Blame Noah Webster if you struggle with spelling words that have a British and American spelling: i.e. canceled vs cancelled
RichC | January 17, 2023
You would think that after 60+ years that I would comfortably remember which spelling of for the past tense of ‘cancel’ was the common American English version and which was British English version. When it comes to a few words that I stumble over, I still need to check with Merriam-Webster. British vs. American English […]
Archive: Brenda’s flowers, busy working bees and babysitting
RichC | September 9, 2020
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The etymology of “pay through the nose”
RichC | November 1, 2015
I don't recall why I used the phrase “pay through the nose” this past week, but this sounds about right … Instead of fighting the invaders, some English kings preferred to pay the Vikings to leave them in peace. These payments were called 'Danegeld' (meaning 'Dane debt' or Dane payment). The Vikings collected tribute in […]
Ten second sound-bite: KT McFarland
RichC | June 20, 2011
Every once in a while I hear short and succinct statements which makes me wonder why politicians in a “United” States of America complicate issues for our country — is there that much disagreement over everything? Not promoting and maintaining one language … English … as our national language, in the end the lacks commonsense […]
English 101: What’s wrong with this sentence?
RichC | July 13, 2008
I enjoy reading books and certain authors for different reasons — for example, I not only enjoy William F. Buckley’s sailing memoirs because of the sailing content but because use of the English language is impressive. That said — oh, and I’m not an English major (obviously) — this particular sentence from a book I […]
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.