Monthly Archives: February 2008

Is it Literally or Figuratively?

Posted on February 14, 2008 by languageandgrammar

A news anchor after the congressional hearing on Roger Clemens’ alleged use of steroids, February 13, 2008: You‘ve been watching Roger Clemens, the rocket of baseball, literally in the hot seat. I don’t think so. Literally means that something occurred … Continue reading →

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More on Impact

Posted on February 13, 2008 by languageandgrammar

I’ve noticed that many people are as interested in the misuse of the word impact as a verb as am I. In my IMPACT DOES NOT MEAN TO AFFECT post, I explained that impact isn’t a verb unless it’s used … Continue reading →

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You Think You Have Issues?

Posted on February 12, 2008 by languageandgrammar

The use of the word issues to mean problems has become so pervasive that many of us no longer know that there is a difference between the two words–but have no fear: we here at languageandgrammar.com are always here to … Continue reading →

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And Etc.

Posted on February 11, 2008 by languageandgrammar

I do quite a bit of academic editing of journal articles, proposals, and dissertations, and I find that students and professors of all ages and levels like to use the redundant and etc. Et cetera (etc.) is an abbreviation that … Continue reading →

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Everything Half Off *

Posted on February 10, 2008 by languageandgrammar

During the last holiday season–meaning December, not the extended holiday season of December, November, October, September, and late August–my wife and I wandered into a well-known woman’s clothing store, attracted by the sign Everything Half Off . Prices reduced by … Continue reading →

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Time to Run Down Run Up

Posted on February 7, 2008 by languageandgrammar

There are myriad reasons for objecting to the war in Iraq, and I will focus on the least important of all–the now-obsessive use of the term run up. Ever since that war was merely in the planning stage, the phrases run … Continue reading →

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Languageandgrammar.com Endorses…

Posted on February 5, 2008 by languageandgrammar

Endorsements are now more popular than fruit flies at a blackened banana convention, and now that the DailyKos.com has officially endorsed Barack Obama, supporters of languageandgrammar.com have been clamoring for our endorsement. With that in mind, languageandgrammar.com officially endorses SpongeBob … Continue reading →

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Hope Against Hopefully

Posted on February 2, 2008 by languageandgrammar

The word hopefully is an adverb; notice the -ly, which to an adverb is analogous to the stripes on a zebra–most adverbs have them. An adverb is a word that describes a verb, so hopefully is a word that describes how something is done. Charlie … Continue reading →

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