Psycholinguistics: Can language shape the way we see and interpret the world around us? Does the language we and other around us use have impact on our subconsciousness?

With the growing acceptance of LGBT+ topics in the mainstream the matter of pronouns arose. It seems to stir a lot of controversy and the word itself is often taken as a provocation. But what are pronouns? How are they used in the English language? How have they changed over time? Do pronouns work in the same way in other languages? And what is their actual connection with the LGBT+ community?

‘Break a leg’, ‘I’m feeling under the weather’, ‘I was just pulling your leg!’; We’ve all heard those phrases. Some of us use them more often than others. But where do the English sayings and idioms come from? What are their origins. What about other languages?

Why are accents in the British Isles so diverse? What do we mean by regional variation? What exactly is accentism? Why do we find some accents sexy and others unattractive?

We speak to Dr Amanda Cole and Dr Ella Jeffries about their research into attitudes around accents then chat to students about their views on accents.