Christine Lovatt’s Hello Column
Christine’s Hello column appears monthly in Lovatts BIG Crossword magazine
Get To Know Greek Letters
Hello!
The Greek alphabet was first used in the 8th century BC and is still used today. It has a set of 24 letters which you might see as mathematical symbols or the names of stars.
Our own alphabet is named after the first two Greek letters, Alpha and Beta, and you may have noticed that [more…]
Learn about the phrase ‘How’s your father?’
The history of some of our colloquial or idiomatic phrases is often the subject of debate, as is the case with the expression ‘How’s your father?’ To a non-British person, it might sound like an innocent enquiry after the health of a parent, but there’s much more to it.
Music hall comedian Harry Tate used [more…]
Solve Cryptic Clues Like a Sleuth
Hello!
What is it about cryptic clues that makes them so addictive? We humans are programmed to relish a challenge, whether physical or mental, stretching our muscles or our thinking powers.
And what better mind challenge than solving a cryptic crossword? Like a whodunnit detective novel, the details are there but they need to be unravelled. [more…]
Mother’s Day in Australia
Hello!
In Australia, Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday in May. Families often come together for special meals, whether it’s a hearty brunch, a picnic in the park, or a relaxed barbecue in the backyard. Many Australians also take the opportunity to pamper their mothers with thoughtful gifts, such as flowers, chocolates, or handmade [more…]
Explore the World of Roses
To put the roses in somebody’s cheeks is to make a person look healthy. To wear rose-coloured glasses is to think something is more pleasant than it really is, while to gather life’s roses is to savour the pleasures in life. If something is not a bed of roses there are struggles to withstand, [more…]
Discover the Dynamic Trio: Guinevere, Arthur, & Lancelot
There are many differing versions of the legend of Guinevere, but most agree that she was the wife of the Celtic King Arthur, who fought against the Saxon invaders of Britain in the 6th century. However, Guinevere fell in love with King Arthur’s chief knight Sir Lancelot, and they had a passionate affair that [more…]
World poetry day
Poetry is often described as the universal language for the way it transcends social, cultural, and linguistic barriers. Whether it’s a formal form like a sonnet, or haiku, or more fluid like free verse or spoken word, poetry captures the essence of human existence and connects people from diverse backgrounds, fostering empathy and understanding. [more…]
Discover the forbidden dance
In the 18th century, dancing was very much a communal activity. Dancers didn’t just dance with a partner, but in two lines, so that partners faced each other and moved back and forth, and never touched apart from holding hands. They danced with each of the opposite line in a stately, rigid manner.
Then the [more…]
Who is Charles Dickens?
It’s very hard to write about Charles Dickens without writing thousands of words, because there’s so much to say about the man.
Who knows what sort of world we would be living in if it hadn’t been for Dickens and his focus on social reform? He didn’t make changes single-handedly, but he certainly forced people [more…]