Case study: Word(s) of the Year 2021
Every year, many language-related organisations release their 'Word of the Year' selections. These choices generally reflect trends or...
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Oct 25, 2021
Case study: Is today a 'No Bones Day'?
Noodle the pug has taken TikTok by storm, and is even inspiring some linguistic creativity! If you're not up to date with Noodle's fame,...
Oct 25, 2021
Case study: Is a 'vaxxie' a thing?
We have already discussed the pandemic's continued effect on our language in 2021, including the coining of the term 'vaxxie': See...
Oct 25, 2021
Case study: Dan Andrews and the 'big vibe'
We have already discussed the slang lexeme 'vibe' (see our post here) and its diverse uses; it is generally used by the younger...
Sep 29, 2021
Case study: Brands and creative language use
Some brands use linguistic innovation and creativity to present an image of playfulness to their customers, or to make their products...
Sep 24, 2021
Attitudes to language; prescriptivism vs descriptivism
The following articles explore speakers' varying attitudes towards different usages of English. In VCE English Language, we discuss both...
Sep 24, 2021
Generational language change and slang
Change is inevitable in any living language, and English's global dominance has made it particularly susceptible to such natural...
Sep 23, 2021
Case study: Language for the vaccine rollout
Now that our experience of the pandemic is shifting from lockdowns to vaccine targets, its influence on our language is also changing....
Sep 23, 2021
Intro to ethnolects
These resources are a starting point for learning about different ethnolect varieties in Australian English. Students should not use...
Sep 19, 2021
Case study: Politics and lexical choice
Language commenting on political matters is always deliberately chosen to suit the political motivations of the speaker or writer. This...
Sep 18, 2021
Internet and linguistic innovation
The internet is a natural breeding ground for all kinds of creative language use. In some cases, linguistic innovation serves a specific...
Sep 18, 2021
Emoji(s), identity and language change
These articles discuss how emoji can serve a variety of communicative functions, illustrate generational differences in language use, and...
Sep 18, 2021
Case study: Brands and Aussie slang
Companies love to cash in on our unique brand of English by using it to advertise their products. The proliferation of these kinds of ads...
Sep 16, 2021
The role of dictionaries in recording language change
This article from September 2020 discusses how Dictionary.com must adapt its entries for certain words due to the constant changes...
Sep 16, 2021
Case study: PM Scott Morrison's 'not particularly flash' lexical choice
This article discusses Prime Minister Scott Morrison's controversial use of the colloquial phrase 'wasn't a particularly flash day' to...
Sep 16, 2021
Case study: Australian culture, swearing, and taboo language
Is it true that swearing in public is more accepted in Australia than in other countries? The following examples explore Australian...
Sep 12, 2021
Case study: The rise of 'woke'
The story of woke's journey from African-American street slang to politically conservative catchcry is both long and complicated so, for...
Sep 12, 2021
Case study: 'Deadly' and 'mob' in Aboriginal English
Adjective 'deadly' and common noun 'mob' are both frequently used in Aboriginal Australian English and have become recognisable markers...
Sep 12, 2021
Case study: Nicknames in politics - friend or foe?
If you're an Australian politician, you haven't really made it until you've got a nickname. The examples below explore the purposes of...
Sep 12, 2021
Case study: 'Vaxx', 'jab' and the pandemic's enduring influence on our language
These articles both make reference to the rise in linguistic creativity among Australians when referring to the Covid-19 vaccination....
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