Brexpat and other abominations ...

Discerning readers will have noticed the style guide of this blog has resisted the insidious and ubiquitous introduction of a new word to denote a country leaving the European Union ...it started with Greece a couple of years ago, when they were tempted to decamp ... then the recent referendum in the UK brought the "British" version into the light of day .... an interview with a hero, Noam Chomsky, included the word, which was a surprise and mild disappointment (mild because imagining our heroes will never disappoint us is asking for trouble) ....

Of course, language evolves and it is up to us which new words we adopt ... Americanisms have always been a trigger here ... "awesome!" being a hyperbolic example ... the overuse of coarse words is another no no in the style guide, maybe because words have power of their own (spells) and whether written or spoken, it is well to remember it ....and this writer is fond of inventing new words too .., as well as playing with grammatical structures in order to disrupt traditional patterns of thought ...

So, in defiance of the style guide, the headline of this post includes a development of "Brexit" with "Brexpat" ( which throws a spanner in the works of discerning between Anglos and Celts) ...found in the Costa English language press and on the related Facebook pages and discussing the impact of leaving the EU on the lives of immigrants to Spain (and other EU countries) from the imminently departing UK (or whichever portions of it are still united after the fun and games settle down).

As an aside, a conversation with Russ yesterday elicited his view that dyslexia is unknown in Spain,since the language is written as spoken .... this is mostly confirmed on a brief check and anyone interested in the nuances can do their own research ... my interest currently lies in the way language and thought are related ... and how understanding the world may require both a multi-lingual approach and periods of silence, including not only social discourse but also mind chatter ... balance, balance, balance!