Being a linguist—and someone who has tried to learn several languages (including English) in addition to my mother tongue (Flemish Dutch)—I have an annoying habit: instead of paying attention to what ...

This article discusses how idioms often pose a challenge for second-language English learners. Idioms can be confusing and misinterpreted, even by students who score high on English proficiency tests.

For native speakers of a language, idioms can capture just the right nuance of a particular situation. But for those who aren't intimately familiar with that language and culture, idioms often sound ...

"A piece of cake" is an example of an idiom. An idiom is a phrase or group of words with what we call a “figurative meaning” that’s different from the literal meaning of those words. Source: Moment RF ...

Top 10 Most Commonly Used English Idioms And Their Meanings: Idioms are phrases or expressions with a figurative meaning that differs from the literal meaning of the words used. They are often rooted ...

13:34, Wed, Sep 25, 2024 Updated: 14:27, Thu, Oct 3, 2024 If the English language occasionally gets your knickers in a twist then you’re not alone. A third of us are baffled by the meaning of ...

From William Shakespeare to Seamus Heaney, figurative language such as idiom, metaphor, symbolism and allegory all function to make a poem sound more colourful and appealing to the reader. But are we ...

Language changes fast, and new words and phrases are being created all the time. In this programme, Rob and Sam talk about some modern idioms – new expressions that have been introduced to English ...

In Begat, David Crystal sets out to prove that the King James Bible has contributed more to the English language than any other literary source. If you've ever "fought the good fight" or chuckled at ...

The English language is chock-a-block with words and idioms deriving from life at sea. Don't believe me? I've italicized every phrase in this article that originated among sailors. Take my first ...