Tag Archives: New English usage

Medalling with the English language?

English is a very versatile language which offers great scope for creativity. One example of this is making new verbs out of nouns.

We heard two examples of this from the sporting world recently involving the nouns medal and podium. Several athletes at the Commonwealth Games were heard to make comments like this:

I’m really hoping to medal today.

She’s got a good chance to podium in this event.

New usages but both immediately comprehensible.