Even for those using their native language, there can be confusion and amusement over idioms — funny ways of saying one thing but meaning another. Small areas in a country can have their own way of saying something that another…
Unnecessary Redundancies
As a corporate trainer who teaches communication skills including American grammar and business writing, I am always encouraging my students to cut words from their writing. I use my KISS Principle in many different ways, always striving for conciseness, which…
More Crossword Puzzle Words
As many of you know, I enjoy crossword puzzles; they keep my vocabulary sharp and up to date. But sometimes, even after I’ve filled in all the letters, I don’t recognize the word! I’ve been reading since I was about…
The Impotence of Proofreading
Are you aware of the impotence of proofreading? Don’t faint at the title; it was written that way deliberately. Before we get to today’s newspaper goofs, it’s “fess up” time. In the last few days, two very alert readers found…
How Badly Can Someone Write?
Friends all over the world send me great examples of poor writing, whether it’s using the wrong word altogether, using a homophone because it sounds like the word the writer meant, or just plain writing badly. You saw this one…
Some Crosswords Words Make Me Cross!
I thoroughly enjoy the Sunday Boston Globe magazine section, and especially the crossword puzzles. I keep them handy for something fun to do when I need a break. Sometimes, however, they’re not fun. I am amazed at some of the…
Errors You Didn’t Make!
Here’s a small collection of errors that anyone can make, which are funny when they’re not ours. Proofreading is an essential skill; without it, we cause our readers to wonder what’s wrong with us! It’s our reputation on the line,…
Kick This Phrase to the Curb!
I know I’m a crank, but some words and phrases just rub me the wrong way. I also realize most people do not intend to sound as negative as I hear them sounding; they’re using phrases that are all around…
Wednesday’s Words & Woes
There are enough weird things going on the world that no one needs to make anything up. All we need to do is snap a picture of what we see. For instance . . . And then there’s this .…
Moribund Metaphors & Wretched Redundancies
The words and phrases below are all courtesy of The Dimwit’s Dictionary (free download), which I’ve had in the paperback edition since 1994, the year it was written. There have been a couple of updates, but you know what? This…
April Fool!
Blog Bloopers: Headline Horrors
Every time I read a blog, I learn something. Most of the time, I’m knocked sideways by how smart the blogger is! I often ask myself, “How does he or she KNOW that? I don’t understand that topic at all.”…
Swear Words. Nasty Words. Hurtful Words. Labels.
Funny (?) how we so often don’t actually say a “bad” word, but we say or write something like “that ‘b’ word” or even worse. Do we all know which word is not being said? Of course we do. But…
Surprise! The English Language is Evolving!
A few days ago, I shared an article written by Oliver Kamm in The Wall Street Journal on “Proper English.” I had hoped it would spark a few comments, and boy, has it ever done that! Who knew so many…
Are you a Critic . . . or a Coach?
Did you see Bernard Marr’s latest blog on words we shouldn’t use in e-mail? Here’s the link. Awesome piece, by the way. I agree completely with his point of reframing even negative information and using positive words. I just want to…
What’s Your Choice?
Ever since I went to work as a professional speaker / seminar leader with Fred Pryor Seminars in 1995, I have been delighted by the ability of each of us to forge our own path, to reshape our own life.…
When is it “Then”?
Surprisingly, I am not the only one on the Internet trying to set things straight in terms of American grammar and usage. And as I have written before, it’s terribly easy to mistake one word for another in English!. In…
English is a “Confuzzling” Language!
I am always amazed that anyone can learn English — with all its nuances, regionalisms, and jargon — especially considering how many words have multiple meanings. In this wonderfully silly cartoon, the focus is on “make” and “go,” each of…
The “Meaning” of Words
Have you ever noticed how much humor is rooted in culture and understanding of the local language? A word that means one thing to person A might mean something completely different to person B. An expression that might horrify one…
Dr. Seuss Did What?
NERD (n. Slang) 1. A foolish, inept, or unattractive person. 2. A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but is felt to be socially inept. I stumbled across a posting on Twitter from the Dictionary.com…
Money Down the Drain
OK, I know I’m a crank, but my crankiness has a purpose. Right now I’m banging my head against a wall — figuratively, although it may get literal — because I just read the first three paragraphs of a post…
Irregardless of What You May Think . . .
Well, this headline caught my eye, and I hope it catches yours, too! It’s the headline of a short article in The Atlantic concerning word usage. You might be surprised at the conversation the author had with the Editor at…
Lie, Lay, Lain — These Words Are Such a Pain!
These verbs are the toughest words in the English language to master, probably because they are so much alike. And the forms sometimes show up in one of the other verbs . . . so how are we to know?…
One Word That Can Kill Your Productivity
Funny. When we were kids, most of us heard and maybe said, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” You remember that, right? Then we grew up, and most of us learned that words…