The Hidden Language of Chess Players by Nat Townsen (March 2nd 2015)
This article, published on Vice, is part of a series titled "The Hidden Language", in which Townsen interviews an insider of a particular subculture and explores lexis created to fit that subculture's needs. In this edition, Townsen interviews Bruce Pandolfini, a chess coach and author. The article explains terms that most people would know, like "Pawn" and "Checkmate", but also others which are very specialized lexis such as "Zugzwang" (meaning a situation where neither player wants to move), and "Patzer" (meaning a player who is easily beat, and easily falls for traps).
Grammar gripes: why do we love to complain about language? by Penny Modra (March 11th 2018)
This article, published in The Guardian's "Culture" section, explains that attempts and desires to conserve the English language as it currently is are being "thwarted at a faster pace than ever", and that "the internet has REVOLUTIONISED language change". The writer then gives a list of changes they think will occur to the English Language in 2018, including semantic and syntactical changes, thanks to the internet and television, as well as the elimination of verb modification, lead by hip-hop artist and fashion designer, Kanye West, quoting a lyric from his song "Get Em High"; "Real rappers is hard to find".
Gloucestershire Council to become gender neutral by banning words like 'Chairman' by Leigh Boobyer and Alex Shipman (March 8th 2018)
This article, published by The Independent, is a news report, reporting that Green Party Councillor Rachel Smith will submit for debate the proposal that gender specific words are banned from the council's dialogue. Words changed would include pronouns such as he/she and him/her, to gender neutral pronouns such as they/them/theirs, and "Chairman" to "Chairperson".
Further reading:
Our language has a way of turning women into men
Why you should use gender-neutral language in the workplace
This article, published on Vice, is part of a series titled "The Hidden Language", in which Townsen interviews an insider of a particular subculture and explores lexis created to fit that subculture's needs. In this edition, Townsen interviews Bruce Pandolfini, a chess coach and author. The article explains terms that most people would know, like "Pawn" and "Checkmate", but also others which are very specialized lexis such as "Zugzwang" (meaning a situation where neither player wants to move), and "Patzer" (meaning a player who is easily beat, and easily falls for traps).
Grammar gripes: why do we love to complain about language? by Penny Modra (March 11th 2018)
This article, published in The Guardian's "Culture" section, explains that attempts and desires to conserve the English language as it currently is are being "thwarted at a faster pace than ever", and that "the internet has REVOLUTIONISED language change". The writer then gives a list of changes they think will occur to the English Language in 2018, including semantic and syntactical changes, thanks to the internet and television, as well as the elimination of verb modification, lead by hip-hop artist and fashion designer, Kanye West, quoting a lyric from his song "Get Em High"; "Real rappers is hard to find".
Gloucestershire Council to become gender neutral by banning words like 'Chairman' by Leigh Boobyer and Alex Shipman (March 8th 2018)
This article, published by The Independent, is a news report, reporting that Green Party Councillor Rachel Smith will submit for debate the proposal that gender specific words are banned from the council's dialogue. Words changed would include pronouns such as he/she and him/her, to gender neutral pronouns such as they/them/theirs, and "Chairman" to "Chairperson".
Further reading:
Our language has a way of turning women into men
Why you should use gender-neutral language in the workplace
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