Simon Ager

Have you ever gone somewhere and forgotten why? If so, this song is for you. I wrote it in October 2022. Here are the words: What did I come in here for? Something important I'm sure Something to fetch or find Oh what did I come in here for? What did I come in here for? I forgot as I came through the door I cannot remember, I cannot recall Oh what did I come in here for? What did I come in here fo...

This is a little song I wrote in September 2022 based on idioms that mean something is easy, like 'as easy as falling off a log'. Here are the words: It's as easy as pie As falling of a log It's a snap, it's a breeze It's like shelling peas It's a walk in the park It's child's play And I could do it in my sleep It's a piece of cake It's chicken soup It's as simple as jam It's a flower in your ear...

In English you might say something is as likely as pigs flying or hell freezing over. In other languages there various other ways to express the same ideas. I incorporated some of these idioms into this song, which I wrote in August 2022. Here are the words: When pigs fly through the sky When the crows fly upside down When snow falls down in hell That's when we'll do that thing When hens grow teet...

This is a song I wrote in April 2022 about how much I like reading. Dyma cân mi wnes i sgwennu ym mis Ebrill 2022 am faint dw i'n hoffi darllen. Here are the lyrics: Lost in a good book That's where I like to be Sitting in a comfy chair That's the place for me Whatever the weather Wherever I roam If I have a good book I feel right at home Reading or listening Romance or fantasy Fact or fiction The...

This is a little song I wrote during a heatwave in July 2022. Here are the words: It's hot in here It's hotter out there It’s hot in the shade And everywhere It's too hot to stand It's too hot to sit It's too hot to think or even blink One day soon This heat will go It will be all over before we know Or maybe it won't and we'll have to adapt and find clever ways to keep cool and sane It's hot in h...

When a Dutch friend sent me some silly phrases in Welsh about Owen and his parsnips from the Duolingo Welsh course, I was inspired to write this song. I wrote it in July 2021, and made this recording in July 2022. Pan mi anfonodd ffrind o'r Iseldiroedd rhyw ymadroddion gwirion yn y Gymraeg am Owen a'i banas o gwrs Cymraeg ar Duolingo, mi ges i fy ysbridoli i sgwennu'r gân ma. Mi wnes i sgwennu hi...

This is a little song in Welsh and English that I wrote in June 2022. It plays with some of the ways the Welsh word canu can be used. The ffal di ral parts don't mean anything, by the way, but the word falderal (also written falderol or folderol) does exist in English and means a nonsensical refrain in old songs, foolish nonsense or a showy but worthless trifle. Dyma gân fach mi wnes i sgwennu yn...

This is a little song I wrote in May 2022 about how difficult it can be to find some peace and quite in our noisy world. Here are the words: The world can be a noisy place with peace and quiet hard to trace with clamour and clatter and clanging so near and hubbub often in your ears. Be quiet, be quiet, please keep it down Such bustle and fuss can make your frown Be cool, be calm and chill a while...

I wrote this song in January 2022 inspired by all the dust from the building work that was going on in my garden. Here are the words: There's dust in the air There's dust everywhere Over here and over there And even in your hair You can vacuum it up You can wipe it away And keep it at bay At least for a day You can earn a crust Wiping up the dust And never go bust Cause in dust you can trust So du...

I wrote this lullaby in February 2022 after learning that a Scots word for lullaby is lillilu. This is also written lilly-loo or lilli-lu, and an extended version is lillila-baloo. Here are the words: Just lie down and rest your head Lillila-baloo Warm and cozy in your bed Lillila-baloo Chorus Lillila-baloo Lillila-baloo Lillila-baloo Lillila-baloo Close your eyes and rest a while Lillila-baloo An...

In this episode I talk a bit about midwinter traditions and words related to the solstice, Christmas and December.

In this episode I talk about linguistic correctness. That is, the idea that there are correct ways to speak and write languages that conform to grammatical standards and conventions ('rules'), and that anything else is wrong. See also: https://www.omniglot.com/radio/?p=1605

In this episode I talk about the gamification of language learning, and specifically how gamification is used in language learning apps like Duolingo. See also: https://www.omniglot.com/radio/?p=1509

This is a song that came to me on a Wednesday morning in September 2021 when I was lying in bed thinking about getting up. The tune came to me the following day. Here are the words: Music in the Air There's music in the air There's music everywhere Over here and over there You can find it if you dare It's there from the start In the beating of your heart In your hands and in your feet Oh can you f...

Today we are looking at the origins and use of emoji, those little symbols that appear in text messages, emails and other electronic communications. An emoji is a pictogram, logogram, ideogram or smiley used in electronic messages and web pages. Emoji are used to fill in emotional cues otherwise missing from typed conversations. They include facial expressions, common objects, places and types of...

This episode looks at the origins of the most common surnames in England, Wales and other countries. See also: https://www.omniglot.com/radio/?p=1377

In this episode I talk about Japanese, giving an overview of the history of the language, its vocabulary and grammar, and how and why I learnt it. See also: https://www.omniglot.com/radio/?p=1303

In this episode I talk about emoticons or “pictorial representation of a facial expression using punctuation or other keyboard characters”. I look at the history of these symbols, which goes back a lot further than 1994, when the word emoticon was first used in writing.

This is a song I came up with in May 2021 inspired by wierd and wonderful phrases that come up on Duolingo. A little green owl, known as Duo, is the logo of Duolingo. The day I wrote it (23/05/21) also happened to be the day my Duolingo streak reached 1,400 days. Here are the words: The little green owl once said to me Why don't you sit down under my tree I can teach you things that'll make you sm...

In this episode I talk about punctuation, focusing particularly on the history and development of punctuation, and some of the people involved. You can find notes on this episode and links to further information at: https://www.omniglot.com/radio/?p=1170

Today I have some exciting news from the world of language learning for you. Technology that will amaze and astound you. What is it? You'll have to listen to this episode to find out.

In this episode I talk about words - what they are and where they come from. This is losely based on a talk I gave at the Polyglot Gathering in Bratislava in 2018 entitled 'Deconstructing Language'. You can also find this podcast at: https://www.omniglot.com/radio/?p=1078

In this episode I talk about the Spanish language, looking at its history, grammar, current status, and how I learnt it.

This is a song I wrote in October and November of 2020. It features words for hello, how are you and good morning in 33 languages - all of which I've studied or dabbled with, and one I invented (Laala), plus some English dialects. I can have at least basic conversations in half of them. The only language I've studided that isn't featured here is BSL (British Sign Language) - if I make a video for...

This is a song I wrote in November of 2020. It concerns the eternal search for thingamigs, whatsits, gizmos and other assorted whatchamacallits. This recording features me singing all the parts and playing the piano, cavaquinho and guitar. While writing it I put together a page of words like thingamajig in many different languages at: https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/thingamajig.htm Here...