In 2018, I was at the peak of my reading habit. In the midst of this determination, I decided to try something I’d always wanted to do: create a reading challenge for myself that would last until I got tired of it. My original plan was to read as many books as I could throughout the year, but after a while I realised that adding a challenge might make things more interesting. So I decided to make it official in my own way. I called it “5 Books in 5 Days” and posted on Insta

Mathematics is the language of the universe and we can apply it in various fields. Statistics , as one of its branches, is instrumental in understanding the concepts through collected data. When these data show certain results, they can take the form of a formula or a law. In linguistics, one such law is called “Zipf’s Law”, also known as “the Zipfian Distribution” or “the principle of least effort”. It is a statistical principle often observed in various fields, includin

Children’s stories are special. In fact, they can be harder to work with than any other stories. They can capture the hearts of young and old alike with their simple yet powerful messages. Two great examples are “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and “My Sweet Orange Tree” by José Mauro de Vasconcelos . I’d like to use them as examples because these stories are loved by both children and adults. I used to enjoy them and I still do. These stories can be enjoyed

Imagine you’re watching your favourite film, playing a video game or exploring a piece of software when you suddenly stumble upon an unexpected clue, a hint, a hidden message or even a playful inside joke . These are called “Easter eggs” , and hidden treasures await those who seek them out. Though often associated with the digital world, Easter eggs are more than just pixelated secrets — they are delightful surprises that transcend various forms of media and creativity. East

Everyone in the world has their own personal problems, illnesses and complications . Whether they seem serious or not, these challenges affect our lives in different ways. Consequently, these problems need solutions. Traditional treatments are not always effective. That’s alright; sometimes a new approach is needed . That’s why I want to stress the importance of reading and writing. This may sound unusual to you. “How can they be a solution to my problems?” Well, while they

As human beings, we love reading or hearing stories. This behavior will never change, as it is a part of our curiosity. No matter how exciting, frightening, shocking or even boring they may be, we tend to listen to stories, at least in part. However, due to reading, these stories become a part of life and create their own culture. Reading and writing novels have always been a trend, no matter which period of history we are talking about. Therefore, we encounter some of these

Even though many of them were boring to read when we were children, there are timeless world classics and we appreciate them. However, it was always a struggle to read and understand these world classics when our teachers assigned them as homework. But they were necessary. There must be a reason why they are timeless novels. Well, there is a reason, and it can only be understood by reading them. Now I would like to talk about their meaning and the lessons behind them. 1. “War

In a world with over 7,000 spoken languages , communication can be both a bridge and a barrier. As human beings, we are naturally drawn to understanding each other, and sometimes we create new tools, called languages and dialects, to facilitate that understanding. Among these, Esperanto , a constructed language, stands out as a beacon of linguistic innovation. Constructed languages, or conlangs, are languages that are deliberately created rather than evolving naturally over

Reading is a fundamental skill that opens doors to a world of knowledge, imagination and self improvement . But reading isn’t just about skimming through pages; it’s about understanding, retaining and engaging with the material. If you find that what you read often slips from your memory, do not worry. It’s all right, because things can be complicated or we just can’t remember everything we read. Photo by Matias North on Unsplash However, I can give you some of my various ef

In the dimly lit halls of American literature, one name stands out as a harbinger of chilling tales — Howard Phillips Lovecraft , affectionately known as H.P. Lovecraft . As we celebrate the centenary of some of his most iconic works, let’s talk about his gift to the literary world. Born on 20 August 1890 , Lovecraft led a relatively reclusive life, often plagued by health problems and financial difficulties. His early years were marked by a deep love of classic literature, p

As we bid farewell to the vibrant days of summer and welcome the darkened hues of autumn, many of us experience a subtle shift in our moods. This seasonal transformation, while celebrated by some for its cozy ambiance and pumpkin-spiced everything, can be challenging for others. Here is the period of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) , where the changing seasons might leave a temporary mark on our emotional well-being. Throughout the year, our bodies and minds are attuned to

In a culture, language is the most important and powerful tool for emphasising its values. It evolves over time through the experiences of the community, just as we evolve in our own lives. In fact, we observe this evolution by adding newly coined words to our personal vocabularies each year. Some of these words may seem strange, annoying, useful or of limited use, but they all leave their mark on many minds during that year. In 2022, for example, the Oxford Dictionary chose

In a time long past, in a world only he could conceive, there lived a man whose imagination knew no bounds. After 50 years of passing away on September 2nd, we are commemorating him. His name, dear readers, was John Ronald Reuel Tolkien , and his existence was a testament to the magic of storytelling. Photo by Lance Chang on Unsplash He was a philologist , a master of languages, and a scholar of ancient tongues. But his brilliance extended far beyond the dusty pages of acade

In a globalised world where communication knows no boundaries, the ability to understand and appreciate different languages is a valuable skill. Whether you’re a language enthusiast, a student, a translator or simply someone who wants to explore new cultures, parallel texts can be your passport to linguistic adventure. Parallel texts are, as the name suggests, two or more versions of a text presented side by side in different languages . These texts can be anything from lite

Within this vast realm of creative expression is a unique and captivating form known as the haiku . The haiku is a poetic structure that originated in Japan and has captured the hearts of poets and readers around the world. But what exactly is a haiku, and what makes it different from other forms of poetry? At its core, a haiku is a concise and thought-provoking poem of just three lines . However, the challenge and beauty of haiku lies in its strict syllabic structure: the f

Fonts come in a variety of styles, each with its own personality and feel. Serif fonts , characterised by the small lines or “serifs” at the ends of the letters, have a sense of tradition and formality. They’re often chosen for printed materials such as books and newspapers because of their legibility . On the other hand, “ sans-serif” (sans=without) fonts are sleek and modern, without these decorative serifs. They are often used in digital media and branding because of

In the realm of rhetoric, language is not just a tool for communication, but a palette of artistic techniques that can paint emotions, convey meanings and spark thoughts. One such technique that adds a touch of flair to language is the rhetorical device known as the “ hyperbaton ”. Imagine taking the words of a sentence, shuffling them like a deck of cards, and then dealing them out in a slightly unexpected order . That’s what the hyperbaton does. A rearrangement of words or

Just a couple of days back, on August 22nd , we got to tip our hats to the legendary Ray Douglas Bradbury on what would have been his 102nd birthday . Imagine, all of the magic and wonder he’s gifted us! I want to dedicate this article to praise this master wordsmith. Now, when we talk about Bradbury , we’re talking about a storyteller who’s not just dipped his toes but has done the full-on cannonball into the vast pool of creativity. His stories are like a roller coaster ri

Bionic reading is a concept coined by author and cognitive neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf , which refers to the way our reading habits and cognitive processes are changing due to the prevalence of digital devices and online content. It highlights the idea that our reading patterns are evolving as we engage with various forms of digital media, such as websites, social media, and e-books . Her research on how the brain processes written language brought us something different.

Have you ever noticed how many stories, whether they’re myths from different cultures or stories from films, seem to follow a similar pattern? Well, that pattern has a fancy name: “ the Monomyth” , also known as the hero’s journey . But don’t let the fancy words put you off, because understanding the hero’s journey can make stories even more exciting. The concept of the hero’s journey, or monomyth, was first described by Joseph Campbell in his book “The Hero with a Thousand