OMG, LOL enter Oxford English Dictionary

«OMG, LOL and FYI are among the latest additions made to the Oxford English Dictionary in a new update.
The online edition revealed that it had selected a "number of noteworthy initialisms" for publication. The latest three, used widely in online and text speech, join previous entries IMHO, TMI and BFF.
[...] A surprise new entry also came from the heart symbol '♥'. Referenced "as a symbol for the verb love", the heart has become widely associated with the 'I ♥ NY' tourism campaign.» Says Ryon Love in Digital Sky. Read the whole article, here.

The latest update of the OED (Oxford English Dictionary)

The latest update of the OED, published on 24 March 2011, revises more than 1,900 entries and adds new words from across the dictionary.  A full list of new words .

"Maisie and the dolphin" - QUIZ

Maisie King lives with her family in the Bahamas. Her mother and father work at an Animal Hospital. Maisie has a new friend, Ben. He's a dolphin. Ben is very ill. Maisie helps him. Then Maisie has a big difficulty in her life. Can Ben help her?

Why is reading important, children?

Reading helps develop vital language skills.

It can open up new worlds and enrich lives.

Enhance social skills.

It can improve hand-eye coordination
and provide a lot of fun!

Here you can find lots of free interesting presentations in PowerPoint format concerning reading.

Clothes with sentences

Saint Patrick's Day Parade

Happy St Patrick's Day

You certainly have read a lot about this Festival.
Here you can do a nice QUIZ for St Patrick's Day.

The Leprechaun

       A leprechaun (Irish: leipreachán) is a type of fairy in Irish folklore and another symbol of Ireland, usually taking the form of an old man, dressed in a green coat. Like other fairy creatures, leprechauns have been linked to the Irish mythology.The Leprechauns spend all their time busily making shoes, and store away all their coins in a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If ever captured by a human, the Leprechaun has the magical power to grant three wishes in exchange for their release.

Found out more visiting the National Leprochaun Museum.

What a Shamrock

The shamrock has long been a symbol of Ireland.

The shamrock was traditionally used  for medical properties and was popular motif in Victoria times.
The Shamrock is also used as a badge for sports teams, state organisations and troops abroad from Ireland. It is registered with the World Intellectual Property Organisation as a symbol of Ireland. According to what the Oxford English Dictionary calls "a late tradition" (first recorded in 1726), the plant was used by Saint Patrick to illustrate the doctrine of the Trinity. It has subsequently become an emblem of Ireland, but it is not the official one, which is the harp. The English word comes from Irish seamróg, meaning young clover.

St. Patrick's Legend

Did you know that Saint Patrick's name at birth was Maewyn Succat?

He was born around the fourth century. At the age of sixteen Maewyn Succat was kidnapped from Britain by pirates, and sold into slavery in Ireland, where he worked as a shepherd.

After six long years of slavery he escaped to the northern coast of Gaul.

In Gaul, Maewyn became Patrick and studied in the monastery for twelve years. He became a priest and he came to believe that it was his calling to convert the pagans of Ireland to Christianity.

Patrick was about sixty years old when he arrived in Ireland and helped convert people. It is said he used the shamrock, which resembles a three-leafed clover, to help explain the concept of the Trinity (father, son, holy spirit).

Patrick's mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. He then retired to County Down and died on March 17th in 461 AD. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since. As the saying goes, on this day "everybody is Irish!"



Ireland, the Emerald Isle

Spring is coming. The perfect time to learn about Ireland.

Keep visiting our blog here and you will know about Ireland’s past and present facts, strange and unique curiosities, famous Irish people and, of course, cultural celebrations such as Saint Patrick’s Day. You’ll enjoy it so much that the eyes of the Irish are likely to smile and “when Irish eyes are smiling, surely it’s like a morning in Spring…”

Find out more about Ireland.