The apostrophe has three functions: To help indicate possession (boy’s), to mark contraction (it’s), and to convert a singular letter, number, or initialism to a plural. However, the mark has all but been relieved of duty in its third task. One of the few categories in which apostrophes are still retained for plural usage is … Read more
Absent — or in spite of — a photograph or other visual information, the headline is the first thing most readers notice. But even the most captivating headline has to be followed by a lead paragraph (known in journalistic jargon as a lede) that convinces the reader that the article is worth reading. What’s the … Read more
Per (from a Latin word meaning “by,” “by means of,” or “through”) is widely employed in English, but it — or a phrase in which it appears — isn’t necessarily the best option. Here’s a guide to using (or not using) per. In popular usage, per is appropriate in relation to figures (“65 miles per … Read more
Last week, I listed fifty nautical terms originating from seafaring jargon but extended by analogy, with new meanings, to general usage. This roster includes idioms and expressions derived from nautical phrases, many of them originally codified as commands. 1. Abandon ship: an order given when a vessel is disabled or about to sink (give up … Read more
What’s the difference between the verbs hawk and hock? Both have associations with mercantile transactions, but the meanings and etymologies are distinct. To hawk one’s wares is to sell them. The word has no relationship to the name of the raptor or to the extension of that term to refer to person who supports war; … Read more
I recently discussed senses of words for various species from the dog family as they apply to human behavior and characteristics. Every dog has its day, but now it’s time for the cats to come out. 1. Cat This word for any feline or, specifically, the small domesticated species became a term of contempt for … Read more
English — once, like many other languages, laden with inflectional endings — experienced an erosion of inflection hundreds of years ago, but sometimes it seems as if shaving influences are at work again. Here are eight examples of words that are part of standing phrases that are, at least in colloquial usage, undergoing alteration. 1. … Read more
What do the brand names Bakers Choice, the Diners Club, and Mrs. Fields Cookies have in common? Besides prompting hunger, they’re all “supposed” to have apostrophes in their names. So, why don’t they? A choice that belongs to bakers is a bakers’ choice, a club that belongs to diners is a diners’ club, and cookies … Read more
Alliteration, punning, and rhyming are a trio of tried-and-true techniques for letting your prose out of the pen, introducing levity (perhaps at the expense of brevity). When inadvertently applied, however, they can distract readers because their use is inconsistent with a writer’s tone, or because the application is excessive. Here are some comments about proper … Read more
The vocabulary of sailing has enriched the English language with the development, by analogy, of new senses for nautical terms. Here are fifty such words with their original meanings and their landlubber connotations. 1. Aboard: on a vessel (assisting or in sympathy with) 2. Aboveboard: above the deck (out in the open, honest) 3. Adrift: … Read more
The meanings of many terms that originally referred to familial relationships have been extended to have greater resonance of connotation. Here are some words for members of families and their senses beyond the literal ones. 1. Brother: a kinsman, a countryman or member of same ethnic group or nationality, a comrade, a fellow member, or … Read more
What’s the difference between collegial and collegiate? Both words, and the root word college and the related term colleague, stem from the Latin word collega, meaning “colleague.” But for the most part, collegial refers to a state of mind, while collegiate is a more concrete adjective. A colleague is one with whom one works or … Read more