fbpx

Eilish and Omicron among 2021’s most mispronounced words

Eilish and Omicron among 2021’s most mispronounced words
Dec 8 2021 Share

You’re not alone if you’ve been corrected as to how to actually say Billie Eilish’s last name or the new COVID-19 variant title. 

Both have made it to a list of 2021’s most mispronounced words, with a survey amassing which words and names were trickiest for anyone to utter. 

The list was compiled by the US Captioning Company, whose job is to provide subtitles for live events on TV and courtrooms. So they know a thing or two about pronunciation. 

The COVID variant, for instance, is supposed to be pronounced ‘OH-mee-kraan’ or ‘AH-muh-kran’ (try it!) and depends on whether you’re in the UK and US. 

As for the pop star’s name, it’s supposed to be uttered as ‘EYE-lish’, as many were attempting to twist the surname according to what they deemed more probable. 

Other words which suffered the wrath of mispronunciation were Dogecoin (DOHJ-coin), the cryptocurrency made popular by Elon Musk, Glasgow (GLAHZ-go), which was mispronounced by both Biden and Obama, and Yassify (YEAH-sih-fai) a popular beauty filter trend. 

2020’s batch of mispronounced words included Anthony Fauci’s last name (spelled FOW-chee) and US Vice President’s first name (CAW-ma-la). 

#MaltaDaily

Photo Source: World Meteorological Organisation, Medium

Mixing vaccines for boosters backed up by EU authorities

Mixing vaccines for boosters backed up by EU authorities
Dec 8 2021 Share

Health authorities from the European Union have backed up the mixing of COVID-19 vaccines for the booster.

This, they say, could in some cases produce a better response than a single jab. The best results come from what is called a viral vector shot, such as AstraZeneca or Johnson&Johnson shot, followed by Moderna or Pfizer after (mRNA). 

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in a joint statement that the so-called mix and match approach can be used for both initial jabs and boosters. 

This approach may also lend countries some flexibility as they deal with a resurgence in cases, especially they are short in stock of a particular jab. 

Many European countries have started giving the follow up booster six months after the first immunisation. With the EU currently approving four vaccines, some studies suggest that despite some minor side effects being stronger with this approach, they are inconsistent. 

#MaltaDaily

Photo Source: Yale Medicine

Instagram introduces ‘Take a Break’ tool so you can manage time better

Instagram introduces ‘Take a Break’ tool so you can manage time better
Dec 8 2021 Share

This might be the best thing Instagram has ever done as it launches a ‘Take a Break’ tool. 

The feature allows Instagram users to make more informed decisions about how they’re spending their time on social media. 

The app will allow people to set a timer and inform them of how long they’ve been scrolling. If you scroll for a certain amount of time (you get to choose this), the app will send you a reminder to take a break. 

To access the feature, one simply has to go to Settings and from there ‘Your Activity’. Here, you can select the duration after which you’d like a break. (This may vary according to phone).

The feature also includes a list of things you can do as you take your break – recommending stuff like taking a few deep breaths, writing down what you’e thinking, listening to some tunes or crossing off something from a to-do list. 

Considering the amount of time spent on social media by most today, it’s a great initiative by social media companies to take into account our schedule and mental health. 

#MaltaDaily

Photo Source: TargetTrend, KnowTechie

Malta’s top 40 restaurants have been chosen – here are the top 5!

Malta’s top 40 restaurants have been chosen - here are the top 5!
Dec 8 2021 Share

A list of Malta’s top 40 award-winning restaurants has just been curated by the Definitive(ly) Good Guide. The island’s most authoritative survey based restaurant guide has essentially outlined your next weekend eatery adventure. 

‘The awards are based on the highest rated overall, and in the individual Food, Service and Ambience categories, taking into account the number of people rating them, value for money, comments and other data from the survey.’

At top place is Noni Restaurant, winning Top Overall, Top Food and Top Service. Located at the heart of Malta’s capital city, this award was very much well deserved as the restaurant is known for its genuine, fresh and local cuisine. 

Tarragon Restaurant followed suit at second place – a Mediterranean restaurant which seeks quality, comfort and value in every dish it serves in stunning Bugibba.

The third runner up is Don Royale, located in St Julians. Known for its wide variety of dishes which vary from pizza, grills and mouth-watering pizzas, this award is far from a surprise!

The top five list is rounded off with The Golden Fork, located in Attard, and with ‘The Chef’s Table’ in Bugibba at fourth and fifth place respectively. 

The former provides guests with its own take on the world of cuisine in the village of orchards whereas the latter offers everything from French to Greek Mediterranean dishes. 

We still urge you to check out the entire list however – there’s something for every tastebud as the list truly picks some of the island’s most renowned dining spaces!

#MaltaDaily

Photo Source: Noni Restaurant FB