About Rob Kyff

Rob Kyff

Rob Kyff

Rob Kyff is the language columnist for the Hartford Courant, as well as a teacher, editor and writer. His column  appears regularly in several newspapers across the country.

A native of Armonk, N.Y., Kyff earned a BA at Amherst College and an MA in American Studies at the University of Minnesota. In Minneapolis, he served as director of public information for a social-service agency and edited the employee magazine for a national retail chain.

He has taught English and history at Kingswood-Oxford School in West Hartford since 1977 and also served as the school's director of public affairs, editor of its alumni magazine and advisor to the student newspaper.

His essays have appeared in many newspapers, including the Washington Post,

Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe and Baltimore Sun, and his articles have appeared in Reader's Digest,American History and Northeast. He contributed to

Speaking Freely -- A guided Tour of American English from Plymouth Rock to Silicon Valley, published by Oxford University Press in 1997.

He has published two books: Word Up! - A Lively Look at English (Writers Club Press, 2000) and Once Upon a Word - True Tales of Word Origins (Tapestry Press, 2003).

He lives in West Hartford, Conn., with his family.

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A Useful Conjunction, Albeit an Old One May 27, 2026

Frank Resnick of New Britain, Conn., writes, "Can the antique-sounding conjunction 'albeit' still be used?" You betcha'! I'm happy to report that "albeit," despite its advanced age, is still alive and kicking. "Albeit" emerged during the 1300s as a c... Read More

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Summer Dreams of Verbal Themes May 20, 2026

Whether you're sunbathing at the beach, lounging at the lake or reflecting on rainbows this summer, dive into one of these new books about language. Speaking of rainbows, Kory Stamper's lively book about the nearly impossible task of naming colors, "... Read More

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Short Words Have Their Ups and Downs May 13, 2026

"I've always found it interesting," writes Bob Fliegel of St. Augustine, Fla., "that the shortest and simplest words have the most elusive and counterintuitive etymologies. Why?" The key factor is time. Because most of these basic words first appeare... Read More

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The 'Pen' Is More Versatile Than the Sword May 06, 2026

Did you know that there's no "pen" in "pencil," no "penalty" in "penitentiary" and no "penny" in "penurious"? Yes, folks, "pen" is a sly little trickster. Perhaps no other English syllable boasts such devilishly diverse derivations. "Pen," meaning a ... Read More