Today's column is a grab bag of linguistic tidbits.

— When I write college recommendations for my students, I'm always careful to avoid some of the two-faced phrasing that can sneak into such testimonials. Here are some examples from David Sanderson's delightful "Lexicon of Intentionally Ambiguous Recommendations": "I simply can't say enough good things about this person." "You will be very fortunate to get this person to work for you." "I most enthusiastically recommend this candidate with no qualifications whatsoever." "I am pleased to say that this candidate is a former colleague of mine." "I can assure you that no person would be better for this job." "I cannot recommend him too highly."

— You'd probably guess that the trendy words "snarky" and "indie" were coined within the last couple of decades. In fact, both words appeared early in the last century. "Snarky," meaning "crotchety, snappish," first appeared in 1906, while "indie," a shortening of "independent," was first used to describe unaffiliated film companies and recording studios during the 1920s.

— OK, now for some serious geeking. Do you know how to determine your "Star Wars" name? Your first name combines the first three letters of your first name (Rob(ert), in my case) and the first two letters of your last name (Ky(ff)). Your last name combines the first two letters of your mom's maiden name (Ly(on)) and the first three letters of your birthplace (Bro(nxville)). So, I'm Robky Lybro. Very cool!

— Did you know that the syllables, such as "da" and "de" that often appear in European names (da Vinci, de Gaulle), are called "nobiliary articles"? Well, lah-de-dah!

— Ed Swain, a doctor from Hartford, Connecticut, collects "redundant adjectival phrases," such as "noteworthy composer," "starry-eyed astronomer," "visionary prophet" and "leading conductor." Because it takes a long time to collect such phrases, he must be a "patient doctor" — which, come to think of it, would actually be the OPPOSITE of a redundant adjectival phrase — an oxymoronic adjectival phrase.

— If you're reading this column in a newspaper, I guarantee you that your hands will not be coated with newsprint. That's because "newsprint" refers, not to ink, but to the paper on which newspapers are printed.

— During your swims this summer, will you float on your back or on your front? Either position is fine because the capitalized version of the word "SWIMS" reads exactly the same when it's turned upside down. An inverted palindrome?

Rob Kyff, a teacher and writer in West Hartford, Connecticut, invites your language sightings. His book, "Mark My Words," is available for $9.99 on Amazon.com. Send your reports of misuse and abuse, as well as examples of good writing, via email to WordGuy@aol.com or by regular mail to Rob Kyff, Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.

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