British English · C1 · Unit 17
Language itself
Language itself
By the end you can
- Discuss how languages change
- Reflect on how you learn languages
- Understand an essay about language
Words and phrases
| British English | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a loanword | a word taken from another language | 'Café' is a loanword from French. |
| coin a word | invent a new word | Every year, people coin a word or two that ends up in the dictionary. |
| catch on | become popular | It takes time for a new word to catch on. |
| slang | very informal words | Teenage slang changes every year. |
| language evolves | a language changes over time | Language evolves whether we like it or not. |
| purists | people who want a language kept 'correct' | Purists hate the word 'literally' used that way. |
| regional accent | the way people speak in one area | She has a strong regional accent from Newcastle. |
| Received Pronunciation | the standard upper-class British accent (RP) | Few people actually speak Received Pronunciation. |
| a dialect | a local form of a language | My grandad spoke a dialect I couldn't follow. |
| fall into disuse | stop being used | Many old words fall into disuse. |
| immerse yourself in | surround yourself completely with | The best way to learn is to immerse yourself in the language. |
| a false friend | a word that looks like one in another language but means something else | 'Actual' is a false friend for many learners. |
Then talk it through
A discussion about new words and loanwords in English (UK). In the app you have this conversation out loud or typed, with the unit's goals to tick off and corrections at the end.