The other British invasion: how UK lingo...

We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: the closure of John Lewis’s store in Sheffield after almost 60 years was a bitter blow. As debate rages over what to do ... Show More

In my 40s, I found myself with a life that didn’t look like it was ‘supposed’ to. What was I doing? On trips to South Korea with my mother, an answer began to emerge By E Tammy Kim. Read by Jennifer J Kim. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod 

We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: new technology was supposed to make umpiring easy. It hasn’t worked out that way By William Ralston. Read by Simon Vance ... Show More

Journalist and author Danny Lavelle has long been fascinated by class, but how much can the concept help us understand life in 21st-century Britain?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus 

Why do Brits celebrate November 5th? What time should you arrive to a party? Should you go to the pub with your boss? All these questions... and more, will be answered in this episode's British culture quiz. Interactive Transcript Support Easy English and get interactive transcri ... Show More

I hear a lot of people referring to BBC English, RP (received pronunciation), or the Queen's English as "standard English" or "standard pronunciation" but in this episode I explain why I don't think this isn't quite right. 

What does the British Steel crisis reveal about the UK’s critical infrastructure? Jasper Jolly reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus 

The prologue of The Canterbury Tales used to be part of a standard-issue training set in English courses. Today I'm RETVRNing to tradition and rebooting the old practice of memorizing--or at least reciting--the first few lines of this defining English poem in Middle English. Plus ... Show More

Who is Alaa Abd el-Fattah and why are British diplomats trying to obtain his release? Patrick Wintour reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus 

Irish journalist and author, Fintan O'Toole on how the Victorians changed the meaning of Shakespeare's plays, and how we can bring them back to life.Fintan O'Toole is an Irish journalist and author who writes on politics and history for the New York Review of Books and the Irish ... Show More

It’s a decade since the first same-sex marriages were performed in England and Wales. What have they meant for LGBTQ+ people?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus 

The award-winning writer Ta-Nehisi Coates on why US liberals have misunderstood the role culture plays in shaping politics. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus 

The former governor of the Bank of England has a new role – saving his country from becoming America’s 51st state. Leyland Cecco reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus