If we want to change the nuance of a particular word we have to change that ourselves. Susie Dent Read Quote
As dialect began to be collected in the late 19th century, such words as Yorkshire’s ‘gobslotch’ emerged, revealing the burgeoning association between gluttony and stupidity. Susie Dent Read Quote
Every sport, every profession, every group united by a single passion draws on a lexicon that is uniquely theirs, and theirs for a reason. Susie Dent Read Quote
Glogg is a Scandinavian mulled wine, sweetened with honey, almonds, raisins and spices. Its name suits its purpose so beautifully. Susie Dent Read Quote
Youthquake’ wasn’t an entirely predictable choice for Oxford’s Word of 2017. It hasn’t been on the lips of an entire nation, nor is it new. But it amply fulfilled the criteria Oxford requires for selection. Susie Dent Read Quote
The earliest dictionaries were collections of criminal slang, swapped amongst ne’er-do-wells as a means of evading the authorities or indeed any outsider who might threaten the trade. Susie Dent Read Quote
Slang has always moved this way. From Cockney rhyming slang to codes swapped among highwaymen, they’re tribal badges of identity, bonding mechanisms designed to distinguish the initiated, and to keep strangers out. Susie Dent Read Quote
I love American English, not least because a lot of it was ours to begin with. Indeed, many Americanisms can be found in the works of William Shakespeare. Susie Dent Read Quote
Claggy is often seen as a negative word, yet for me it describes perfectly that full-mouthed feel of a treacle tart of banoffee pie. Susie Dent Read Quote