The Arabic language has contributed hundreds of words to the English language by many different routes. That’s partly because in what my daughter likes to call the olden days (from around 700AD to the Middle Ages), the Arabic kingdoms had a great influence on Europe and the world. In part this was through colonisation, but … Read more
A big thank you for all our sponsors. As you know we have several writers contributing to Daily Writing Tips, and this happens thanks to the support of those companies. They all provide great services and products for freelance writers and bloggers alike, so check them out. Whether you are a graphic designer, a web … Read more
Paramour (păr’ə-mʊr’) is sometimes used as simply a synonym for “lover,” but it usually carries the connotation of an illicit lover, “one taking the place without the legal rights of a husband or wife.” The locale [of The Kiss Before the Mirror] is Vienna, and in an opening scene Lucie, wife of Dr. Walter Bernsdorf, … Read more
How short can a “short story” be? Merriam-Webster just defines it as “shorter than a novel”, telling us that a short story is: an invented prose narrative shorter than a novel usually dealing with a few characters and aiming at unity of effect and often concentrating on the creation of mood rather than plot Most … Read more
Some people see the differences between American English and British English as a problem. I see them as an interesting challenge. And although the title to this article might indicate that I’m English, I am in fact, a British Scot. I am also fully aware there is more to the United States of America than … Read more
Back when I was an eighth-grader, children were required to memorize poems. I can still recite much of If by Kipling. The poem begins If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you But make allowance … Read more
Gothic (gŏth’ĭk) is an adjective with several meanings. First of all it used to describe things related to the Goths, or things that have a Germanic origin. Some people broadened this definition to encompass anything related to the Middle Ages. Finally, Gothic can also be related to a very specific architectural style that was present … Read more
I’m always interested in words that relate to a particular area. A couple of weeks ago, I looked at words for book lovers. Now it’s time to think of words about words. In this case, I’m concentrating on one particular Latin root, verbum, the Latin word for word. That has spawned a number of other … Read more
Until recently I thought that the pleonasm “even still” was to be found only in the uncertain writings of college freshmen. Then I read this in the current issue of my favorite writer’s magazine: Traditionally published books get the nice displays, posters and extra attention from store managers. Even still, many of the titles end … Read more
The words a, an, and the are generally called articles and sometimes classed as a separate part of speech. In function, however, they can be grouped with the demonstrative adjectives that are used to point things out rather than describe them. Definite Article The is called the definite article because it points out a particular … Read more
I recently mentioned a book called Mind The Gaffe, which is all about errors in English. It got me to thinking about the word gaffe and other related expressions. I set out to do some digging in my trusty dictionary and came up with a few surprises. The word gaffe means a social blunder and … Read more
Having a solid and effective resume can greatly improve your chances of landing that dream job. That is beyond discussion. How does one make sure that his resume is top notch and bullet proof, however? There are several websites with tips around the web, but most bring just a handful of them. We wanted to … Read more