english matters

Whilst sat round the dinner table two weeks ago, somebody asked me the meaning of my name and I was embarrassed to tell them I had no idea. Of course, one quick visit to google and I had my answer. With Ango-Saxon origins, the name ‘Sibbald’ can be broken down into two parts and there are two theories behind its meaning. The first theory is that it is made up of the two words for ‘sea’ (‘Si’) and ‘bold’ or ‘bravery’ (‘bald’). The second, is that it comprises of the words ‘Sige’ (for…Czytaj dalej …

Next week sees me jetting off on my summer holidays to Tenerife. Can’t wait! But amongst all the excitement comes that huge problem that always arises when going anywhere for any length of time - which books to take? As someone who doesn’t own a kindle, getting it right first time is essential and here’s the three on my shortlist: 1. ‘Is That Mic Off?’ - Phil Mason & Matthew Parris. A quirky book which offers readers the chance to see some of the many gaffes and slips muttered by politicians. Quite a…Czytaj dalej …

The Gender Gap There have been plenty of reports in the British media over the last few months about the astronomical differences in salaries between males and their female counterparts. The issue hit a high in July, after the BBC announced that TV personality and presenter Chris Even took home the most money, whilst the highest-paid female earned four (yes four!) times less. This is of course an extreme example, but there were plenty more examples concerning everyday jobs and managerial positions. While equal opportunity groups have been battling since time began to…Czytaj dalej …

Last weekend whilst carrying out my monthly stint of baby sitting duties, my youngest niece asked me if I could buy her a pet. The question caught me slightly off-guard and I had to fend of the nagging until we got home. After all, I would need to check with my sister and brother-in-law first. But after being given the green light, I am now left with the task of buying her a furry creature - something which will keep her amused and not just be a passing novelty. When I was a…Czytaj dalej …

Świnoujście, Łeba, Kołobrzeg, Darłowo and Gdynia. What do they all have in common? Well, apart from being incredibly difficult for foreigners to pronounce, they are of course all locations on the Polish coast. And great locations for a summer jaunt. Given the time of year, I’m currently visiting a couple of seaside cities and having an absolute whale of a time. I’ve been to plenty of resorts during my time here in Poland but this is the first opportunity I have had to visit Hel - and what a fantastic place it is.…Czytaj dalej …

The UK’s history is as bright and colourful as any nation’s and a huge part of it involves the British Empire. Between 1815 - 1914, the Empire covered an amazing 14 million square miles and included an estimated 450 million people worldwide. Of course, for a large part of this time, Queen Victoria was head of the throne and it is one of the most fascinating periods of the country’s history. If ever a song summed up both Queen Victoria and the Empire, then this little ditty by The Kinks is it. The…Czytaj dalej …

We’ve spoken in the past about different languages. It’s one of our favourite topics here at English Matters. However, on my recent trip to Great Britain, I was honoured to meet a man from Afghanistan who spoke eight (yes, EIGHT!) different languages. I’ve always been quite proud of myself for my knowledge of Polish and ability to scrape by in broken Spanish. But I really don’t think I’d be able to find space in my brain for anything else! The bizarre thing about the story is, the man was working as a taxi…Czytaj dalej …

Yesterday I flew back from sunny to Poland to (the not-so-sunny) UK to see one of my favourite bands of all time - The Stone Roses. As any music lover will know, the Roses reformed a few years ago, having left an amazing legacy filled with mystique, anti-media jibes and, best of all, some cracking tunes. Their reformation was amazing and their homecoming concert at Manchester was one of the best musical events I have ever attended. Of course, some weren’t happy, saying that the Roses had “destroyed their legacy” and “should never…Czytaj dalej …

It was incredibly sad to hear that British legend Peter Sallis, OBE had passed away earlier this week, aged 96. Many outside the British Isles may be unfamiliar with Mr Sallis’ work, however on home turf he is regarded as something of a hero. As well as featuring in ‘Doctor Who: The Ice Warriors’ (you’d need to be a real Doctor Who buff to know this series), he played the part of Norman Clegg in ‘Last of the Summer Wine’. The show, which is the world’s longest-running sitcom, revolves around three retired friends…Czytaj dalej …

Anyone looking for a great, fresh comedy / drama series which their friends won’t have heard about, need look no further - we have a fantastic recommendation... I was told about ‘Detectorists’ two weeks ago and after watching the first two episodes online, I ordered both series to make sure I didn’t miss out. It revolves around two lonely men, using their trusty metal detectors to help them seek out treasure and gold in the British soil. Sounds dull? Don’t be put off - it’s brilliant! Packed full of great comedy moments and…Czytaj dalej …