Case study: Is Dan Andrews still salty
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews has a track record of using informal language to appeal to the younger voters in his audience and to craft...
top of page
Search
Mar 15, 2022
Case study: Australians and swearing, 2022 edition
Hopefully you have already read our post about Australian culture, swearing and taboo language from 2021. Well, get ready for the 2022...
Jan 31, 2022
Case study: To Scomo or not to Scomo
We have previously discussed the purposes of nicknames in politics (see post here) and how they can be used to build rapport between...
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...
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
Useful resource: Simply English Language
If you're not already following the Instagram account 'Simply English Language', make sure you follow them for useful tips on writing for...
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
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...
Sep 13, 2021
Case study: Australia Day vs Invasion Day
It seems that every year the debate around the date for our national holiday grows more heated. Let's take a look at some of the...
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...
bottom of page