We Love to Speak about News Using New Words

As we face the first weeks of 2022, this is the third year of a global pandemic caused by the coronavirus. Since new situations arise on a nearly daily basis, no wonder that we need to find a way to speak about statistics, rules, and the illness itself. Many new words have originated in English since the international outbreak of COVID-19. We’ll explain the spellings of the medical terminology.

Correct Spellings
  • COVID-19 or Covid-19
  • coronavirus, Delta and Omicron variants
  • BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Johson & Johnson

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What’s the Difference Between Homophones, Homographs, and Homonyms?

Homophones, homographs, and homonyms share the same prefix, but other than that, they have different meanings. Here’s a quick summary:

  • Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and may or may not be spelled differently (by, buy, bye).
  • Homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings or pronunciations (bow, referring to the noun and verb).
  • Homonyms are both a homophone and a homograph, or either one or the other.

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What Are Antonyms? Explanation and Examples

An antonym is a word that has an opposite definition compared to that of another word. For example, “hot” is an antonym for “cold.”

There are a few different types of antonyms including contronyms (also known as auto-antonyms), graded antonyms, complementary antonyms, and converse antonyms).

Familiarizing yourself with antonyms can help you expand your vocabulary, add variety to your writing, and help you write comparisons that are easier to understand.

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Consonant Sounds—A LanguageTool Guide

A consonant is a letter that represents speech sounds that can only be made when the vocal tract is partially or entirely closed. Consonants require specific positions of the lips, tongue, and cheeks.

While the pronunciation of vowels varies vastly across different English speakers and dialects, the pronunciation of consonants is more defined (although some dialectal variation exists).

Below, we’ll dive deeper into what consonants are by reviewing each one and the sound(s) they make, going over what consonant digraphs are, and explaining the difference between consonants and consonance.

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What Are Contronyms?

A contronym (or auto-antonym) is a word with contradictory meanings. For example, dust is a verb that means “to remove dust from a surface,” but it can also mean “to cover lightly with a powdered substance.”

  • I asked Ian to dust the furniture before he left.
  • I was taught to dust the counter with flour before rolling the dough.
Contranym is another acceptable spelling, but contronym is more widely used.

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A Beginner’s Guide to Learning a New Language

Not many things are as beneficial to your brain as learning a new language (also referred to as second language acquisition). Not only does it expand your cultural and cognitive horizons, but learning a language also protects against degenerative neurological conditions.

And despite what you may have heard, anyone at any age can start learning a new language.

Below, you’ll find everything you need to know to get started on your language learning journey, from the principles and benefits to tips and tricks.

Let’s get started!

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Juxtaposition: Learn What It Means and How To Use it in Your Writing

Juxtaposition is a literary and rhetorical device in which two contrasting elements, ideas, images, or characters are presented in close proximity to create a striking effect.

Picture a family with a relentlessly crying baby on an otherwise peaceful and quiet beach. Now imagine an extraordinarily black bear rolling around in blinding white snow. What do those two scenes have in common?

Both contain juxtaposition.

You may be wondering why writers would want to use juxtapositions in their writing. One would be to highlight differences and therefore evoke emotions, emphasize something, or grasp the audience’s attention. However, juxtaposition may also serve to connect seemingly unrelated themes. It can also help highlight the intricacies of a characteristic or concept that a reader might otherwise overlook.

In short, juxtaposition is a way to encourage readers to compare, contrast, and evaluate particular elements that are relevant to the text.

Image shows examples of common themes that are often juxtaposed: Good and evil, life and death, young and old, and present and past.
These are just a few of the many themes that are often juxtaposed.

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