Language Miscellany

• This typo was just a typo, not a result of a different variety of English12 September, 2026
  I have written before about the distinction between (a) different varieties of a language and (b) performance errors within a single variety. https://languagemiscellany.com/2026/08/a-place-that-you-know-where-it-is/ Sometimes, it can be hard to draw this distinction in practice, but sometimes it is easier. I recently saw an example that clearly results from an editing glitch and is not an… Continue reading This typo was just a typo, not a result of a different variety of English
• That stitched thing from Bay-you10 September, 2026
  The airwaves are full of reports and interviews about the imminent exhibition of the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum. I’m surprised how many British speakers have been calling this embroidered cloth the Bay-You /beɪjuː/ Tapestry. I’ve always called it the /baɪjɜː/ Tapestry, and I always thought everyone else did too. I checked what the… Continue reading That stitched thing from Bay-you
• Welsh challenge (9)8 September, 2026
  This post is the 9th instalment of the Welsh leg of my current Celtic challenge. It covers chapter 8 of Colloquial Welsh. This post covers: For earlier instalments, please see Welsh Archives – Language Miscellany I also use bold type below to highlight parts of words that change, including some cases where mutations occur. In… Continue reading Welsh challenge (9)

Top posts
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