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Words can cause physical pain

Words can cause physical pain

Far from being soothing, words and counselling can actually increase the intensity of physical pain, a study finds. Warnings such as “this may hurt a bit” or “you might feel a little pain” can be counterproductive and actually compound feelings of discomfort, it is believed. The study discovered that certain pain-associated words such as ‘tormenting’ or ‘gruelling’ stimulate the pain area of the brain – even when no pain is actually administered. Talking to your doctor … Read entire article »

Filed under: Vocabulary

20 fashionable words in English

20 fashionable words in English

1.Mori girl(森女) Mori girl is buzzward originated from a social networking website in Japan two years ago, referring to women in their 20s who pursue a simple and natural lifestyle. Mori in Japanese means “forest” and a Mori girl is a girl who looks like she lives in forests. You might have seen her dressed in earthy colors that attest to an artistic sensibility at one with nature. She’s part Little Red Ridinghood (although she prefers dark … Read entire article »

Filed under: Vocabulary

How Do You Pronounce 2010?

How Do You Pronounce 2010?

I have been deluged with questions about how to pronounce the name of the year. The two main contenders are “twenty-ten” and “two thousand ten.” Before the turn of the century, most people pronounced the years by chunking the first two numbers together and the last two numbers together. So we had “nineteen fifty,” “nineteen eighty-five,” and so on. After the turn of the century, we started commonly pronouncing the years the long way: “two thousand … Read entire article »

Filed under: Vocabulary

Between or among?

Between or among?

Today we’re going to talk about the difference between the words “between” and “among.” Between Versus Among You may have noticed that I said we were going to talk about the difference between the words “between” and “among.” I used the word “between” because I was talking about a choice that involves two distinct words. Many people believe “between” should be used for choices involving two items and “among” for choices that involve more than two items. That … Read entire article »

Filed under: Vocabulary

10-minute body language

10-minute body language

You could be a master of interpreting the little signals that other people are making, but it is just as important to be aware of your own body language when you are talking to a possible partner. Are you aware of the messages you are giving? Next time you meet someone you are attracted to, while you’re working out whether or not they are being unusually open towards you, take a while to consider how you … Read entire article »

Filed under: Teaching

For a happier marriage, just say ‘we’

For a happier marriage, just say ‘we’

If you want a happier marriage, use the magic word: We. “We-ness” is a language that spouses who are better able to resolve conflicts speak, according to new study from the University of California, Berkeley. The other good words are “our” and “us.” Pronouns such as “I,” “me” and “you” are a problem, according to the study. Researchers analyzed 154 middle-aged and older married couples talking about disagreements. The conversations between those who used the “we” words went … Read entire article »

Filed under: Vocabulary