English Language FAQ

To default on a debt is to stop repaying it. A sovereign debt default is when a country cannot make an agreed repayment on money it owes - as happened to Argentina in the early 1990s, for example. An early sign of a possible default is when the credit rating agencies downgrade the credit rating of the country concerned to 'junk bond status' - see here for a brief description (with audio) of what this means. What is a debt default? (mp3) What happens when a country defaults? Usually the national currency falls in value and this helps to make the goods of country concerned more affordable. International institutions like the IMF also arrange repayment plans or write offs/markdowns of debt. Why would a Greek default be such a big deal? It's a small country! 1. Because it owes massive amounts to some of the biggest European banks. They will lose money or 'have a hair cut' as financial traders put it. 2. Greece cannot devalue i

David Brooks writes in the New York Times: Over the decades, the word amateur changed its meaning. It used to convey a moral sensibility, but now it conveys an economic one: not getting paid. Source: 'The Amateur  Ideal' Brooks is referring to university sport in the USA but has their been a more general change? Is amateur now used largely in a pejorative way - as in 'amateur hour'?

Larkin outside the university library where he worked in Hull.  Larkin was not given to blowing his own trumpet (nor listening to ones played by the 'sour' Miles Davis). He was doggedly self-deprecatory, referring to himself as   “the dude/ Who lets the girl down before/ The hero arrives, the chap/ Who’s yellow and keeps the store.” Since his death, however, Larkin has been increasingly been recognised as the preeminent poet of his generation - heading  a recent Times poll of the best (post-1945) British writers  But what makes for literary greatness. According to Martin Amis there are two key qualifications: memorability and originality. I would add a third: humour. He married a woman to stop her getting away Now she’s there all day, And the money he gets for wasting his life on work She takes as her perk To pay for the kiddies’ clobber and the drier And the electric fire ... From  'Self's the Man' The Whitsun Weddings    Michael Dirda gives

When you search to compare the number of results for two competing keywords. For example I wanted to know whether EFL or ESL was the most used term to describe teaching English as a second (or foreign or other) language. For those of you who won't sleep without knowing who won this epic Google-fight, ESL was the clear winner. Many thanks to Chiew @ClilToClimb for bringing this to my attention .

Jay Nordlinger writes: It is a curious fact that British people say “try and” instead of “try to”: “I’m going to try and make your party, but I may have to watch the kids instead.” They all do this: including the most literate and erudite. (I know this as an editor, of many sparkling Brits.) I was reading a Q&A with the novelist Howard Jacobson in the Financial Times . Asked, “How physically fit are you?” he answered, in part, “I try and walk.” As I said, curious. Any suggestions?

According to linguist John McWhorter it's because the Vikings learned it badly!

A specific learning difficulty in mathematics and/or dealing with numbers. In most cases this can be tackled by taking a different approach to the traditional ones used in this area. What is the underlying cause of this problem Steve Chin , a specialist in this area, has pinpointed 'poor short term and working memories , both of which are key pre-requisite skills for mental arithmetic and indeed mathematics in general'. Because traditional maths teaching relies heavily on memorising facts and processes this can create a significant barrier to learning from the outset In Chin's view this problem is exacerbated by a focus on memorising facts (e.g learning tables) rather than understanding Mathematical processes: Better performing peers use linking strategies which are based on understanding numbers, operations and how they relate. Lower performing pupils seem far less able to employ these significantly useful strategies. He also believes that the focus on speed in solvi

When having fun on a computer! Woot is one of the most surprising new entries to the OED. It is used to express elation, enthusiasm, or triumph (especially in electronic communication. Apparently its popularity derives from online gaming and role play. Oxford Dictionary of English New Oxford American Dictionary

Warren Buffett famously described 'derivatives' like CDS as 'financial weapons of mass destruction'. Here is a description of how they work. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine Warren Buffett Invests Like a Girl: And Why You Should, Too (Motley Fool)

The cost of insuring Treasuries rose five basis points to 54.5 basis points, according to CMA prices for credit-default swaps. Credit-default swaps' were the primary cause of the financial collapse in 2008. A basis point is 1/100th of one percent (0.001%). Not a commonplace calculation and most accountants would not need to trouble with it in most transactions. But basis points are part of everyday conversation in Ireland, Greece, Portugal and now Italy. This is because the cost of insuring government debt is calculated to basis points as this recent example from the financial press shows:  Italian five-year CDS was 69 basis points wider at 512 basis points, nearing its record of 521 basis points hit on Sept. 21, according to data-provider Markit. A CDS is a credit default swop - a form of insurance of mind-bending complexity. You can see a short video explanation here. Financial Accounting As a Second Language Wall Street Lingo: Thousands of Investment Terms Explain

To act up/show off/attempt to attract attention by ostentatious behaviour. When Andy Murray plays a shot between his legs he could be seen as 'showboating'. Originally an American term it has crossed the Atlantic, particularly when discussing sport The term refers to the theatrical performances produced on the riverboats on the Mississippi and other American rivers in the late 19th century. But the verb 'to showboat' only dates back to 1951 - and perhaps also refers to the great theatrical performer, Al Jolson. Jolson's 'black facing' was beginning to become controversial at this time - and the term 'showboating' perhaps reflects cultural disapproval of ostentation.

Best summarised in this joke: you've got two chances fat and slim - and slim has just left town. In other words a slim chance is a remote possibility while fat chance means no chance at all. Cassell's Dictionary of Slang Green's Dictionary of Slang: Three-volume set

Not according to one of the best contemporary essayists, Jacob Eptsein: A fter thirty years of teaching a university course in something called advanced prose style, my accumulated wisdom on the subject, inspissated into a single thought, is that writing cannot be taught, though it can be learned—and that, friends, is the sound of one hand clapping. A. J. Liebling offers a complementary view, more concise and stripped of paradox, which runs: “The only way to write is well, and how you do it is your own damn business.” Learning to write sound, interesting, sometimes elegant prose is the work of a lifetime. The only way I know to do it is to read a vast deal of the best writing available, prose and poetry, with keen attention, and find a way to make use of this reading in one’s own writing. The first step is to become a slow reader.  Read the full article here