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Sometimes You Need to Be a 'Passivist' Nov. 30, 2022
The passive voice has been getting a bum rap lately. Writing teachers tell would-be Hemingways to pu... Read More
These Names Are All Over the Place Nov. 23, 2022
During the early 1870s, the residents of a Tennessee hamlet sent a handwritten letter to the federal... Read More
Give the Gift of Gab This Year Nov. 16, 2022
Tickle the tinsel of your word-loving friends and relatives this holiday season by giving them one o... Read More
Over the River and Through the Words Nov. 09, 2022
As you prepare to stuff your Thanksgiving bird, see whether you can stuff the blanks in this well-kn... Read More
Some Pronunciations Are Rotten Tomatoes Nov. 02, 2022
You say, "tah-MAY-toe." I say, "tah-MAH-toe." That's what many debates over pronunciation boil down ... Read More
Phrase Origins? Let's Cut to the Chase! Oct. 26, 2022
Let's see how many readers' questions about word origins I can answer in 90 seconds! No. 1: "The who... Read More
Should 'Halloween' Be Penalized for Clipping? Oct. 19, 2022
I don't mean to sell "Halloween" short, but this word provides a good example of a linguistic proces... Read More
Abbreviations Play Trick or Treat Oct. 12, 2022
Acronyms and initialisms are like the trick or treaters who show up at our doors on Halloween. We TH... Read More
Let's Do Some 'Comparipun' Shopping! Oct. 05, 2022
Congress has passed more phony bills than a counterfeiter. An inhibited person has more hang-ups tha... Read More
Doing a Number on Numbers Sep. 28, 2022
A number of readers have raised a number of questions about numbers. Gregory Fischer of Allentown, N... Read More
Verbal Villains Vex Blooper Patrol Sep. 21, 2022
In these 12 sentences snared by the Word Guy Blooper Patrol, the word choice "dozen" make sense. Can... Read More
Misuse of 'As' Can Cause Fumbles Sep. 14, 2022
The tiny word "as," like a routine handoff in football, smoothly links one part of the action to ano... Read More
Handy Tips for Writing That Zips Sep. 07, 2022
Here are three easy ways to ameliorate your writing: No. 1: Avoid fancy words like "ameliorate." (In... Read More
Let's Take a Timeout on 'Times Less' Aug. 31, 2022
I owe the IRS four times less money than I did last year. Brand X is three times less powerful than ... Read More
Word Court Renders Split Decisions Aug. 24, 2022
Larry Brautigam of Berlin, Connecticut, was watching the banter of some TV pundits when he suddenly ... Read More
There's No Beast in These Beauties Aug. 17, 2022
The "fish" in "crayfish" has nothing to do with fish. There's no pig in "piggyback," and no cat snoo... Read More
Is There a Fossil on Your Tongue? Aug. 10, 2022
Have you ever wondered why "bravado" means a FALSE sense of courage? "Bravado" is a linguistic fossi... Read More
How Well Will You (Fair, Fare) on This Quiz? Aug. 03, 2022
Can you make the correct choice between these often-confused pairs of words? No. 1: When we're writi... Read More
'Primrose' Path Leads to 'Buttery' Slope Jul. 27, 2022
Did you know there's no "linger" in "malinger," no "butter" in "buttery" and no "rose" in "primrose"... Read More
Future of Dictionaries Is Looking Up Jul. 20, 2022
Dictionaries are facing what might be called a "defining moment." After all, of what use are these c... Read More
