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Can You Catch 40 Winks? May. 15, 2019
Can you find and replace each of the 40 usage errors in this account of my spring-cleaning? (The num... Read More
'Predominately' Makes Purists 'Ant'sy Mar. 20, 2019
Q: Why do some people use the adverb "predominately" instead of "predominantly"? Is this an accepted... Read More
Origin of 'Gory' Misses Bull's-Eye Mar. 13, 2019
"The running of the bulls got off to a gory start." That was the first sentence in a CBS News report... Read More
Those Roman Plurals Are Roamin' Mar. 06, 2019
Q. I've noticed that some publications are using "millenniums" in place of "millennia," e.g., "The m... Read More
I Only Have Calves for You Feb. 27, 2019
A Liberty Mutual commercial depicting a bicyclist with grossly overdeveloped "custom" calves feature... Read More
This Quiz Leaves No Room for Error Feb. 13, 2019
"Roominate" on the choices posed by this usage quiz as it races from the classroom to the emergency ... Read More
Classic Ann Landers Feb. 10, 2019
Editor's Note: Hundreds of Ann Landers' loyal readers have requested that newspapers continue to pub... Read More
A Fortuitous Encounter With Al Michaels Feb. 06, 2019
During a recent NFL playoff game, veteran NBC sportscaster Al Michaels reported that an official's p... Read More
The Revel Is in the Details Jan. 30, 2019
A vivid passage from Michelle Obama's memoir, "Becoming," refreshed my appreciation for the intense ... Read More
Don't Be Judgy about 'Backflash' Jan. 23, 2019
Some random dispatches from the Word Front, including one from the War Front: Flashback to "Backflas... Read More
What 'Caws'es Us To Say 'Crowbar'? Jan. 16, 2019
Q. What's the origin of "crowbar"? — Al Cohen, Newington, Connecticut A. A crow, a robin and a... Read More
This 'Calling Card' Hasn't Expired Jan. 09, 2019
When a TV weather forecaster described a November blast of cold air as "winter's calling card," I wo... Read More
Words That Go Bump in the Night Dec. 26, 2018
As a young graduate student, I once took a flight to Minneapolis that left LaGuardia Airport in New ... Read More
What Are the Rules for 'Fewer' and 'Less'? Dec. 19, 2018
My seventh-grade English teacher, Mrs. Morris, was a formidable and forthright woman. And when it ca... Read More
Political Potshots Have Always Packed Punch Dec. 05, 2018
If you think today's political insults are nasty, consider these mud bombs hurled at Presidents Ulys... Read More
Good Folks Peppered With Salty Language Nov. 28, 2018
Q. Why do we call virtuous people "the salt of the earth?" — John S., West Hartford, Connectic... Read More
New Books on Language Bring Holiday Cheer Nov. 21, 2018
There's no place like tome for the holidays. These new books will delight the word-lovers on your sh... Read More
Linguistic Disputes Can Pack a Punch Nov. 14, 2018
Heated controversies over proper usage can lead to food fights at faculty clubs and fisticuffs on co... Read More
Subject and Verb Beg to Disagree Oct. 31, 2018
Q: The lead sentence in a newspaper story stated, "A string of recent announcements promising jobs a... Read More
Language Pitches Some Learning Curves Oct. 24, 2018
Some random dispatches from the Word Front: — Listen and Learn. The recent confirmation hearin... Read More
