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Giving a Voice to the Mentally Ill Mar. 21, 2020
Dear Annie: I am new to your column, so I'm not sure what all you've shared with the public about me... Read More
How a Virus Got Its Name Mar. 18, 2020
As the current coronavirus disease spreads, several readers have asked me about the origin of its na... Read More
When Your Name Is Your Game Mar. 11, 2020
I recently heard a radio interview with a spokesman for Venture Data, a company that conducts teleph... Read More
Planetary Individualism Feb. 28, 2020
The life coach said that resentment is caused by agreeing to do the things that are not "authentical... Read More
Taking the Terror out of 'Terrific' Feb. 26, 2020
Q: Could you explain why "terrible" and "horrible" are synonyms but "terrific" and "horrific" are an... Read More
New Moon Musings Feb. 23, 2020
The Pisces new moon has insights about decision-making. Often, the biggest difference between two op... Read More
Some Metaphors Are Beyond Comparison Feb. 05, 2020
We swim in a sea of metaphors. Our everyday conversations teem with the minnows of comparison: We bi... Read More
Sitting in the Cat Word Seat Jan. 29, 2020
On an evening dark and dreary, I was pondering possible topics for my next column when my gray tabby... Read More
Dad Fires Up His 'Range' Rover Jan. 22, 2020
My 23-year-old daughter called me the other day to tell me that her landlord had provided a "new ove... Read More
Diversity and Inclusion Insanity Jan. 21, 2020
It's nearly impossible to have even a short conversation with a college administrator, politician or... Read More
Bristle While You Work Jan. 15, 2020
One of the occupational hazards of writing a language column (other than introducing myself and havi... Read More
Blooper Patrol Finds Cash in the Cellar Jan. 08, 2020
Members of the ever-vigilant Word Guy Blooper Patrol have sent me this latest collection of gaffes, ... Read More
Who Decides Who Gets In? Jan. 08, 2020
My plan to "Keep America Great" is very simple: 1) Stop exporting American soldiers to countries tha... Read More
Language of the 2010s: It Was What It Was Jan. 01, 2020
Well, that was fun. Whatever you call the past decade — "the Teens," "the Twenty Tens," "the T... Read More
Repartee in the Rathskeller? You Don't Say! Dec. 25, 2019
Here's your chance to test your mastery of frequently mispronounced words. I'll even throw in some l... Read More
Experts Have Pronounced Differences Over 'Ukraine' Dec. 04, 2019
Today, some random dispatches from the Word Front ... — Scratching Our U-craniums Recent test... Read More
Jupiter Dawns in Capricorn Dec. 01, 2019
No one is born knowing a language, except maybe the one inherent to whichever sort of animal they ar... Read More
Unleashing the Primal Word Guy Nov. 27, 2019
Anyone who regularly reads this column knows that I'm an easygoing guy who customarily accepts and e... Read More
Walking in a Winter 'Worder'-land Nov. 20, 2019
Put some words in your wassail and some punctuation in your punch this holiday season with one of th... Read More
November 14, 2019 Nov. 14, 2019
Dear Annie: Our neighbor "Ellen" is having an 80th birthday party for her husband. She has invited a... Read More
