Evolving our English language

Day 5 of the A to Z Blogging Challenge.

English is an ever changing language. Words are regularly added to our vocabulary and the meaning of others is changed over time. Every year the Oxford English Dictionary adds a few more that have made their way into the vernacular. Last year it was selfie and double denim. Who knows what they will come up with next but in all of the hubbub here are a few words and phrases that you may have missed:

Beer garden: (noun) An area behind a pub available to smoke in usually comprising some rotten benches and upturned barrels that provide no shelter or comfort to those that must.

Child friendly (adjective) Best avoided unless you like the screams of the under sixes as they throw up into the ball pit.

Easy: (adjective) Difficult, impossible or impractical, as in easy to assemble, easy credit and easy listening.

Free: (adjective) Something you have paid for already, as in pay £30 per month and get X for free. Also can mean restricted as in free to choose from a very limited choice.

Homemade (adjective) Made in a factory with slightly more expensive ingredients and better packaging ensuring that higher margins can be enjoyed.

Important (adjective) Irrelevant as in your call is important to us so please hang on as we’ll eventually get round to answering you when the night shift comes on in a couple of hours.

Intern: (noun) Slave

Phoenix (adjective) Previously bankrupt but re-opened under the same management and very likely to go the same way in the wink of an eye.

Picnic area: (noun) Fly-tipping spot in a secluded place with a low possibility of ever being caught.

Unusual (adjective) Normal as in we are experiencing unusually high volumes of calls even though this is the fifth day in a row that you have rang and you are left wondering why they don’t put on unusually high numbers of operatives.

Upcycle (verb) Reusing rubbish in a way that no one dares to criticise in case they are shown up as stupid and uncultured.

Watch out for others!