The Greek and Latin words for leg and foot have given English the combining form -pod. Some words formed with -pod entered English earlier, but a great many were coined in the nineteenth century as the study of entomology and paleontology expanded. Here are a few, with their literal meanings and the date of their … Read more
As I pointed out in a recent post, the Oxford “Word” of 2015 is a pictogram. In this post, I’ll take a look at eight other words that placed in Oxford’s annual list of frequently used English words and phrases. Of the eight, I had heard of three of them, had written about two of … Read more
A reader has a question about the use of the definite article the: I have been searching without success for a good and thorough explanation of how and when to use “the.” I have an Iranian friend, and his English is excellent, save for his use of “the.” Neither he nor I have been able … Read more
A reader asks about the phrase “take off”: I read a line that said “take off Saturday,” which I had always understood to be “to take Saturday off.” What do you think? “To take off” is a phrasal verb used with more than one meaning. When the sense is “to stay away from work,” the … Read more
A reader writes: A colleague at work says the following sentence is incorrect: “Promotion depends on if the employee maintains a good attendance record.” I don’t see anything wrong with it. Is she just being disagreeable? I can’t say whether the colleague is being disagreeable or not, but I can say why she objects to … Read more
In the wake of the Starbucks red cup brouhaha, I encountered the phrase “red ombre.” Disclaimer: I can’t help what my eyes light upon as I research these articles. “Usually adorned with snowflakes and reindeer, this year the cups were given a makeover in a more sleek all red ombre look,” explained Bristol Palin. This … Read more
The verbs fall, ring, and go are irregular. That means that their forms must be memorized. A common error with these verbs is to use the simple past in place of the past participle. fall Present: fall, falls Simple past: fell Past Participle: (has/have) fallen INCORRECT: Really, this is an ostensibly bright middle-aged man, who … Read more