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How did English get to England? (2) Teutonic (Germanic)

Last week we talked about Celtic or Gaelic, which is probably the oldest surviving language in Britain. It was eventually largely displaced by Teutonic, or Germanic. This was the predominant language of Shakespeare’s time, with Gaelic surviving in Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Southwest England. Here’s a simplified indication of how…

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The thermometer and the barometer

The simple thermometer – for measuring temperature. As liquids heat up, they expand. This property is used in simple thermometers. The bulb contains most of the mercury (or alcohol) and the tube heading north is actually very thin and holds only a little of the liquid. As the temperature…

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