com, 14 August 2022]
quiet hiring noun [U]
UK /ˌkwaɪ.ət ˈhaɪə.rɪŋ/ US /ˌkwaɪ.ət ˈhaɪr.ɪŋ/
the activity of employing someone who already works in the company in a different role, often someone who is already doing many of the tasks that the new position demands
More specifically, Google is using an under-the-radar recruiting strategy of quiet hiring. It’s part of what enables it to identify the brightest minds (internally and externally) and place the best candidates into its open positions. And Google isn’t the only company that uses some form of quiet hiring. In fact, it’s a tried-and-true method that many businesses, large and small, employ.
[inc.com, 8 September 2022]
My last ‘How we talk’ post focused on words used for people who talk a lot, including adjectives such as ‘talkative’ and ‘forthcoming’. This week, I’m looking at the opposite – words that we use for people who say very little. Continue reading “Has the cat got your tongue? (How we talk, Part 2)”
thermal tourism noun [U]
UK /ˌθɜː.mᵊl ˈtʊə.rɪ.zᵊm/ US /ˌθɝː.mᵊl ˈtʊr.ɪ.zᵊm/
travel to a warmer country to spend the winter months there in order to avoid the cold weather and higher heating bills in your own country
Tourism operators in Southern European countries are hoping to capitalise on cold winters and energy bills elsewhere on the continent by advertising their warmer climates as winter approaches. Destinations including Greece, southern Spain and the Canary Islands are taking advantage of “thermal tourism”, a trend in Britain for flying to cheaper, warmer climates to escape the winter and the cost of living crisis in the UK.
[independent.ie, 11 October 2022]
African plume noun [C]
/ˌæf.rɪ.kən ˈpluːm/
a long, thin mass of warm air that moves upwards from Africa, causing warmer weather in more northerly parts of the world
Parts of the UK could be in for a rare Indian summer this month – with temperatures rising as high as 22C. An “African plume” will push temperatures up across the country over the next two weeks, with some forecasters suggesting that the mild spell will last up to Halloween on October 31.
[mirror.co.uk, 17 October 2022]
warm bank noun [C]
UK /ˌwɔːm ˈbæŋk/ US /ˌwɔːrm ˈbæŋk/
a place such as a library, museum or other public building where someone can go to get warm in the winter if they cannot afford to heat their home, run as a public service by a town council, charity etc.
If you were in any doubt about the scale of the cost of living crisis devastating the UK, the fact councils and charities are preparing to open “warm banks” should tell you everything you need to know … The charity New Beginnings Reading is setting up Reading’s first warm bank this winter, hosted in an old refurbished pub. It will keep its heating on around the clock, and act as a social place where people can enjoy a hot drink and soup together.
[bigissue.com, 16 September 2022]
This week and next, I’m looking at ways to describe how much – or how little – we speak. There are lots of words (especially adjectives) in this area, with very different connotations, from chatty (=talking a lot in a friendly, informal way) to reserved (=tending not to talk about your feelings or opinions):
Jamie was his usual chatty self.
My grandfather was a quiet, rather reserved man.
This post will cover words and phrases that mean ‘talking a lot’ and Part 2 will deal with the opposite. Continue reading “He could talk the hind legs off a donkey (How we talk, Part 1)”
brown noise noun [U]
/ˌbraʊn ˈnɔɪz/
a type of sound that resembles a low rumble or the noise the sea makes, thought by some people to encourage sleep and relaxation
Welcome to the cult of brown noise, a sometimes hazily-defined category of neutral, dense sound that contains every frequency our ears can detect. Brown noise is like white noise but has a lower, deeper quality … There have been few studies on using brown noise as a sleep aid, though one of the claims floating around TikTok is that it can help you nod off.
[nytimes.com, 23 September 2022]
motion pillow noun [C]
UK /ˈməʊ.ʃən ˌpɪl.əʊ/ US /ˈmoʊ.ʃən ˌpɪl.oʊ/
a type of pillow that automatically adjusts the position of the sleeping person’s head when it detects that they are snoring
With innovative sleeping technology like a motion pillow, individuals suffering from chronic snoring enable uninterrupted nasal breathing. When this device detects snoring, it inflates and gently adjusts the user’s head without causing disturbances to alleviate snoring slowly. In turn, the person can avoid releasing annoying sounds at night and enable a restful sleep for their roommates.
[healthtechzone.com, 31 August 2022]
nap box noun [C]
UK /ˈnæp ˌbɒks/ US /ˈnæp ˌbɑːks/
a type of narrow cupboard designed for someone to stand in while they have a short nap, the inside having special shelves to support the person’s head and body
The workforce in Japan is apparently so overwhelmed that two companies are partnering up to create new upright “nap boxes.” Illustrations of the new design show neutral, innocuous-looking tubes with midcentury-inspired wooden legs. The shelves inside act like full-body armrests — helpful for preventing users from falling over as they doze off between meetings.
[futurism.com, 15 July 2022]