English Conversation

English Conversation Englsh conversation in the tranquil setting of white Cottages.

My interest started 10years ago with a Russian student who realised that I used more vocabulary than most people.So my passion for etymology has been shared with other students from Germany,China,Japan, Spain.The 'one to one' sessions begin with phrasal verbs/idioms then adding more vocabulary and structure to a sentence.My teaching methods must remain a 'secret' however acting out words is involved!

02/11/2018

Leper`Squint: A very small window in a church where lepers could stand outside and see the alter while watching and taking part in the church service...this was concealed from the view of the congregation.

20/11/2016

IGONOMINIOUS. Public disgrace, humiliating, inglorious,deserving or causing public disgrace.
INSOUCIANT. Arrogance, nonchalant, indifferent, showing lack of concern.
ROMANCE. Have your courtship. Those days of cautious advance, coy retreat, shy surrender, are, I have always heard, the sweetest of ones life.
Unknown author.

20/11/2016

INIMIMICAL. Obstructive. Harmful. Detrimental..the policy was inimical to Britains real interests.Unfriendly;hostile. fr.Late Latin inimicalis Enemy.
PANASHE. Flamboyant style or manner. Origin19th cent. from
French 'flaming, blazing'.fr .flambe ' a flame'.
This leads to 'why is a blazer ( a mans jacket ) is called a blazer?
The answer lies here in Cambridge; Lady Margaret Beaufort Mother Of Henry V11 and grandmother of HenryV111 founded Saint Johns College in 1505 and she like other colleges had a rowing crew - she chose a bright red jacket for her boys which became known as the 'blazer'.

20/11/2016

Uxorious: Showing great or excessive fondness for ones wife.
Panacea:A solution or remedy for all difficulties or deseases fr. Greek panakeia. 'all healing ' alos 'remedy'
Sorry about this but I am at home with a broken ankle into my 5th week....

10/02/2016

Ellipsis: words left out when they can be understood from what has gone before or later in the sentence. Or a set of dots indicating such an omission.....this process is called Ellipsis. as in 'told you so' - 'sounds fine to me' which is standard informal English.

10/02/2016

Smidgen ( informal ) a very small amount of anything. 'just a smidgen please'...of sugar, salt, ice etc
C19: from Scots smitch

10/02/2016

Rigmarole: a long and complicated procedure - a long rambling story. 'what a rigmarole '
C18: ragman roll, denoting a legal document recording a list of offences.

08/01/2016

Crony/Cronies Origin C17 Cambridge universtity UK ' He is drinking with his cronies' this was formed by a group of students who were chums/ friends who wanted a name for their group.
Greek and Latin were spoken in Cambridge and the word was taken from Gr Khronios 'long lasting' everlasting friendship!
This is now said all over the world.......

12/11/2015

Elided:
Omit a sound or syllable c16th Latin 'crush out'.

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