Tag Archives: English

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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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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Back and Better than Ever

Posted on March 3, 2009 by languageandgrammar

You’re all probly as surprised as I am that I haven’t written a monthly review of errors in months (I followed some not-so-super advice). I can’t help but think about how many complements about the smarter blog that might have … Continue reading →

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Nip it WHERE????

Posted on March 2, 2009 by languageandgrammar

No matter how many times you’ve said it—and you know who you are—nip it in the butt is NOT the correct phrase. Nip it in the butt? Ouch! If you must use this cliche, then use it properly: Nip it … Continue reading →

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THAT’S Incredible; I’M Incredulous.

Posted on February 24, 2009 by languageandgrammar

I’ve heard the word incredulous attributed to situations, as in That’s an incredulous story. The problem is that incredulous means skeptical or disbelieving, which is a human trait, not something that can be attributed to an inanimate object, a theory, … Continue reading →

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More Than an Upgrade Needed

Posted on February 13, 2009 by languageandgrammar

Although not everyone will agree with us, we at languageandgrammar.com believe that language subtlety is important. Thoughts are precise, and a lack of subtlety in language usage is often a reflection of a lack of sharpness of thought. That brings … Continue reading →

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Road to Hoe

Posted on February 10, 2009 by languageandgrammar

If there is anything worse than using a cliche, it’s trying to use a cliche and getting it wrong. You would think we wouldn’t get something wrong that’s been repeated so often! I like to call these instances Close but … Continue reading →

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Subordinating Conjunctions

Posted on February 9, 2009 by languageandgrammar

While coordinating conjunctions (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet), which connect clauses of equal importance, get a great deal of press in every grammar book, they’re not the only conjunctions in town. Subordinating conjunctions connect clauses as well, but … Continue reading →

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Mmmmmm, Probly (Probably)

Posted on February 6, 2009 by languageandgrammar

While this is not a terribly common written error—-although I have at times seen it spelled this way on the information superhighway—-the pronunciation of probably as probly is constant and irritating. You should probably have a good lawyer if you … Continue reading →

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Waiting for You, Waiting on Table #3

Posted on January 30, 2009 by languageandgrammar

There’s a song whose lyrics include Must I always be waiting on you and I can’t always be waiting on you. When I hear must I always be waiting on you, I can’t help picturing him wearing a bowtie and … Continue reading →

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