Author Archives: languageandgrammar

Mac Versus PC, Weather

Posted on July 20, 2009 by languageandgrammar

Everyone loves arguing about which type of computer is better, Mac or PC, but now that Bill Gates has patents on a weather modification system (Hurricane-calming technology? Bill Gates has a plan), which computer giant would produce the best weather … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, weather | Tagged bill gates, humor, mac versus pc, off topic, paul yeager, weather, weather modification | Comments Off

Tsunami is a Thrilling Prospect?

Posted on July 15, 2009 by languageandgrammar

Anytime I hear Quicksilver President and CEO Bob McNight say “A tsunami in surfing is a thrilling prospect, but the tsunami in business is terrifying” in an advertisement, I am shocked that something so stupid and insensitive is used as … Continue reading →

Posted in language, writing | Tagged Bob McKnight, language, outrageous commercials, Quicksilver, tsunami, writing | Comments Off

Comfort-Coated Goodness

Posted on July 9, 2009 by languageandgrammar

I doubt that many people who started on the career path of marketing ever dreamed of the day when they would need to promote a laxative, and it’s not exactly the type of product that’s easy to market. We know … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, language, off topic | Tagged dulcolax comfort coated, humor, language, laxative | Comments Off

Rarely Is Hardly Ever

Posted on July 6, 2009 by languageandgrammar

The rarely ever grammar goof is really just a hybrid of rarely and hardly ever, which both mean the same thing; thus, together, they create a type of redundancy. Use either rarely OR hardly ever, not rarely ever. I rarely … Continue reading →

Posted in language | Tagged English, grammar errors, hardly ever, rarely, rarely ever, writing | Comments Off

More Language Pet Peeves

Posted on July 5, 2009 by languageandgrammar

I always like to say that everyone has at least one pet peeve, and based on the number of comments that we’ve received on the Your Pet Peeves page, I’m obviously right! We’ve decided to occasionally highlight some of your … Continue reading →

Posted in grammar, language, writing | Tagged grammar, grammar errors, language, pet peeves, writing | 2 Comments

Hot as a Firecracker for the Fourth of July

Posted on July 3, 2009 by languageandgrammar

Language and meteorology are intertwined, of course, since communicating the forecast accurately is just about as important as getting the forecast accurate in the first place, and cliches in meteorology are as ineffective (and annoying) as they are in any … Continue reading →

Posted in language, weather | Tagged cliches, cloudyandcool.com, hot as a firecracker, meteorology, weather | Comments Off

Is it Disorganized or Unorganized? What a Mess!

Posted on July 1, 2009 by languageandgrammar

A reader wrote to us to say that she’s heard, on several occasions, people in the media use the word unorganized when they should have used disorganized. If something (or someONE) is a mess, thus creating a difficult situation, then … Continue reading →

Posted in language | Tagged disorganized, English, grammar errors, language, unorganized, writing | Comments Off

Yellowbook It

Posted on June 25, 2009 by languageandgrammar

I recently wrote a post about the expanding usage of google it (Googled It on Youtube), but now Yellowbook is actively trying to turn the name of its company into a verb by suggesting that people should yellowbook it when … Continue reading →

Posted in grammar, language, writing | Tagged Google, google it, grammar, language, writing, Yellowbook, yellowbook it | Comments Off

Googled It on Youtube

Posted on June 22, 2009 by languageandgrammar

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen. I actually heard someone say “I googled it on Youtube.” Google, of course, is a search engine, not a verb. If it were a verb, it would most likely mean to search for something on … Continue reading →

Posted in grammar, language, writing | Tagged Google, google it, grammar, language, nouns being used as verbs, writing, youtube, youtube it | 4 Comments

Tornadoes Versus Reports of Tornadoes

Posted on June 20, 2009 by languageandgrammar

While you’ll most likely hear both the number of tornadoes and the number of reports of tornadoes in the media this weekend, these terms are not synonymous. Rather than go into that explanation here, I’ll refer you to the literally, … Continue reading →

Posted in language, weather, writing | Tagged language, reports of tornadoes, severe weather, tornadoes, weather, writing | 1 Comment