A paroxysm is a sudden outburst of something, a violent emotion. It can also refer to the exacerbation of a disease. Contemplating the economic rubble from our most recent paroxysm of enthusiasm, I wonder whether we should do something about our blind passions. (NY Times) For now, there will be a paroxysm of anger and … Read more
The other day a reporter on NPR (National Public Radio), talking about the Christmas Day attempt to blow up a plane over Detroit, said: If we’re at war, maybe we should treat these people as warriors. I did a double-take on that one. Yes, the word warrior derives from the word war, but in English … Read more
This is a guest post by Lela Davidson. If you want to write for Daily Writing Tips check the guidelines here. Love it, hate it, or tolerate it, Facebook is here, maybe not to stay—because nothing is changing faster than media—but it’s here now. Facebook is an important way to reach readers and network with … Read more
When I read this comment by Richard Lee Van Der Voort, I had to laugh: Here’s one for you. Tonight on the internet I read “human readers”. Is there any other kind? My dog is intelligent, but she cannot read. Like Richard, I felt that to refer to “human readers” made as much sense as … Read more
Derision is a scornful treatment of someone or something; a mockery or ridicule. The object that is being mocked can be called derision. President Reagan’s long-awaited announcement that he would run for a second term touched off celebrations last night by his supporters, choruses of derision by opponents and promises of a tough campaign by … Read more
After I mentioned the “10 Deadly Business Mistakes You Should Avoid” report last week some readers emailed me saying they were interested in joining the training program. If you are among those, you can do so today, as we just opened the doors to 300 more members. Just visit OnlineProfits.com to get all the details … Read more
Jeffrey asks: What is the proper use of the words electric and electrical? I am an engineer and do not know when to use one form or the other. We say “electric car” but also say “electrical wiring.” If I have a new device: is it an electric device or an electrical device? Is the … Read more
A reader wonders about the use of a new way of referring to suicide: I came across “completed suicide” repeatedly in an article by the Mental Health of America Board of directors that used this phrase repeatedly in their petition to have President Obama send letters of condolence to family of service members that have … Read more
The word abash has always seemed to me to belong more to the literary sphere than to the workplace. That’s why I did a double-take when I read this on a site dedicated to marketing: A corporation operating in a capitalist society has the obligation to make a profit. It does not have the obligation … Read more
This is a guest post by Lorraine Mace. If you want to write for Daily Writing Tips check the guidelines here. Anyone with a book to promote is constantly on the lookout for new ways to get the message across to the widest possible audience. So what do you do when you’ve sent review copies … Read more
In an article about the different functioning of the two sides of the brain, I read this: People with this type of “wiring” usually fair very well in school due to the auditory teaching. The word wanted here is fare since the writer means that people who learn a certain way “get on” or “perform” … Read more
A lot of writing sites link to posts on the DailyWritingTips site. We like that. Sometimes they run a brief quotation followed by a link to the rest of the article on our site. I see nothing wrong with that. Sometimes, however, they post an entire article on their sites, followed by attribution and a … Read more