Apostrophes have always been confusing. 'First' or 'firstly'? Trudy!

Apostrophes have always been confusing. 'First' or 'firstly'? Trudy!

1009. If you think apostrophes are confusing today, wait until you hear how people used them 100s of years ago! Ammon Shea has some wild stories. Plus, should you use "first," "second," and "third" or "firstly," "secondly," and "thirdly"?

Ammon Shea is the author of "Bad English," "Reading the OED."

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Episoder(1014)

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1071. Is it "Taylor and I" or "Taylor and me"? We explain why photo captions follow their own grammar rules. Then, we explore the subtle difference between "immigrate" and "emigrate," how the terms ar...

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3 Apr 202525min

Why don't we say the L in 'walk'? Never use 'always.' PABST

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1069. Have you ever wondered why we have silent L's in words like "walk" and "half"? Those questions lead us to L-vocalization, spelling pronunciation, and why American and British speakers differ. Pl...

1 Apr 202515min

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27 Mar 202531min

What’s wrong with "'til"? Why tiny words control conversations. How many cookies?

What’s wrong with "'til"? Why tiny words control conversations. How many cookies?

1067. Think "'til" is a valid alternative to "until"? Think again! We learn about the difference between "till" and "until" and why many style guides frown on "'til." Then, we uncover the hidden power...

25 Mar 202517min

The best punctuation book, period, with June Casagrande

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1066. Do you really need that comma? Should your dashes have spaces? Is there ever just one "right" way to punctuate? June Casagrande, author of "The Best Punctuation Book, Period," busts punctuation ...

20 Mar 202525min

Why we say ‘OK.’ How tea shaped English slang. Poetry winner

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1065. Is it "OK" or "okay"? We look at the surprising history of one of the world’s most recognized English words and how a 19th-century election campaign helped it stick. Then, we have some fun with ...

18 Mar 202517min

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