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Where Never Is 'Herd' a Discouraging Word Apr. 13, 2022
We all know that a gathering of geese is a "gaggle," a passel of fish is a "school," and a herd of s... Read More
Origin of 'Burner Phone' Is One Hot Topic Apr. 06, 2022
The Jan. 6 Congressional Committee is currently investigating a burning issue: Did former President ... Read More
Let's Sit Down for a Spell Mar. 30, 2022
"One false spelling may fix a stigma upon a man for life," wrote the Fourth Earl of Chesterfield in ... Read More
When Choosing Classical Plurals, Caveat Errata! Mar. 23, 2022
Howard Goldberg of West Hartford, Connecticut, poses this plural puzzler: What's the Latin singular ... Read More
'Take' This Rule to Heart Mar. 09, 2022
Q: Please explain the difference between "bring" and "take." — Paul Johnson, Minneapolis A: In... Read More
'Round-Robin' Is Based on Circular Reasoning Mar. 02, 2022
Why is a tournament in which every contestant plays every other in succession called a "round-robin"... Read More
Let's Jettison Excess 'Ton'nage Feb. 23, 2022
Today, some random dispatches from the Word Front... — 2,000 Pound Gorilla — A recent in... Read More
Is 'False Flag' a Linguistic 'Fabric'ation? Feb. 16, 2022
The term "false flag operation" has been flying frequently during the past few years, most recently ... Read More
Forget Writer's Block; Writer's Remorse Is the Real Pain Feb. 12, 2022
My husband once asked me if I ever got writer's block. "No," I answered, with the boundless confiden... Read More
Two-Faced Words Prompt Double Takes Feb. 09, 2022
"Flores Drops Bombshell Lawsuit" "Gov. Newsom Pitches Plan To Reopen Public Schools" "Red Tape Holds... Read More
Midnight Cowboy Shows Up at High Noon Feb. 02, 2022
Q: What's the proper use of "a.m." or "p.m." for 12 noon and 12 midnight? — Bertha Williams, S... Read More
Have Tour Guides 'Taut' Us a Big Lie? Jan. 26, 2022
Insidious invaders have infested the homestead museums and historic houses across our great land. No... Read More
Origin of 'Dumbbell' Rings True Jan. 19, 2022
Q: Why are hand weights called "dumbbells"? — J. H., West Hartford, Connecticut A: It's hard t... Read More
'Historic' or Jan. 12, 2022
Q: We have seen signs that read "Historical Site" as well as "Historic Site." Which is correct? R... Read More
Looking Further Into 'Farther' Jan. 05, 2022
Q: When is it correct to use the word "farther" as opposed to "further"? Both words seem to fit gram... Read More
Words to Avoid When Consoling a Friend Jan. 03, 2022
Dear Annie: My husband and I enjoy your column and often read it out loud to each other and discuss ... Read More
'Gazebo Effect' Is Bitter Pill To Swallow Dec. 22, 2021
The ever-vigilant members of the Word Guy Blooper Patrol have sent me these errors from newspapers a... Read More
Prep Perps, Potboilers Make Me Want To 'Flea' Dec. 15, 2021
Today, some random dispatches from the Word Front ... — Prep School — A while back, I sc... Read More
Salty Language That's Nautical, Not Naughty Oct. 27, 2021
"Sailing, sailing, over the bounding main ... " We're all familiar with this exhilarating maritime s... Read More
Patient Survey Summons 'Room'inations Oct. 20, 2021
After a recent visit to the doctor's office, I was asked to fill out a survey on my "patient experie... Read More
