Submitted by janmorgan • September 17, 2006
If the initial year an event is held it is called the inaugural, what is it called the next year? First annual or second annual? And why?
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Submitted by Dyske • September 13, 2006
Why is the word “quarters”, to mean a place of residence, plural? When we say, “I’ll show you to your quarters,” we mean a room. So, why don’t we simply say, “I’ll show you to your quarter,” without the ‘s’?
There are some nouns that take a plural form but they are not actually plural, like “means”, when we say, “a means to an end”. However, I do not think this is the case with “quarters”. Otherwise, we would say, “a quarters”. (I did find a few instances of this on the web.)
How did the word, which means one fourth of something, come to be used as a place of residence in the first place? My wife suggested that it came perhaps from quarters (corner sections or rooms) of a castle, but if this were the case, each room would be a quarter, and there would be no need for the plural ‘s’.
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Submitted by horia • September 11, 2006
I have found both terminations in verbs like optimiz(s)e, prioritiz(s)e, criticis(z)e.
Which (or when, or where) is the academically correct form ?
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Submitted by dave2 • July 24, 2006
On the matter of “as best he can”, hasn’t that been misused consistently by newscasters who toss to a reporter to give us the story “as best he can”, when they really mean “as well as he can”.
To me, “as best he can” implies that he can do it best, better than anyone else, in other words, “as he can, best of all”.
It seems to me that they really intend to suggest that the reorter will do the best they can (judging from the context of their introduction, which often implies that the story is still unfolding and not yet completely understood).
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Submitted by jinmvanb • May 23, 2006
It seems like it happens more and more. Few [TV] reporters use phrases such as: . . . after talking to the local people that work in that plant, . . .etc., etc.
Why the use of the ‘that’ instead of ‘who’ as I was taught for the correct grammar.
Another one: . . . it was John that broke the news about the bribery . . . etc., etc.
Is it an “exceptional” rules that when reporting (hence, verbal statement as opposed to written) it is acceptable the use of ‘that’?
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Submitted by Dyske • May 4, 2006
In sentencing of the terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui, Judge Leonie Brinkema said the following:
“Mr. Moussaoui, you came here to be a martyr in a great big bang of glory, but to paraphrase the poet T.S. Eliot, instead you will die with a whimper.”
Is this an appropriate use of the word “paraphrase”? I understood “paraphrase” as using different words to elaborate or simplify the original statement. In the above usage, she is using Eliot’s exact words.
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Submitted by jimvanb • April 25, 2006
According to the dictionary, Actor simply refers to “person” who acts, . . . etc. While Actress, specifically refers to the female side. Since when (and when is appropriate) the use of Actor to refers to BOTH male or female “action person”?
This is not political, is it? Is it a “woman movement thingie”? Is it a similar “situation” to the word: Director not being distinguishable as to the gender of that person?
Anyone for Directress (female director)?, contractor - contractress, prosecutor - prosecutress, exterminator - exterminatress, etc., etc.
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Submitted by jivy • April 7, 2006
I’m in law school and I have a professor who keeps using the word “transcendence” to refer to a self-less lawyer, who puts his clients first. This kills me! He doesn’t know the definition of transcendence. Doesn’t transcendence mean to be on a higher plain mentally, almost like a state of nirvana? Yes, transcendence means to be above the self, but does it have anything to do with putting others before yourself? ALTRUISM is the term my professor should be using. Altruism means to put others before oneself. This professor has received many awards and is recognized a pioneer in legal ethics. I find it astonishing that no one has corrected him. He’s built his entire curriculum, which is being adopted by other law schools, on the wrong term! Am I right?
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Posted in Usage
Submitted by stevem • March 31, 2006
Does anyone else find it annoying that reference is being used, more and more, as a verb? When people say things like “He’s referencing our trip to the mall” it really annoys me. It seems like they simply do not know that reference already has a verb form “refer.” Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?
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Posted in Usage
Submitted by sara • February 27, 2006
I like to think I’m pretty swell at English grammar, punctuation, and usage, etc. But there’s at least one thing I have never gotten down, and that is, when do you use “title” versus “entitle.” For example, would I write: “She read a book titled ---”? Or is it “She read a book entitled ---”?
In what circumstances would either one be used?
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Submitted by Dyske • December 18, 2005
When speaking of American people with respect to immigration, I had always assumed that “First Generation” meant the people who were born elsewhere and immigrated to this country. “Second Generation” in this sense means those who were born in the US from these “First Generation” parents.
But recently I started hearing people use them the other way around. They call those who were born in the US, “First Generation”, because they are the first generation to be born in this country. Which is correct?
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Submitted by gandalf • December 14, 2005
Just now someone asked me if it was proper, in her essay about Prospero, to say that “He and Ariel . . .”
Her question was about whether to use ‘he’ or ‘him’, but it made me wonder. In formal writing I might intuitively switch the order to “Ariel and he . . .” to parallel “___ and I”, but is it actually any more formal?
In less formal writing, I prefer to ignore the I rule altogether and list whoever comes to mind first or is most important. It’s a silly rule anyway. ^_^
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Submitted by joannaceleftheriou • December 4, 2005
Since returning to the US, the phrase “much different” has come to my attention by grating on my ear. The way I see it, different is not a comparative adjective like “better” or “taller” and you can’t use “much.” “Really” and “very” only. Comments?
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Submitted by katden • September 30, 2005
I have always been taught that subconscious was used when talking about the parts of your psyche that you are not aware of - “the subconscious mind” and that unconscious was a physical condition - “knocked unconscious”
Lately I have been hearing people interchange the two; most of the time it is someone using “unconscious” in place of “subconscious”.
Am I confused here? Are they interchangable?
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Submitted by sam • September 28, 2005
This has always irked me, as prior to communicating with Americans on the internet, I’d never heard expressions such as “it’s not that big of a deal” - what is wrong with “it’s not that big a deal”?
What is the extra “of” there for? It just sounds so awkward and out of place... is there a good reason for it? Is it even correct English?
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Submitted by joe2 • September 28, 2005
Why do people say they have an Ideal instead of an Idea, which is correct?
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Submitted by dan • September 28, 2005
Websters says it’s two words.
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Submitted by steve • September 28, 2005
Often poisons, and certain drugs give directions to NOT induce vomitting. Indeed, I don’t ever remember reading directions that did advise you to induce vomiting. So, this begs the question, are they saying go ahead and vomit but don’t do so by sticking your fingers down your throat, or are they saying avoid vomiting altogether... take some gravol or something?
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Submitted by steve • September 28, 2005
Shouldn’t that be “The Toronto Maple Leaves”? They’re a hockey team in case you never heard of them.
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Submitted by kitty • September 26, 2005
My boss always says “irregardless” when I believe he should be saying “regardless.” Is irregardless even a word? Since I know what he means and more importantly, since he IS the boss, I refrain from correcting him, but this misusage always makes me cringe. Any insight? I’ll hang up and listen!
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