We see symbols everywhere, and they have a language and meaning all their own. From the more established (and famous) as shown below, to the emojis of today, we use symbols all the time to convey messages in a simple, concise way. But where did some of these long-established and well-known symbols originate and what do they really mean? [VIA]
The English language is always evolving, and new words pop up every time we turn around, or so it seems. At the beginning, they may not be well known, but sometimes become such a part of our everyday lexicon we forget their origin. Although in some cases, the common meaning of these words may have changed, all of the words on today’s infographic come from literature throughout the ages. Who knew a “tween” was really between 20 and 33 years old?? [VIA]
Even though it’s all the same language, the differences between British and American English are many. While there are times we can decipher what each other are saying, sometimes words have completely different meanings depending which side of the Atlantic you call home. Today’s infographic takes a look at several of these differences. My Canadian friends say they’re totally confused, as they sometimes use a hybrid of both the British and American usages. [VIA]
Sometimes our students get in a rut when writing and fall into the trap of using the same descriptive words over and over again. I know that I have this problem myself sometimes too, as you might. Today’s infographic takes 16 of these more commonly used words, what they term “boring” and provide a few suggestions to use instead to help spice up and make your writing and descriptive language pop. Share this with students and have them try to incorporate as many as possible the next time they delve into their descriptive writing. [VIA]
Test-speak and emojis are creeping into more and more areas of our life, even to the point that they’ve entered the dictionary as words in their own right. How many of these do you really know though? Try this fun game to see how many you either know or can guess and see how far you can make it on the path. Check out the interesting “Did You Know” bits as well. A score is found at the bottom! How did you score? [VIA]
We all speak at least one, and some of us know dozens — even if you’re not aware of it! Language, and communication in general, is a key to learning, living, and working in the world. Today’s infographic gives several fun facts you may not have considered about the languages we know and speak. [VIA]
We encounter signs and symbols everyday, and while most are easy to recognize, some we have no clue what they might mean. Have you ever looked at the tag in your clothing? Aside from having information about the materials the garment is made from and where it was manufactured, there are also some basic washing instructions and sometimes assorted symbols, but what do they mean? Today’s infographic is a chart of those symbols. It can be a great addition to a lesson on symbolic language, deciphering code, or general household/life skills information. [VIA]
The Foreign Service Institute of the US State Department compiles data about the amount of time it takes a native English speaker to learn various world languages. This infographic compiles their results and ranks several languages from the easiest to the hardest to pick up. [VIA]
As the world “shrinks” and the global community grows, we see lots of overlap in cultures and language. The need to communicate with folks who do not speak the same language is something we could encounter every day. How great is that initial, friendly ice-breaking “hello”? Today’s infographic gives you 21 ways to say “hello” in 21 different languages. Hujambo, everyone! [VIA]
All too often, we try to use words that will increase our vocabulary. Students do this all the time, inserting what they believe are fantastic vocabulary words into papers to try to impress us, but sometimes they are using them in the wrong context, or really (“literally”) don’t understand the definition. Today’s infographic looks at ten of the most commonly misunderstood and misused words in the English language. From the 90s pop song “Ironic” to an overuse of “literally” today to simply add emphasis, some words have truly evolved over time. [VIA]
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