Tag Archives: interest-communication

  1. wotd vocab

    5 Easy Ways Word Of The Day Can Kickstart Kids’ Vocabulary

    Learning a new word every day is a great way to build vocabulary. And the best way to do it is with the Dictionary.com Word of the Day! Each day, we deliver a Word of the Day video with a fun explanation of the word, what it means, and examples of how it’s used.  And now, you can use these five fun steps to help …

  2. Why Do Babies Around The World Say “Mama”?

    Mother, maman, mommy, amma, mama, em, mum, mamma, mutter, mare, maty, ana … Across languages an uncanny pattern appears for the word mother. Why? Is it evidence of universal language? Is this evidence of sound symbolism at work, which is a phoneme (sound) that has meaning completely unto itself? If you’re a linguist, baby talk is not just a cute but meaningless language used with infants. …

  3. Gender-Neutral Alternatives For “Sir,” “Madam,” And “Ma’am”

    It’s a dilemma: you want to be polite when addressing a person or getting their attention, but you don’t know their gender. That means sir, madam, ma’am, miss, and other gendered terms of address and honorifics are out. So what should you do? The traditional ways of addressing people in English—especially at a distance, when a person might not know you’re talking to them—can present …

  4. group of friends meeting

    Modern Alternatives To Saying “Guys” and “You Guys”

    Listen up, everyone: we know you all have questions, so let’s talk about the terms guys and you guys. You may be asking if there are any good substitutes for such useful terms. The answer is yes, and we have suggestions for each and every one of you. (Including some that we just used without y’all even noticing it). For years, the term guys and expressions …

  5. infer vs. imply, dark teal text on light teal background.

    “Imply” vs. “Infer”: Learn The Difference

    The difference between infer and imply can be confusing enough, so we’re going to skip the subtle hints and just come right out and explain it. In this article, we’ll explain the distinction between infer and imply, note how their meanings can sometimes overlap, provide examples of how they’re used, and even cover the adjective forms inferred and implied. The verb imply means “to indicate …

  6. pronouns; blue, pink, green

    Pronoun Explainer: What Do Ella, Él, And Elle Mean In Pronoun Sets?

    If you’ve recently seen pronoun sets like she/her/ella, he/him/él, or they/them/elle, you may be wondering what the third word in each set means. In familiar pronoun sets like he/him/his, the third word indicates the possessive form. But that’s not the case with él, ella, and elle. Instead, these terms are used by people who speak both English and Spanish as a way to indicate their …

  7. stork carrying a baby bundle, on a green background.

    Words To Use To Explain Sex To Your Kids

    Salt-N-Pepa would approve of this list. But even if their song is stuck in your head (you know you’re singing “Let’s talk about sex!” now) actually talking about sex is anything but easy. It’s overwhelming to have “the talk” with your kids, which is why experts suggest having an ongoing conversation on the topics of sex, consent, and reproduction as they grow instead of having …

  8. The Holy Reason We Say “Goodbye” And What To Say Instead

    “So long, farewell …” This catchy tune from The Sound of Music is just one of many artistic reflections throughout the years on the ways we say goodbye. And it’s no wonder this parting word and its synonyms have been the subject of much rumination over the years as saying goodbye has become an integral part of our interactions with people, places, and things.  We …

  9. “Figuratively” vs. “Literally”

    Although similar and often incorrectly swapped for each other, literally and figuratively have different meanings that can’t really be interchanged. So even if you feel like you literally can’t help confusing the two, this exaggeration may help explain why figuratively is actually the right word in many cases. What does figuratively mean? Figuratively is an adverb of the adjective figurative that means “of the nature …

  10. What Is Body Language?

    The phrase body language or nonverbal communication often gets tossed around. From public speaking to a first date, our movements and facial expressions say a lot about our feelings and intentions. During political debate season, politicians’ body language is under just as much scrutiny as their remarks, and if the candidates aren’t careful, they might misspeak without saying a word. Most researchers conclude that human …