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Afraid to Speak Jan. 17, 2024
Before anyone was "canceled" for saying a "wrong" thing, actress Emily Blunt and I feared speaking. ... Read More
A January Jaunt With Blooper Snoopers Jan. 10, 2024
The Word Guy Blooper Patrol, which has plenty of cachet, has cashed in on a cache of errors. Can you... Read More
Why a 'Bass' Can Sing or Swim Jan. 03, 2024
An amusing compilation titled "Why English Is Hard To Learn" has been bouncing like a beach ball aro... Read More
My Teacher Imparted 'Vary' Good Advice Dec. 27, 2023
Until my junior year in high school, I thought my writing was pretty hot stuff. Teachers had always ... Read More
Editors, Here's Your 'Write' of Passage Dec. 20, 2023
Your the proofreader, er... You're the proofreader! Can you find 28 errors in this passage? Mistakes... Read More
Who Wants To Be a 'Spellionaire'? Dec. 13, 2023
Remember the old TV show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" Here's a version of that high-stakes game ... Read More
The Story of 2023 in Its Own Words Dec. 06, 2023
'Twas the night before Twitter rebranded as "X," Not a "Swiftie" was stirring, not even by text. But... Read More
Do TV News 'Anchors' Sink or Swim? Nov. 29, 2023
I've always assumed the TV term "anchor," referring to the host of a newscast, was derived from "anc... Read More
I Hope You -- and This Column -- Read Well Nov. 15, 2023
"Citrucel absorbs readily." When Les Krumm, a retired pharmacist from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, hea... Read More
This Fairy Tale Has a Happy Ending Nov. 08, 2023
Once upon a time (the early 1800s to be exact), a scholar named Jacob Grimm lived in Germany. In add... Read More
Will This Quiz Boost Your Self 'S' Teem? Nov. 01, 2023
Can you select the correct "s" word in each sentence? 1. By the time daylight (saving, savings) time... Read More
What Should We Do To 'Due To'? Oct. 25, 2023
Q: Is it acceptable to use "due to" for "because of"? — Helen Finnie, San Jose, California A: ... Read More
So THAT's Why Cynics Like To 'Mutt'er! Oct. 11, 2023
Cynics believe the world is going to the dogs. Linguistically speaking, that's appropriate, because ... Read More
Subject/Verb Disagreement Sets off Fireworks Oct. 04, 2023
Q: Which sentence is correct: "The last thing he needed WAS fireworks" or "The last thing he needed ... Read More
Ashcroft Is Determined To Thwart a Fair Abortion Vote Any Way He Can Sep. 29, 2023
Next to the phrase "bad faith" in the dictionary should be the official portrait of Missouri Secreta... Read More
Do You Know Noah? Sep. 27, 2023
Noah Webster (1758 — 1843) is widely regarded as "The Father of American English." He's most f... Read More
Blooper Patrol Settles the Score Sep. 20, 2023
Eagle-eyed members of the Word Guy Blooper Patrol have detected a score of linguistic blunders in ne... Read More
Migrant Surge a Disaster For Learning Sep. 13, 2023
Democratic politicians and the liberal media made the first day of school all about welcoming migran... Read More
Frankly, My Dear, I Don't Give a... Sep. 13, 2023
I'm embroiled in a "damn" dispute. A while back, I wrote that the last word in the phrase "not worth... Read More
Explore Your Human 'G' Known Sep. 06, 2023
Select the correct "G" words on this quiz, and you'll be a "G" whiz! 1. When the candidate realized ... Read More
