Category Archives: language

Baseball’s What Not to Say

Posted on April 6, 2009 by languageandgrammar

I apologize to all of the people I know who will read this and think I’m singling them out because they will most likely make some version of the statement during the next 24 hours. I’m not, and that’s part … Continue reading →

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Cancel One L

Posted on April 6, 2009 by languageandgrammar

Remember that spelling rule you learned in elementary school about doubling the final consonant before adding -ed or -ing to a verb? Well, if you remember, then you know that there is a little more to the story. When making … Continue reading →

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The People Have Spoken

Posted on April 1, 2009 by languageandgrammar

Now that we’ve received over 100 comments in our Pet Peeves page, I thought that it might be a good time to highlight what annoys readers of the blog–about 20 per post. This will be the first installment. I’m doing … Continue reading →

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Telephonically? Can’t We Just Use the @!&* Telephone?

Posted on April 1, 2009 by languageandgrammar

After having heard this from a certain former Alaska governor, I looked it up and did find the adverb telephonically in the dictionary. I asked myself why in the world someone would use the ridiculous “word” telephonically when she could … Continue reading →

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Adopt a Word

Posted on March 30, 2009 by languageandgrammar

I’ve heard it said that if you’re not ready to have children that you might want to start with a pet. I’ll take that a step further, though. If you don’t think that you’re ready for a pet, then you … Continue reading →

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Orient or Orientate: Don’t Get Disorientated Over This One

Posted on March 22, 2009 by languageandgrammar

Last week, a reader asked that I talk about the words orient and orientate and their, ummmm, evolution, so here we go. According to Webster’s dictionary, orient first appeared in 1727 and meant to cause to face and turn to … Continue reading →

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The Least-Used Phrase in the English Language

Posted on March 17, 2009 by languageandgrammar

I’ve done extensive research and analysis, and I feel comfortable is proclaiming that the least-used phrase in the language is….wait for it (no, that’s not it; that’s one of the most overused)…I can’t believe it’s already Tuesday. That’s right, ladies … Continue reading →

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Meantime, the Controversy Rages

Posted on March 16, 2009 by languageandgrammar

Fine,  it’s not a major controversy, but I figured I would need a sensationalistic headline in order to get any but the most grammar- and language-obsessed among us to read about the proper use of meantime and meanwhile. It’s not … Continue reading →

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The Snuggie–Make it Stop

Posted on March 12, 2009 by languageandgrammar

In Literally, the Best Language Book Ever,  the chapter called You Thought You Were Clever, But… includes statements (often attempts at humor) that were clever at one point, but overuse means that they’re now as funny and charming as being … Continue reading →

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Redundant Language

Posted on March 11, 2009 by languageandgrammar

Just a short, little post today. It’s absolutely essential that if we want to develop the best ever language skills that we all join together for a brief moment to eliminate all repetitive redundancy that we hear on a daily … Continue reading →

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