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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.
How to Avoid a Splitting Headache
Q: Is it technically correct to say, "This will allow us to better serve you," rather than "This will allow us to serve you better"? — Joyce Nunge, Charlottesville, Va.
A: Ah, the split infinitive question. Perhaps no other …Read more.
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Phrase Origins Served Piping HotMel 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 several tactile or visual explanations for "piping hot." After all, various types of pipes contain hot water, hot steam or hot tobacco. Or you might even surmise that the spirals of steam arising from a hot apple pie reminded someone of vertical pipes. Alas, these are all pipe dreams. The key sensation behind this phrase is neither touch nor sight; it is sound. Food that's hot sometimes makes a hissing or whistling sound as it emits steam or juices. This sizzling apparently caused someone to think of musical pipes — flutes, piccolos, recorders, clarinets, bagpipes. So, a busy kitchen churning out steaming soups, stews, roasts and vegetables seemed like a wheezy woodwind ensemble. As for "spanking new," many amateur word sleuths have succumbed to the "verben legend" — that this term derives from the practice of spanking babies just after birth to start their breathing. And what could be newer than a seconds- old baby? It's a charming explanation, but there's no evidence to support it. Etymologists propose three different origins of "spanking new," and none involves spanking anyone. Some contend that the phrase derives from the Scandinavian word "spanke" (to strut). Hence, during the 1700s, people began speaking of a "spanking horse" and later of a "spanking pace." Soon they were using "spanking" as an adverb, meaning "extremely," as in "spanking new." By contrast, the Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins traces the term to a sailor's word for a fresh, lively breeze, the exemplification of newness. Still others believe "spanking new" is a variation of "span new." As Charles Earle Funk notes in "Horsefeathers and Other Curious Words," an old meaning of "span" was "a chip freshly cut by a woodsman's ax," so "span new" meant "very new." This meaning of "span" also pops up in another phrase for new or clean — "spick-and-span." "Spick" is an old word for a spike just off the blacksmith's forge (presumably, piping hot). I'm going with the Funky explanation. If you don't agree, spank me! 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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