What the Two Spellings of Stationary/ery Have to Do with Booksellers. Why Pronunciations Change.
"Stationary" and "stationery" have the same ultimate origin, but they evolved to have different meanings and one became tied to paper goods. Also, a recent survey in the UK highlighted pronunciations ...
22 Juli 202115min
'Fish' or 'Fishes'? Why Do We Call Out 'Nothing' as 'Bupkis'?
"Fish" really does have two plurals. Usually you want "fish," but we talk about the odd examples when "fishes" is the right choice. Plus, "bupkis" can mean "nothing" or "something worthless," but it h...
15 Juli 202110min
'If' Versus 'Whether.' Why We Say 'The Exception That Proves the Rule.'
"If" and "whether" are often interchangeable, but sometimes using one or the other will change the meaning of your sentence. And if you've ever wondered why we say, "the exception that proves the rule...
8 Juli 202112min
Trundle, Amble, Roam, and Shamble. How Some Preposition Use Has Changed Over Time.
We look at the surprising origins of some of our favorite words for walking. Plus, how do you know when to write "The car almost ran me over" versus "The car almost ran over me"?Subscribe to the newsl...
1 Juli 202117min
Pedantic Nonsense Up with Which I Will Not Put! 'Discreet' or 'Discrete'?
Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course.Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Grammar Pop iOS game.Peeve Wars card game.Grammar Girl books.HO...
24 Juni 202114min
Starting a Sentence with a Conjunction: Right or Wrong? Good 'Subpar' and Bad 'Subpar.'
Many people have been taught that it's wrong to start a sentence with a conjunction, but nearly all major style guides say doing so is fine. Neal Whitman investigates why there seems to be such a diff...
17 Juni 202115min
How Long Is a Good Sentence? 'Cord' or 'Chord'? Grumple.
How Long Is a Good Sentence? 'Cord' or 'Chord'?Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course.Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Grammar Pop iOS ...
10 Juni 202111min
What Made 'Friends' Funny. How Cicadas Got Their Name. Dog Replacer.
You laughed and laughed while watching "Friends." One reason it was funny is that the writers took what you expect from a conversation and flipped it on its head. Plus, how cicadas got their name, and...
3 Juni 202113min
