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Love Letters and More for Valentine's Day Feb. 14, 2024
Dear Readers: Wishing you all a very Happy Valentine's Day. I hope it is filled with lots of love, l... Read More
My Teacher Imparted 'Vary' Good Advice Dec. 27, 2023
Until my junior year in high school, I thought my writing was pretty hot stuff. Teachers had always ... Read More
Do TV News 'Anchors' Sink or Swim? Nov. 29, 2023
I've always assumed the TV term "anchor," referring to the host of a newscast, was derived from "anc... Read More
This Fairy Tale Has a Happy Ending Nov. 08, 2023
Once upon a time (the early 1800s to be exact), a scholar named Jacob Grimm lived in Germany. In add... Read More
Will This Quiz Boost Your Self 'S' Teem? Nov. 01, 2023
Can you select the correct "s" word in each sentence? 1. By the time daylight (saving, savings) time... Read More
What Should We Do To 'Due To'? Oct. 25, 2023
Q: Is it acceptable to use "due to" for "because of"? — Helen Finnie, San Jose, California A: ... Read More
So THAT's Why Cynics Like To 'Mutt'er! Oct. 11, 2023
Cynics believe the world is going to the dogs. Linguistically speaking, that's appropriate, because ... Read More
Subject/Verb Disagreement Sets off Fireworks Oct. 04, 2023
Q: Which sentence is correct: "The last thing he needed WAS fireworks" or "The last thing he needed ... Read More
Do You Know Noah? Sep. 27, 2023
Noah Webster (1758 — 1843) is widely regarded as "The Father of American English." He's most f... Read More
Blooper Patrol Settles the Score Sep. 20, 2023
Eagle-eyed members of the Word Guy Blooper Patrol have detected a score of linguistic blunders in ne... Read More
These Words Are Based on 'Sound' Judgment Aug. 30, 2023
"Bar-bar-bar." That's what the speech of strange, foreign tribes sounded like to the ancient Greeks.... Read More
Looking Further Into 'Farther' Jan. 05, 2022
Q: When is it correct to use the word "farther" as opposed to "further"? Both words seem to fit gram... Read More
This Is Why I Ran Nov. 04, 2021
During and after my unsuccessful eight-week campaign for governor of California, I received many let... Read More
These Quirky Words Are Spellbinding Oct. 13, 2021
Today, I serve up an alphabet soup of lettery lore. Letter rip! "Strengths" is the longest word in E... Read More
May 4, 2021 May. 04, 2021
Dear Annie: Please advise your readers not to hold onto any letters that contain family information ... Read More
Feeling Alone Even When Connecting Apr. 15, 2020
Dear Annie: I have a longtime friend who lives on the other side of the country. We're all retired n... Read More
Thank-You Notes Never Out of Style Mar. 11, 2020
Today's column was prompted by a young man, age 10, who asked me recently, "Do I have to send a than... Read More
Seaking Peace Within Feb. 16, 2020
Dear Annie: Our 48-year-old daughter decided four years ago to legally change her name and deny us a... Read More
Mind Your What? Oct. 01, 2019
Dear Annie: I know that I was raised in the Stone Age. But some of the things I remember sure would ... Read More
Preparing Questions for Long Visits Sep. 10, 2019
Dear Annie: Finding topics of conversation can often be difficult during long visits. Since "Grindin... Read More
