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Misuse of 'Frequent' is Frequent
Q: Does "frequented" imply often? I have heard "they occasionally frequented" and even "they rarely frequented." Is that possible? — David Markowitz, West Hartford, Conn.
A: What's next? "They rarely …Read more.
'Whom' is Where the Heart is
The "who/whom" dilemma is the health care debate of grammar. The issues involved are so complicated and convoluted that no one really understands them.
That's why the late William Safire threw up his hands in 1992 and advocated a kind of …Read more.
Why Are These Sentences Loony?
What's wrong with these sentences?
1. Like the duck, the loon's nest is built near the shore.
2. The loon is a Bow Lake resident, on which several other loons live.
3. The baby loon is four times smaller than its mother.
That's right; they're loony …Read more.
Phrase Origins Served Piping Hot
Mel Kopel of Windsor, Conn., writes to ask why food is served "piping hot" and a car fresh from the showroom floor is "spanking new" (as opposed to the "clanking old" clunker you traded in for it).
You could conjure up …Read more.
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Parker, Colo. -- Land of Happy Mediums!From near and far come bloopers bizarre. Can you spot the errors? 1. "Parker, Colo., has one of the highest medium household incomes in the United States." Its fortunetellers are very wealthy. (Spotted by Christina Gore, Wichita, Kan.) 2. " ... big ticket items including an $80,000 road grater." Works well on roads that look like Swiss cheese. (Janice Mastriano, Hightstown, N.J.) 3. "He's going to sale around the world." In the merchant marine? (Henry Smith, East Hartford, Conn.) 4. "[A basketball team] … has become relevant in its own rite." It's almost a cult. (Wynn Sullivan, Pittsburgh) 5. "… a state entity that overseas seniority issues for public employees." Does it send their jobs abroad? (Moreland Houck, Trenton, N.J.) 6. "At the height of his rein, [Blackbeard] commanded a fleet of four ships." In the horse latitudes? (Charlie Duncan, Potsdam, N.Y.) 7. "For all intensive purposes, our new President, Barack Obama …" Well, he did overreact to Skip Gates' arrest. (Alan Clem, Vermillion, S.D.) 8. "Mr. Watters asked Gov. Jim Douglas of Vermont about that state's criminal statues." Some of them ARE carrying weapons. (Doris Griffith, Manchester, Conn.) 9. "Lavishly … quaffed, with hair that changed color with each episode …" I guess she drank the expensive stuff. (Lawrence Manion, Glenfield, N.Y.) 10. 11. "He's got to prove his meddle." Or at least that he can interfere just a little. (Lynn Bethke, Sioux Falls, S.D.) 12. This will keep our dyer needs on the front burner. A colorful expression! (Mark Lander, Old Lyme, Conn.) 13. "The newspapers were stalked up on the porch." Along with a lot of Jack's L. L. "Bean" catalogs. (Judy Beck, Sterling Heights, Mich.) 14. "[A driver] was charged with … aggravated alluding." Officer, please don't treat me like Jean Valjean or Raskolnikov! (Terry Vaughn, Gerretson, S.D.) 15. "People have demonized eggs and egg yokes." Well, they do make oxen's necks turn yellow. (Carol Fine, Bloomfield, Conn.) Corrections: 1. highest median household incomes 2. road grader 3. sail around the world 4. own right 5. oversees seniority issues 6. height of his reign 7. all intents and purposes 8. criminal statutes 9. coifed or coiffed 10. mussels in marinara 11. prove his mettle 12. dire needs 13. stacked up 14. aggravated eluding 15. egg yolks Rob Kyff, a teacher and writer in West Hartford, Conn., invites your language sightings. Send your reports of misuse and abuse, as well as examples of good writing, via e-mail to Wordguy@aol.com or by regular mail to Rob Kyff, Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. To find out more about Rob Kyff and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS.COM
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