dream OF or ABOUT?

The next part of the series ' OF/ABOUT ' is:

DREAM OF

= to wish or to desire

She dreamed of having her own house.

"Dream of" is usually a preface to a statement which reflects something that someone hopes for, that they aspire to be, or that is a goal of theirs.

DREAM ABOUT

= to have a dream about sth while sleeping

She dreamt about food.

"Dream about" denotes something which someone had a dream about, a series of mental images or scenes that one experiences while they're sleeping.

However, the difference is so subtle that in my personal non-native opinion it's almost non-existing. And since I heard a lot of OF/ABOUT mixtures I treat it as one of those language nuances that you may or may not pay attention to :))

source: google images

Is "literally" not so literal anymore?

Inspired by the recent discussion about literally I decided to shed light on the issue since I felt a little confused myself by all that fuss.

So far, I've been teaching my Students that they should use literally very....literally;)
In other words, the meaning of literally is exactly, truly, actually.

On the contrary to figuratively, which is used in non-literal context, meaning metaphorically.

E.g.

The name of the cheese is Dolcelatte, literally meaning 'sweet milk'.

I said I felt like quitting, but I didn't mean it literally.

They have a taste - figuratively speaking - for excitement.

More or less I've been acting like this Captain L below:

However, it'll probably be good news for my Ss when I tell them that the Oxford English Dictionary has incorporated this 'irregular' usage of literally.

"This newer, disputed usage (describing something non-literal, as a form of exaggeration) has become more frequent over time, and is now sometimes used quite deliberately in non-literal contexts."

Like in here:

So, it seems that literally will no longer have only literal but also figurative meaning. And, like it or not, now it's legitimate....:/

source: google images, youtube.





Oxford English Dictionary updates

Are you following the quarterly updates of the Oxford English Dictionary?
A few days ago I came across this test through BC Polska and to be honest my result was not astonishing at all.
So not to spoil the fun I suggest doing the test first and then read on, if you'd like:)

 

 

This is what I found on the Oxford Dictionaty website:

 

"We’ve just added some srsly buzzworthy words to our online dictionary – squee! "

 

..and then I kept reading but without the below (only partial ) list of new words I definitely wouldn't manage :)

Honestly, I love the way English changes and how close to life it is. It gives insight into so many levels of human nature and most of all so much FUN !! :))

 

Just have a look:

 

 

• apols, pl. n. (informal): apologies.

• A/W, abbrev.: autumn/winter (denoting or relating to fashion designed for the autumn and winter seasons of a particular year).

 

• babymoon, n. (informal): a relaxing or romantic holiday taken by parents-to-be before their baby is born; a period of time following the birth of a baby during which the new parents can focus on establishing a bond with their child.

 

•  balayage, n.: a technique for highlighting hair in which the dye is painted on in such a way as to create a graduated, natural-looking effect.

•  bitcoin, n.: a digital currency in which transactions can be performed without the need for a central bank.

•  blondie, n.: a small square of dense, pale-coloured cake, typically of a butterscotch or vanilla flavour.

 

• buzzworthy, adj. (informal): likely to arouse the interest and attention of the public, either by media coverage or word of mouth.

• BYOD, n.: abbreviation of ‘bring your own device’: the practice of allowing the employees of an organization to use their own computers, smartphones, or other devices for work purposes.

• cakepop, n.: a small round piece of cake coated with icing or chocolate and fixed on the end of a stick so as to resemble a lollipop.

• chandelier earring, n.: a long, elaborate dangling earring, typically consisting of various tiers of gemstones, crystals, beads, etc.

• click and collect, n.: a shopping facility whereby a customer can buy or order goods from a store’s website and collect them from a local branch.

• dappy, adj. (informal): silly, disorganized, or lacking concentration.

• derp, exclam. & n. (informal): (used as a substitute for) speech regarded as meaningless or stupid, or to comment on a foolish or stupid action.

• digital detox, n.: a period of time during which a person refrains from using electronic devices such as smartphones or computers, regarded as an opportunity to reduce stress or focus on social interaction in the physical world.

• double denim, n.: a style of dress in which a denim jacket or shirt is worn with a pair of jeans or a denim skirt, often regarded as a breach of fashion etiquette.

• emoji, n: a small digital image or icon used to express an idea or emotion in electronic communication.

• fauxhawk, n: a hairstyle in which a section of hair running from the front to the back of the head stands erect, intended to resemble a Mohican haircut (in which the sides of the head are shaved).

• FIL, n.: a person’s father-in-law.

 

• flatform, n.: a flat shoe with a high, thick sole.

• FOMO, n.: fear of missing out: anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on a social media website.

• food baby, n.: a protruding stomach caused by eating a large quantity of food and supposedly resembling that of a woman in the early stages of pregnancy.

• geek chic, n.: the dress, appearance, and culture associated with computing and technology enthusiasts, regarded as stylish or fashionable.

• girl crush, n. (informal): an intense and typically non-sexual liking or admiration felt by one woman or girl for another.

• grats, pl. n. (informal): congratulations.

 

• guac, n.: guacamole.

• hackerspace, n.: a place in which people with an interest in computing or technology can gather to work on projects while sharing ideas, equipment, and knowledge.

 

• Internet of things, n.: a proposed development of the Internet in which everyday objects have network connectivity, allowing them to send and receive data.

 

• jorts, pl. n.: denim shorts.

• LDR, n.: a long-distance relationship.

 

• me time, n. (informal): time spent relaxing on one’s own as opposed to working or doing things for others, seen as an opportunity to reduce stress or restore energy.

• MOOC, n.: a course of study made available over the Internet without charge to a very large number of people.

• omnishambles, n. (informal): a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations.

• pear cider, n.: an alcoholic drink made from the fermented juice of pears.

• phablet, n.: a smartphone having a screen which is intermediate in size between that of a typical smartphone and a tablet computer.

• pixie cut, n.: a woman’s short hairstyle in which the hair is cropped in layers, typically so as to create a slightly tousled effect.

• selfie, n. (informal): a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website.

• space tourism, n.: the practice of travelling into space for recreational purposes.

• squee, exclam. & v. & n. (informal): (used to express) great delight or excitement.

• srsly, adv. (informal): short for ‘seriously’.

• street food, n.: prepared or cooked food sold by vendors in a street or other public location for immediate consumption.

 

• TL;DR, abbrev.: ‘too long didn’t read’: used as a dismissive response to a lengthy online post, or to introduce a summary of a lengthy post.

 

• twerk, v.: dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance.

 

• unlike, v.: withdraw one’s liking or approval of (a web page or posting on a social media website that one has previously liked).

• vom, v. & n. (informal): (be) sick; vomit. 

 

 

I've already written about omnishambles here but this time my favourite is JORTS - how simple:)

 

 



 source: google images