Myth, originally a word of elevated and scholarly pretension, has passed into the vernacular to describe anything of dubious truth or validity, though it retains earlier senses. This post lists definitions of the word and others of which it is the root. The word derives from the Greek term mythos, which variously means “speech” or … Read more
This post lists and defines terms for apparel materials that have in common that the terms are derived from place names. 1. angora: a type of wool from Angora rabbits, which originated near Ankara (previously Angora), Turkey 2. Bedford cord: a corduroy-like fabric, named after Bedford, England, or New Bedford, Massachusetts 3. calico: a type … Read more
Homonyms are words that sound alike, but have different meanings and usually different spellings. In these sentences choose the word with the correct meaning for the sentence context. 1. Mrs. Reid has ______ the responsibility for her disabled son for twenty years. a) borne b) born 2. The gardener’s work will ______ my design as … Read more
In each of the following sentences, an expletive (a form of “there is” or “it is”) inhibits an active, concise sentence construction, and other wording is passive and/or more verbose than necessary. Discussion after each example explains the problem, and a revision demonstrates the solution. 1. There have been several immediate actions that the agency … Read more
A recent post explored tract and other words derived from the Latin verb trahere (“draw”) that are based on tract. Here, other words stemming from trahere that do not build on tract are listed and defined. The descendant of trahere that most closely resembles tract is trace. To trace is to discover or follow, to … Read more
Correct errors of pronoun use in the following sentences. 1. Do you want to go with Hamed and myself to the park? 2. Last summer, the Retys were extremely kind to my family and I when we stayed with them. 3. If it snows, me and the children will take our sleds to the hill … Read more