Case study: Indigenous Australian English in health communication
This article, published in July 2021, discusses how Aboriginal Australian English can be a useful tool in effective health communication....
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May 29, 2022
Case study: PC language in lyrics
Songs which represent institutions will often undergo lyrical amendments if the language used in the lyrics is no longer deemed to be in...
Jan 7, 2022
Harry Potter and the Debatable 'Teenage Slang'
Activity: Read the Reddit post below featuring a 'Gen Z translation' of an excerpt from the first Harry Potter book. Discuss the lexical...
Dec 9, 2021
Case study: What is 'yassification'?
You may be familiar with the slang collocation 'glow up' (popular in 2020) meaning 'to undergo a physical transformation for the better'....
Nov 19, 2021
Case study: Audience, purpose and lexical choice
As students of English Language, we know that context greatly affects communication decisions. Linguistic choices will be influenced by...
Nov 18, 2021
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...
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 29, 2021
Macquarie Dictionary's 40-year anniversary
This article celebrates the 40-year anniversary of the Macquarie Dictionary, which is Australia's most prominent record of Australian...
Sep 29, 2021
Case study: Gender-neutral language in sport
Linguistic changes generally reflect changes taking place in wider society, and this has certainly been the case in the sporting world...
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 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
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 13, 2021
Case study: Paralympics and language
Preferred terminology around disability can be difficult to navigate, especially given that even people with disabilities disagree about...
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