"Physician, heal thyself!"

When I see that subject line in my email inbox, I know exactly what's coming: a message from an eagle-eyed reader noting a typo or other error in my column.

Can you spot my mistakes?

No. 1: Someone watching cows chewing their cud was reminded of a person mulling over an idea.

No. 2: The little flash of light that dances around the room when reflected off of a watch crystal is a "jackie."

No. 3: Let's examine words derived from prayers or incantations — and a couple that seem to but probably don't.

No. 4: Only five presidents have had last names ending in a vowel, even if you count "y."

No. 5: The most common mistake is using "fewer" for "less" ("less people," "less ideas").

No. 6: These eponymous phrases are among the more than 10,000 baseball terms complied by veteran lexicographer Paul Dickson.

No. 7: (From my recent "Words of 2020" poem): The virus infected not only our lungs, but spread a pandemic of terms on our tongues.

No. 8: "The difference between the right word and the wrong word," wrote Mark Twain, "is the difference between the lightning and the lightning bug."

Corrections and comments:

No. 1: As emailer George Merrow points out, it should be "cows chewing their cuds."

No. 2: Emailer Kathleen Egan notes that the "of" in "off of" is redundant; it should be "off a watch crystal."

No. 3: Jo Ann Lawlor of San Jose, California, notes that the two phrases aren't parallel. The sentence should read, "Let's examine words derived from prayers or incantations — and a couple that seem to be but probably aren't."

No. 4: As Carolyn McGahie and several other emailers pointed out, the names of SIX presidents have ended in vowels: Monroe, Fillmore, Pierce, McKinley, Coolidge, Kennedy and Obama.

No. 5: As Carole Shmurak of Farmington, Connecticut, realized, I meant to write, "The most common mistake is using 'less' for 'fewer.'"

No. 6: Wrote Adeolu Ojo of Lagos, Nigeria, "I am sure you meant 'compiled.'"

No. 7: Steve Spaulding emailed to note that the modifying phrase "not only" should precede "infected." The sentence should read, "The virus not only infected our lungs, but spread a pandemic of terms on our tongues." (It's worth noting that "also" should have followed "but," though that would have thrown off the rhythm of the poem.)

No. 8: Elmer Sullivan of Ewing, New Jersey, notes that Twain actually wrote, "The difference between the right word and the almost-right word is the difference between the lightning and the lightning bug."

My error provides a perfect illustration of Twain's point!

Rob Kyff, a teacher and writer in West Hartford, Connecticut, invites your language sightings. Send your reports of misuse and abuse, as well as examples of good writing, via email to [email protected] or by regular mail to Rob Kyff, Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.

Photo credit: Engin_Akyurt at Pixabay