A Lie Is a Lie Is a Lie
A web search for the term “crisis of truth” brings up more than a million hits. Public figures have always […]
Seep and Steep
The writer of an article in the Washington Post about the funeral arrangements for the late Queen Elizabeth II remarked […]
Does “Raze” Need “to the Ground”?
A reader asks about the sentence: “Vikings razed many monasteries to the ground.” Is not “to the ground” in this […]
Fringes, Fringes Everywhere
Lately I’ve been struck by the frequency with which I encounter the word fringe in the media. I can recall […]
Career and Careen
A reader asks: Could you clarify whether a car “careens” or “careers” off the road? Are both usable? The original […]
Punctuating Appositives
A reader requests clarification on the punctuation of appositives: I would like to see a piece on the punctuation of […]
Honest, Candid, and Frank
I’m always glad to receive topic suggestions from readers. Sometimes I may not quite understand what is wanted, but comments […]
A Tin Ear for Pronouns
Another of my certainties has been shattered. Like anyone who has tried to explain why we do not say “Jack […]
Addendum to Legal Terms in the News
A recent post about legal terms in the news drew several interesting comments from readers, prompting this addendum. One reader […]
Them’s the Breaks
Including an extract from Boris Johnson’s recent resignation speech, a reader suggested that a post on the expression “them’s the […]
Shakespeare, Pronouns, and the New World Order
One of my favorite go-to news sources is the BBC Daily News. Reading an account of a shooting in Norway […]
Disavowed and Disabused
One day, not long ago, I read a story in the Guardian about a man who mistook an alligator for […]