Mr. & Mrs. English

In this episode we're discussing common rhetorical devices used in writing and speech.

We define several devices and offer examples to illustrate how they are used effectively.

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In this episode of Mr. and Ms. English, we dive into the tricky distinction between the verbs "make" and "do."

Although they may seem similar, these verbs have specific uses in fixed expressions that often confuse English learners.

We'll break down general rules to help you understand when to use each verb, explore common collocations, and share useful examples to reinforce the difference.

By the end of this episode, you'll have practical tips for memorizing these phrases through exposure and practice with authentic English material. Tune in for a clearer understanding of "make" vs. "do"!

*When to Use 'Make' vs. 'Do' in English*

The verbs 'make' and 'do' are often confused because they have similar meanings. In general, use 'make' when you create or construct something, and use 'do' for actions, work, or general activities. However, there are many fixed expressions in English that use 'make' and 'do', and these often need to be memorised.

'Make' for Creation

'Make' is used when we create or construct something, whether tangible or intangible.

● Tangible creations: "She made a cake."

● Intangible creations: "Your dog is making too much noise."

● Plans and arrangements: "She made plans to go to a movie with her sister."

'Do' for Actions

'Do' is used for general activities, work, chores, and tasks.

● General activities: "What did you do at the weekend?"

● Household chores: "I have to go home and do some chores this afternoon."

● Work-related tasks: "I think the students did a great job with this essay."

Fixed Expressions

There are many fixed expressions with 'make' and 'do'.

● Examples of fixed expressions with 'make': make amends, make an appointment, make a difference, make a mistake, make a phone call, make a suggestion

● Examples of fixed expressions with 'do': do badly, do business with, do your best, do your duty, do harm, do the ironing, do the laundry, do research

It's important to note that while these guidelines can be helpful, there are exceptions.

For example, you 'make the bed' and 'make breakfast', even though these are actions.

The best way to learn the correct usage of 'make' and 'do' is through practice and exposure to the English language.

Listening to the radio, watching English TV shows, and reading English books can help you become familiar with common collocations and improve your understanding of when to use 'make' or 'do'.

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In this episode, we're looking at the fascinating history and evolution of the apostrophe in the English language.

We'll explore how its role has changed from indicating missing letters to showing possession and why its usage has been inconsistent throughout history.

From Shakespeare to Benjamin Franklin, even some of the greatest writers struggled with this tiny punctuation mark.

We'll also tackle the ongoing debate around the apostrophe's use in contractions and the confusing "it's" versus "its" dilemma. Join us as we unravel the mysteries and controversies surrounding the apostrophe!

Evolution of the Apostrophe

● The use of the apostrophe has been in flux since its earliest appearances. There has never been a time of complete consensus about its function, and its role is still changing today. One example of this is how the use of the apostrophe in names like "Harrods" and "Barclays", and in dates like "1930s", has shifted.

● The apostrophe likely first appeared in the 16th century, either in an Italian edition of Petrarch (1509) or at the hand of French printer Geoffroy Tory (1529). Initially, it was used as a mark of elision, indicating that a letter (usually a vowel) was omitted from a word, often for reasons of pronunciation. For example, "walk'd" instead of "walked". However, its usage wasn't consistent, with writers sometimes inserting apostrophes into words without any clear purpose.

● The use of the apostrophe to indicate possession, such as in "the apostrophe's role", is a later development that further complicated its function. One theory suggested this possessive s replaced “his”, making “the king’s book” a shortened form of “the king his book”, but this idea is largely dismissed today.

● A more likely explanation is that the possessive apostrophe is rooted in Old English's inflectional system. In Old English, adding "-es" to singular masculine and neuter nouns indicated possession (e.g., "cyning" (king) became "cyninges" in the possessive form). The apostrophe in this context represents the elided "e" from this older form.

● Despite this historical explanation, the use of the apostrophe for possession remained inconsistent for centuries. Even prominent figures like Shakespeare and Benjamin Franklin used (or omitted) apostrophes in ways that would be considered incorrect today. For example, only 4% of words that would typically require a possessive apostrophe in modern English were punctuated as such in Shakespeare's First Folio (1623).

● This inconsistent use demonstrates that there was no widespread agreement on the apostrophe's application for possession, a situation that persisted into more recent times. Even grammarians' pronouncements on apostrophe use have evolved considerably over the centuries, as seen in 17th and 18th-century grammar guides. Today, though most English speakers understand the basic rules of apostrophe use, its nuances continue to be debated and refined.

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In this episode, we explore the most common misconceptions surrounding English grammar.

We'll debunk the myths about "proper" usage that are often taught in classrooms and upheld by outdated style guides.

Mr. and Ms. English explain how these false rules can limit your writing, making it awkward or unnatural.

Break free from restrictive norms and use English with more confidence and creativity.

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And here are some examples of grammar myths, things you can safely ignore if someone tells you this:

● You can't begin a sentence with a conjunction. Many teachers tell young students this because it helps prevent them from writing in fragments. However, this is not a real rule of the English language, and most style guides agree that there are many instances where starting sentences with conjunctions can be rhetorically effective or add emphasis and tone to writing.

● Infinitives must not be split. An infinitive is the "to" form of a verb (e.g., "to go"). The rule against splitting infinitives states that one should not place an adverb between "to" and the verb. This is another myth with no basis in English grammar, and most style guides agree that splitting infinitives is acceptable in many cases, especially if it improves the clarity or natural flow of the sentence.

● You can't end a sentence with a preposition. A preposition is a word, usually small and common, that shows direction, location, or time, or introduces an object (e.g., "on", "from", "above"). The sources say that this is one of the most persistent myths about English grammar. Ending a sentence with a preposition is grammatically acceptable, and the sources give many examples of famous authors doing so. This rule likely arose as English grammarians attempted to apply the rules of Latin to English.

● You can't start a sentence with because. The sources state that this is a myth that likely arose from teachers trying to prevent students from writing sentence fragments, which often occur when young learners start sentences with "because". However, starting a sentence with "because" is grammatically correct as long as the sentence also has at least one independent clause.

● All subjects preceding a gerund need to take the possessive form. Pinker calls this the "fused participle" rule. A gerund is a verb ending in "ing" that acts as a noun (e.g., "running" in the sentence, "Running is good exercise"). [This information about the definition of a gerund is not from the sources provided.] Pinker says that not using the possessive form before a gerund is grammatically acceptable, but often sounds less natural.

● Like cannot be followed by a clause or be used to introduce examples. The sources say that this is a myth and that "like" can be used in this way.

The sources also state that many common words (e.g., "funnest", "impactful", "mentee") are dismissed as "not real words", even though they follow standard English construction and are present in many dictionaries

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In this episode of Ms. English, we explore the evolving landscape of language, focusing on the rise of Gen Z slang.

We'll uncover the origins and spread of popular slang, examining the major influence of Black culture and platforms like TikTok.

You'll also learn how geographic patterns on American Twitter reveal the role of cultural regions and African American English in driving new vocabulary. We'll discuss how teens use slang to reflect a world of collapsing institutions and growing distrust, and dive into the role young women play in leading linguistic change—despite often facing criticism.

Origins and Evolution of Gen Z Slang

Gen Z slang terms frequently originate in marginalized communities, including Black culture, the LGBTQ+ community, and the drag community. For example, the term "slay," meaning to do something very well, originated in Black and LGBTQ+ communities and was popularized through social media. Similarly, the word "snatched," used to describe a fierce appearance, originated in the Black drag community.

Social media plays a significant role in popularizing and spreading slang. As a digitally native generation, Gen Z's use of platforms like TikTok and Twitter has facilitated the rapid proliferation of these terms. This is evident in the evolution of terms like "main character," which originated from a TikTok trend, and "sus" which gained popularity through the game Among Us.

Gen Z slang often involves repurposing older terms. Words like "bet," a term of affirmation, and "vibing," meaning to relax and enjoy the atmosphere, can be traced back to the 1990s and 1960s respectively. However, Gen Z has adapted these terms to fit their own linguistic style.

Music is another significant influence, particularly hip-hop culture. Terms like "no cap," meaning "no lie," and "drip," referring to a fashionable style, have roots in the hip-hop scene. The term "understood the assignment," meaning to have executed something perfectly, was further popularized by American rapper Tay Money's song "The Assignment".

Linguistic processes such as coinage, borrowing, and blending contribute to the evolution of slang. Coinage involves inventing entirely new words, while borrowing takes words from other languages. For example, "bet" is derived from non-slang usage. Blending combines existing words to form new ones.

While some slang terms are short-lived, others become widely adopted and eventually enter mainstream language. For instance, "OK boomer," a dismissive term used towards older generations, has transcended generational boundaries and become a common phrase.

Teenage girls are often at the forefront of linguistic change. Though the sources do not explicitly link this to Gen Z slang, it is worth considering as a potential contributing factor.

The sources focus on American English slang, so these observations might not fully apply to Gen Z slang in other regions.

Overall, Gen Z slang is a dynamic and evolving language that reflects the generation's digital fluency, cultural influences, and desire for creative expression. While rooted in pre-existing linguistic features and slang from marginalized communities, Gen Z's unique experiences and online engagement continue to shape its ongoing evolution.

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In this episode of Ms. English, we're looking at the fascinating world of "false friends" in linguistics — those tricky words that look or sound similar in different languages but have completely different meanings.

If you've never heard of false friends, here are some examples:

English & French:

Actual (English: real, current) vs. Actuel (French: current, not "real").

English & Spanish:

Embarassed (English: feeling awkward or ashamed) vs. Embarazada (Spanish: pregnant).

English & German:

Gift (English: a present) vs. Gift (German: poison).

English & Italian:

Sensibile (Italian: sensitive, emotional) vs. Sensible (English: practical, reasonable).

English & Portuguese:

Pretend (English: to act like something is true) vs. Pretender (Portuguese: to intend or plan).

We explore the origins of false friends, from shared etymology and homonyms to pseudo-anglicisms, and give examples from English and its interactions with languages like French, German, and Spanish.

Learn how these linguistic quirks can lead to humorous misunderstandings, impact cross-cultural communication, and evolve through semantic change over time.

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Welcome to Episode #3.

Today we’re exploring the fascinating origins of common English idioms, tracing their roots back to historical events, cultural practices, and even advertisements.

Each idiom is explained, with its meaning being presented alongside the story behind its creation.

The articles we’re discussing demonstrate how these phrases, often taken for granted, have a rich and interesting history, highlighting the evolution of language and the enduring power of figurative language.

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Where did all those different English words come from? In this episode we're uncovering the origins of some words.

First, we explore how to trace the roots of words with a guide from Harvard University Library, emphasizing key tools like the Oxford English Dictionary. Then, we turn to Babbel for a fun look at how English borrows words from languages like German, Greek, and Old Norse. Finally, Merriam-Webster explains how new words are created through processes like clipping, blending, and more. Discover the rich history behind the words we use every day!

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Our first episode deals with the history of the English language.

In this episode we'll provide a detailed account of the evolution of the English language from its Proto-Germanic roots to its current global status.

We will cover major historical periods such as Old English, Middle English, and Early Modern English, highlighting key influences on the language, including the Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, and Normans.

We will also explore significant phonological and grammatical changes, including the Great Vowel Shift, the loss of grammatical inflections, and the borrowing of words from other languages.

Let's examine the global spread of English due to British colonisation and its subsequent rise as a lingua franca.

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PS: You can find this as a video on Youtube, enjoy this podcast with visuals and subtitles: https://youtu.be/HjY8K_wPzwM

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