Category: Literature

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Editorial Team, Literature, Misc., Writing

The Metamorphosing English Language

Thousands of words may have been added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in recent years, yet it would be a mistake to think that this is the limit of English. The OED, being a descriptivist endeavour, will always be lagging behind, and now more so than ever, as new technology permits new registers for language to be played with. Social media platforms like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp create a written medium that has the speed and interaction of speech and come with their own newly minted lexicons. Yet it is important for the OED to recognise the new words that emerge from these kinds of mediums of communication, partly as a resource for studying the language, but also to give words a sense of respectability – like a shield to hold off those pedants decrying the deterioration of English. As such, see this article as more of a personal view on changes to the language that I like, not a judgement on the new words. Continue reading The Metamorphosing English Language

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Editorial Team, Lifestyle, Literature, Local, Performance Arts, Review, What's Happening

Review: Spork! The Valentine(ish) Edition @ Exeter Phoenix

Spork! is a delightful evening of poetry, comedy, rap and performance, which brings together local artists in celebration of spoken word. Hosted by Chris White, Spork! is full of the weird and wonderful, it’s variety making each show unique, exciting and guaranteed to include something for everyone. On Tuesday 11 February, I was lucky enough to see their ‘Valentine(ish)’ special, in which poetic performances were based (loosely) on theme of love. Continue reading Review: Spork! The Valentine(ish) Edition @ Exeter Phoenix

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Editorial Team, Lifestyle, Literature, Politics

Roaring 20s: The Enduring Dream of Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age

It’s been nearly a century since F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was published in 1925 – painting a glossy, wealthy image of the 1920s Jazz era – and now, as we enter that same decade 100 years later, it seems a revival of Fitzgerald’s world is at the height of fashion, with nearly every NYE party on 31st December seemingly featuring flapper dresses and pinstriped suits. Continue reading Roaring 20s: The Enduring Dream of Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age

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Books, Editorial Team, Literature

The Best Book Covers of the Decade

From bold typography exhibiting confidence, to delicate minimalism, the interplay between image, colour and type are arranged in design to celebrate a book. While it is important not to judge a text solely by its cover, our preconceptions often originate from the visuals we see on a book. But covers provide more than this; they are something to physically hold in your hand and in this sense, they form a part of the association and experience of reading a text. The best covers emulate a narrative in original and often powerful ways. Here is a list of some of the most striking book covers I have come across in the 2010s. Continue reading The Best Book Covers of the Decade

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Editorial Team, Literature, Local, Performance Arts, Review

Review: The 10th Annual Exeter Poetry Slam @ Exeter Phoenix

Now in its tenth year, the Exeter Poetry Slam gathers twelve of the best poetic performers from across the South West and whittles them down to one winner after three intense knock-out rounds. I had the pleasure of going to watch it at the Exeter Phoenix, and left feeling a renewed passion for slam poetry, having been a keen fan of the form for years. Nights like this weren’t just designed for Gen-Zers like me, raised on Olivia Gatwood and Button Poetry, however – this was truly an event for everyone, young and old, poetry fans and those new to the art (apart from Tories, who, had any actually been in attendance, would have been slammed to the point of no return, such was the passion of the poets talking about inequality). Continue reading Review: The 10th Annual Exeter Poetry Slam @ Exeter Phoenix

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