The Intrusive "Of." What Makes English Weird.
We talk about the difference between "a prince of a fellow" and "not too good of a time," and then we look at two things that make English especially weird.Subscribe to the newsletter for regular upda...
22 Apr 202114min
How to Write Faster. The Origin of the Odd Letter W
12 practical tips and tools that will help you write faster in the time you already have. Also, we explore why we call a letter that looks like two V's a "double U."Subscribe to the newsletter for reg...
15 Apr 202114min
'Borrow' and 'Lend.' When to Use 'Nor.' Boncho.
We use a children's book and a Shakespeare play to talk about "borrow" and "lend," and then we help with the complexities of using "neither" and "nor."Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. ...
8 Apr 202111min
Squirrelly Animal Verbs. 'People,' 'Peoples,' and 'Persons': Why It Matters.
8.17 To hog, to ram, to bird dog. We run through a fun list of animal-inspired verbs. Plus, amazingly, it wasn't that long ago that usage experts recommended "persons" instead of "people." And what's ...
1 Apr 202110min
A vast number of words have surprising origins. We talked about some today, including "scientist," "impressionist," "beatnik," and "paradigm."
A vast number of words have surprising origins. We talked about some today with author Ralph Keyes, including "scientist," "impressionist," "beatnik," and "paradigm."Subscribe to the newsletter for re...
25 Mar 202118min
'Normalcy' or 'Normality'? A Punctuation Question from a Famous Movie Line. Taco Cats.
Did you know that in the book "Gone with the Wind," Rhett Butler said "My dear..." instead of "Frankly, my dear..."? Also, are we getting back to normalcy or normality? One of these words came from a ...
18 Mar 202110min
It's Not Just March. Other Months Have 'Ides' Too! Are You on the Pig's Back Today?
Instead of bewaring the ides of March, I'm going to beware engaging with the Roman calendar. What a fascinating mess! In honor of St. Patrick's Day, we also look at some fun Irish phrases. On the pig'...
11 Mar 202111min
813 - The History of National Grammar Day. My Favorite Resources. Anniversity
Have you ever wondered WHY we celebrate National Grammar Day? Who started this thing anyway? And if you want to do your own grammar research, I'll help you get started.Subscribe to the newsletter for ...
4 Mar 202114min
