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I Know Where You're Coming From May. 04, 2022
A Chicagoan who had just moved to Tennessee was washing his car with a garden hose when his neighbor... Read More
A Cheat Sheet on Linguistic 'Adult'ery Apr. 27, 2022
When Groucho Marx once asked a female contestant on his TV show, "You Bet Your Life," to describe he... Read More
Where Never Is 'Herd' a Discouraging Word Apr. 13, 2022
We all know that a gathering of geese is a "gaggle," a passel of fish is a "school," and a herd of s... Read More
Origin of 'Burner Phone' Is One Hot Topic Apr. 06, 2022
The Jan. 6 Congressional Committee is currently investigating a burning issue: Did former President ... Read More
Let's Sit Down for a Spell Mar. 30, 2022
"One false spelling may fix a stigma upon a man for life," wrote the Fourth Earl of Chesterfield in ... Read More
Our Terms for Ukraine Reflect Its Identity Mar. 16, 2022
Is it "Ukraine" or "the Ukraine"? Is the name of the capital city of Ukraine spelled "Kyiv" or "Kiev... Read More
'Take' This Rule to Heart Mar. 09, 2022
Q: Please explain the difference between "bring" and "take." — Paul Johnson, Minneapolis A: In... Read More
'Round-Robin' Is Based on Circular Reasoning Mar. 02, 2022
Why is a tournament in which every contestant plays every other in succession called a "round-robin"... Read More
Let's Jettison Excess 'Ton'nage Feb. 23, 2022
Today, some random dispatches from the Word Front... — 2,000 Pound Gorilla — A recent in... Read More
Two-Faced Words Prompt Double Takes Feb. 09, 2022
"Flores Drops Bombshell Lawsuit" "Gov. Newsom Pitches Plan To Reopen Public Schools" "Red Tape Holds... Read More
Midnight Cowboy Shows Up at High Noon Feb. 02, 2022
Q: What's the proper use of "a.m." or "p.m." for 12 noon and 12 midnight? — Bertha Williams, S... Read More
Have Tour Guides 'Taut' Us a Big Lie? Jan. 26, 2022
Insidious invaders have infested the homestead museums and historic houses across our great land. No... Read More
Origin of 'Dumbbell' Rings True Jan. 19, 2022
Q: Why are hand weights called "dumbbells"? — J. H., West Hartford, Connecticut A: It's hard t... Read More
'Gazebo Effect' Is Bitter Pill To Swallow Dec. 22, 2021
The ever-vigilant members of the Word Guy Blooper Patrol have sent me these errors from newspapers a... Read More
Prep Perps, Potboilers Make Me Want To 'Flea' Dec. 15, 2021
Today, some random dispatches from the Word Front ... — Prep School — A while back, I sc... Read More
Prefixes 'En' and 'In' Battle for Dominance Aug. 25, 2021
Q. When should "enclosed" be used vs. "inclosed"? Is there a difference in meaning? — Katherin... Read More
A Seldom Told Spelling Bee Tale: In Black and White Jul. 14, 2021
So you heard about Zaila Avant-garde winning the National Spelling Bee — the first Black girl ... Read More
Is Your Mettle Forged From Metal? Take This Quiz! May. 05, 2021
Let's put the "you" in usage! See whether you can choose the correct word from each pair of oft-conf... Read More
Pronunciation of 'Kiln' Reveals Wacky History Apr. 21, 2021
Q. A friend recently told me that her pottery pieces were being fired in a "kiln," a word she pronou... Read More
This Quiz Might Require a P'h.'D. Nov. 04, 2020
It's "H" Hour! Can you choose the correct derivation for each word beginning with "h"? 1) Harbinger:... Read More
