The first Mercury retrograde of 2024 is in full swing. Named for the messenger of the gods, Mercury is the fastest-moving planet in our solar system and governs the mind and the mouth, expression, exchange, commerce, technology, and travel. Three to four times a year, Mercury slows down in its insistent orbit. Contrary to the … Read more
The rating for “Mary Poppins,” the beloved children’s musical about a nanny with magical powers that was released 60 years ago, has been raised to PG in Britain because of the use of “discriminatory language,” the British Board of Film Classification said. The rating change follows a wave of recontextualizing and reclassifying of films from … Read more
The UK has changed its age rating for the original “Mary Poppins” movie due to “discriminatory language.” The Disney movie, which came out in 1964, stars Julie Andrews as magical governess Mary Poppins and Dick Van Dyke as her chimney-sweep sidekick, Bert. It snared 13 Oscar nominations — including one for Best Picture — and … Read more
They say love is blind — but eye beg to differ. Meeting the flirtatious gaze of a potential paramour from across a crowded room isn’t just the cliché stuff of fairytales and rom-coms. In fact, becoming madly, hopelessly and endlessly swept up in a whirlwind romance can happen in the literal blink of an eye, according to … Read more
It’s getting the boot. French has been displaced by Italian as the world’s most attractive language, the Daily Mail reports, citing a new survey from the language learning platform Babbel. 6,000 people from the US, the UK, France, Spain, Italy and Germany were asked which languages are perceived as “most sexy,” “most romantic” and “most … Read more
The fusion of Latin and Anglo-American cultures in South Florida in the latter half of the 20th century has created a new dialect, linguists say. Known as Miami English, the increasingly popular parlance has its roots back in the 1950s, when Cubans began moving to the region en masse. One of the country’s most bilingual … Read more
Tick-tock — it’s only a matter of time before we’re all speaking TikTok talk. Having been under the heavy influence of celebrities and viral tastemakers for the past few decades, it’s no wonder that rising Gen Z and millennial social media starlets have collectively adopted the signature cadences of VIPs such as Kim Kardashian, Britney Spears, … Read more
Western television and anime localizers have recently come under fire for injecting “woke” language into English dubs not present in the original work, prompting some companies to implement artificial intelligence (AI) as a way of limiting human intervention or to remove them entirely. The use of AI in the industry is already well underway. On … Read more
They deemed these terms too cool for school. Younger people’s lingo isn’t just ruffling feathers in the workplace: A teacher sparked a furious debate online after unveiling a list of 32 slang words that are forbidden in their classroom, as seen in an X post with more than 33 million views. “The gibberish some of … Read more
Gaslighting has become one of the most popular words in the English language — if only most of us using it actually knew what the hell it meant. According to a new study by Crossword Solver, the trendy term was the one Googled the most this year, typically in search of a definition. The news … Read more
Consider it their love language. Couples are saying adios to dating apps in favor of searching for l’amour toujours on Duolingo — a language learning app that allows you to connect with more than 9 million daily users. One couple, Rob Ciesielski and Amanda Lopez, used the program to kindle a long-distance admiration for one another, the … Read more
When you choose your child’s name, as parents you go through all the possibilities of how it might be said, would they be teased, would their initials be something inappropriate? But do parents ever think about what their child’s name would be in another language? This is the dilemma a mother is facing after moving … Read more
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a quiet visit to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California, on Wednesday. While the under-the-radar appearance was meant to be devoted to spending the day with veterans and their families, the Duke of Sussex, 39, reportedly looked like he was “hiding behind” Markle, 41, during the … Read more
OK, boomers — it’s time to get fluent in Gen Z. The younger generation’s head-scratching lingo is befuddling elder coworkers as it seeps into Slack channels and Team chats across the nation. Born between the years of 1997 and 2012, Zoomers have shaken up the corporate world by introducing their chronically online colloquialisms in the workplace, … Read more
The way to your pet’s heart is not only through toys and treats — half of pet parents say physical touch is their furry friend’s love language. A survey of 2,000 cat and dog owners found that between petting them (83%), giving them hugs (62%) and kisses (55%), respondents are speaking their pet’s love language. … Read more
Ah, Australia. The land of unique slang that is both colorful and often confusing to anyone who isn’t from the country. From slang such as ‘yeah nah’ (no), ‘nah yeah’ (yes) to ‘smoko’ (cigarette break) and ‘bikkie’ (biscuit), there’s little wonder why foreigners are often left scratching their heads. The US Embassy in Australia attempted … Read more
The Hollywood Reporter (THR) condemned country music star Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” and quoted academics accusing it of spreading division and racism. Aldean became a national figure after he released a music video for his song, “Try That in a Small Town,” that included authentic news footage of rioters, looters, and violence in … Read more
Celebrate good times, come on! According to body language expert Judi James, the royal family looked quite disjointed while they posed together on the balcony during King Charles’ 75th birthday celebration known as Trooping the Colour last month. “The composition of this ‘slimmed down’ royal balcony pose looks like a gappy smile with several teeth … Read more
Queen Camilla is growing into her role as monarch alongside her husband, King Charles III. The pair made a grand appearance at the Royal Ascot earlier this week — and body language expert Darren Stanton has revealed how the two lean on each other in public. Stanton revealed to Betfair Casino how Charles, 74, often … Read more
If you’re not using obscenities on a regular basis, WTF? Swearing is linked to a range of benefits, scientists say, and those who swear show signs of greater intelligence. Obscenities are found in all cultures and languages and have likely been with us since the first caveman stubbed his toe. And it probably was a … Read more