When I saw the phrase “world-renouned architect E. Fay Jones” in a local newspaper, I wondered if it could be more than a one-time typo, so I did a Web search to see if anyone else is spelling renown as renoun or renowned as renouned. I wasn’t too bothered to find the misspelling renoun on … Read more
A reader declares: I rankle Or get rankled when I hear someone, usually, an athlete, is ‘under rated’. What does this mean? The question asks about the term underrated, but this post will focus mainly on rankle. First, the verb underrate: underrate: to estimate at too low a value or worth. Ex. Research shows men … Read more
A reader asks if there’s a difference between these two phrases: Is there any difference between “in case of” and “in the event of”? Some seem to think these two phrases are synonymous; others contend that “in case of” is used when you’re preparing for something, e.g. “Take an umbrella in case it rains,” while … Read more
A headline at a blog called Hollywood Scoop caught my eye: Scott Disick is Knighted ‘Lord of the Manner’” Thinking that the spelling manner must be a deliberate pun, I read further to see if Disick had received some sort of award having to do with fashion or elegant behavior. Here is the only explanation … Read more
Act functions as both a verb and a noun: The government must act quickly to avoid worse consequences. (verb) Polluting the stream with transmission fluid was a criminal act. (noun) As a noun, act has several specialized meanings: deed Paying for the child’s piano lessons was an act of kindness. division of a play Judy’s … Read more
A reader asks, Could you discuss the use of “id.” in conjunction with referencing citations, especially web links? The abbreviation id. in bibliographical citations stands for Latin idem: “the same.” The abbreviation id. and the word idem are often seen in older scholarly works, but modern style guides, like The Chicago Manual of Style, no … Read more
These errors are not particularly noticeable in spoken colloquial English, but they jump out in formal written English. Some of these forms have become quite common in writing. 1. INCORRECT: My son says he wants to marry an old-fashion girl. CORRECT : My son says he wants to marry an old-fashioned girl. “To fashion” is … Read more