I’m a copyeditor, meaning I read and edit others’ words to help them look and sound as smart as they are. Over the last 25 years, I have seen many ways of succeeding and, sadly, a few things that almost…
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…
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 .…
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.”…
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…
Spell Check: Devil or Angle?
Sharp-eyed readers are already wondering – what the heck? Doesn’t she know she goofed RIGHT IN THE HEADLINE? Yes. I do know that. I did write “angle,” and spell check accepted it. Why not? It’s a perfectly good word, and…
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…
Can You Imagine This?
Do you remember a news story a few years ago about two 28-year-old young men who drove around the country correcting grammatical errors on public and private signs? They were called “Typo Vigilantes.” Unfortunately, they were not well received in…