Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

Penultimate. Veni, Vidi, Vici. Smidge.

18 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's podcast, we discuss why you should never call your girlfriend your penultimate friend. Plus, we have fun and fascinating facts about Ca...

New Words from WWII. How Places Like Featherstonehaugh Get Their Names. Uncoming.

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

WWII was a rich source of new words for the English language. Before the 1940s, you couldn't tell an eager beaver to shut his pie hole while you were ...

Editing an Anthology: 'Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed'

04 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I talked with Saraciea Fennell, who works in publishing, is behind the Bronx Book Festival, and is also the editor of a new anthology, "Wild To...

Is That a Tombstone, Gravestone, or Headstone? Why Is the Sound of a Human Scream So Terrifying?

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The words tombstone and gravestone used to refer to large stone slabs that served as a lid for a tomb or covering for a grave. Also, the human scream ...

Using Present Tense in a Story About the Past. Beck and Call. Tie-Dye Trees.

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you noticed people switching to the present tense when they're telling stories? It actually has a name: It's called the "historical present tense...

Surprise! These Names Are Trademarks. How to Write 'Dos and Don'ts' (or Is That 'Do's and Don'ts'?). Wording Your Mixes.

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Many words we use every day are actually trademarks. Did you know about all the words we talked about today? Plus, we talk about some really weird spe...

The Hedonometer and Your Feelings. What Does 'Schnozz' Mean?

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers and companies are harnessing computers to identify the emotions behind our written words. While sentiment analysis is far from perfect, it...

How Do You Pronounce 'Tomato'? Why Is 'Chiropractic' Singular. Fish.

30 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the world of great debates, there is one that has been long enduring and still keeps language prescriptivists awake at night: Is it "tom-ay-to" or ...

The Power of Very Specific Words, with Joel Schwartzberg

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The author of "The Language of Leadership," Joel Schwartzberg, explains how you can make small tweaks to your language to make a big difference in you...

How to Really Talk Like a Pirate. When Do You Need a Comma Before 'Because'?

16 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Based on the history of who was sailing the high seas, it's a good bet pirates sounded a lot more multicultural than Ol’ Long John Silver would have...

Why and When 'Very Unique' Is Wrong. Capitalizing 'Delta Variant' (or Not). Happy to You.

09 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Instead of grinding your teeth about "very unique," pat yourself on the back for recognizing a widespread case of lexical broadening. Plus, we talk ab...

Naked Idioms. Short-Lived. Capitalizing Earth. Hector Protector.

02 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We naked apes have been making up sayings with the word "naked" for a long time. Plus, we talk about how to pronounce "short-lived" and when to capita...

The Origin of 'Honeymoon.' 'Where' Versus 'In Which.' Fevesteter.

26 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does getting married have to do with honey and the moon? What is tricky about the word "where"? Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. ...

Weird Words for Alcohol. Starting a Sentence with 'However.' Fam-ished.

19 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does "Dutch courage" mean? And 10 other weird words for alcohol. Plus, the special thing you have to pay attention to when you start a sentence w...

How Storytelling Makes a Difference (and How to Do It Well)

13 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As much as we'd like to believe that people are convinced by facts, years of cognitive research show that we are convinced by stories and emotions (an...

What's the Opposite of Deja Vu? Commas Between Adjectives

05 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You know about deja vu, but do you know about jemais vu, presque vu, deja lu, deja entendu, and deja reve? Plus, we help you figure out when to put co...

The Best Stories from 15 Years of Grammar Girl

29 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We've gone through a lot of stories and tips in 15 years—more than a thousand. Today, I picked a few of my favorites for you. To sign up for my Adva...

What the Two Spellings of Stationary/ery Have to Do with Booksellers. Why Pronunciations Change.

22 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

"Stationary" and "stationery" have the same ultimate origin, but they evolved to have different meanings and one became tied to paper goods. Also, a r...

'Fish' or 'Fishes'? Why Do We Call Out 'Nothing' as 'Bupkis'?

15 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

"Fish" really does have two plurals. Usually you want "fish," but we talk about the odd examples when "fishes" is the right choice. Plus, "bupkis" can...

'If' Versus 'Whether.' Why We Say 'The Exception That Proves the Rule.'

08 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

"If" and "whether" are often interchangeable, but sometimes using one or the other will change the meaning of your sentence. And if you've ever wonder...

Trundle, Amble, Roam, and Shamble. How Some Preposition Use Has Changed Over Time.

01 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We look at the surprising origins of some of our favorite words for walking. Plus, how do you know when to write "The car almost ran me over" versus "...

Pedantic Nonsense Up with Which I Will Not Put! 'Discreet' or 'Discrete'?

24 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Grammar ...

Starting a Sentence with a Conjunction: Right or Wrong? Good 'Subpar' and Bad 'Subpar.'

17 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Many people have been taught that it's wrong to start a sentence with a conjunction, but nearly all major style guides say doing so is fine. Neal Whit...

How Long Is a Good Sentence? 'Cord' or 'Chord'? Grumple.

10 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How Long Is a Good Sentence? 'Cord' or 'Chord'? Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course. Join the ...

What Made 'Friends' Funny. How Cicadas Got Their Name. Dog Replacer.

03 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You laughed and laughed while watching "Friends." One reason it was funny is that the writers took what you expect from a conversation and flipped it ...

Is 'Graduated College' Wrong? Five Wonderful Latin Phrases.

27 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I'm hearing "graduated college" much more often. Is it still wrong? Plus, five bona fide Latin phrases you can use to describe something wonderful. Su...

'Bring,' 'Take,' and 'Carry.' 'The Queen's Gambit.' Sweepy Thing.

20 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We go through the simple rules for "bring" and "take," but then talk about the fun exceptions and dialect forms. Plus, how "The Queen's Gambit" can he...

Writing Dialogue. 'Associate Degree' or 'Associate's Degree'? Wiffy.

13 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is that dialogue feeling off? We're here to help! Plus, how to write about degrees this graduation season. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular upd...

'Ketchup' or 'Catsup'? How to Punctuate Questions. Gmoing Gmoing.

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you seen the tomato sauce spelled two different ways? "Ketchup" is the better spelling, but the history of the word is pretty interesting. We als...

What Does ‘Op-Ed’ Really Mean? The Perfect Paragraph Length. Items.

29 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

"Op-ed" may not mean what you think it means. Then we discuss how long a paragraph should be. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch ...

The Intrusive "Of." What Makes English Weird.

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We talk about the difference between "a prince of a fellow" and "not too good of a time," and then we look at two things that make English especially ...

How to Write Faster. The Origin of the Odd Letter W

15 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

12 practical tips and tools that will help you write faster in the time you already have. Also, we explore why we call a letter that looks like two V'...

'Borrow' and 'Lend.' When to Use 'Nor.' Boncho.

08 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We use a children's book and a Shakespeare play to talk about "borrow" and "lend," and then we help with the complexities of using "neither" and "nor....

Squirrelly Animal Verbs. 'People,' 'Peoples,' and 'Persons': Why It Matters.

01 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

8.17 To hog, to ram, to bird dog. We run through a fun list of animal-inspired verbs. Plus, amazingly, it wasn't that long ago that usage experts reco...

A vast number of words have surprising origins. We talked about some today, including "scientist," "impressionist," "beatnik," and "paradigm."

25 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A vast number of words have surprising origins. We talked about some today with author Ralph Keyes, including "scientist," "impressionist," "beatnik,"...

'Normalcy' or 'Normality'? A Punctuation Question from a Famous Movie Line. Taco Cats.

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that in the book "Gone with the Wind," Rhett Butler said "My dear..." instead of "Frankly, my dear..."? Also, are we getting back to norm...

It's Not Just March. Other Months Have 'Ides' Too! Are You on the Pig's Back Today?

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Instead of bewaring the ides of March, I'm going to beware engaging with the Roman calendar. What a fascinating mess! In honor of St. Patrick's Day, w...

813 - The History of National Grammar Day. My Favorite Resources. Anniversity

04 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered WHY we celebrate National Grammar Day? Who started this thing anyway? And if you want to do your own grammar research, I'll hel...

812 - Kibosh. Sidekicks. Misolation.

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The origin of "kibosh" is a long-standing mystery in the English language. Yiddish? A whip? Clog-makers tools? We investigate. Also, sidekicks play in...

811 - Inigo Montoya and Coining Phrases. 'Dose' or 'Dosage'?

18 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Coin a phrase? It does not mean what you think it means. And get your dose (or dosage?) right. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch...

810 - Words out of Time. Why 'OK' Is OK.

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Would words and phrases like "operative" and "pump him for information" be out of place in a novel set in the 1800s? We investigate! And we also look ...

809 - Rethink Descriptions Like 'Diabetic.' The Wonderful World of Italics,

04 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Should you call someone a diabetic or a person with diabetes? Also, are you confused about when to use italics? We have the basics (and something that...

808 - 6 Latin Abbreviations You Should Know. 'Imply' or 'Infer'?

28 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

6 Latin Abbreviations You Should Know. 'Imply' or 'Infer'? Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course...

807 - Why We Call Them Sea 'Shanties.' A Trick to Remember How to Spell 'Conscience'

21 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you're enjoying sea shanties these days, have you wondered why they're called "shanties"? Plus, I always have a hard time remembering how to spell ...

806 - Why You Should Try Fanfiction. How to Find Tricky Pronunciations.

14 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why writing fanfiction can make you a better overall writer. Plus, my tricks for figuring out tricky pronunciations. Subscribe to the newsletter for r...

805 - 'Acedia': the lost name for the emotion we're all feeling right now

07 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

"Acedia": the lost name for the emotion we're all feeling right now. Plus, when does "thank you" need a hyphen? Subscribe to the newsletter for regula...

804 - Another Think/Thing Coming. 'Sanction,' 'Cleave,' 'Dust,' and More

31 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Are Americans ruining the put-down "You've got another think coming," or was it the British band Judas Priest? Also, everyone loves Janus words like "...

803 - Pandemic, COVID, anderhalvemetersamenleving: 2020 Words of the Year

24 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It's the Oscars of the language world: word-of-the-year data analysis and voting! A spirited conversation with Merriam-Webster's Emily Brewster about ...

802 - Brandon Sanderson on Writing, Character and Place Names, and the Future

17 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Brandon shares funny stories about character and place names gone wrong, his writing struggles, and what the future holds for his work. Subscribe to t...

801 - How to Get Your 'Just Deserts.' Comma After 'But'? Why?

10 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

More people get the phrase "just deserts" wrong than get it right, but we're here to help! Also, why do some people put a comma after "but"? They shou...

800 - What Did You Step On? And Is That a Desert or a Dessert?

03 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Here's why you can ignore zombie rules and why it's actually better to write "What did you step on?" than "On what did you step?" (But also when you c...

799 - What 'Whence' Has to Do with 'Where Are You At?' 'Regime' or 'Regimen'?

26 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Why the decline of 'whence' and 'whither' led to 'Where are you at?' And weird memory tricks to help you remember the difference between 'regime,' 're...

798 - Why 'Hilarious' Is Funnier than 'Hysterical.' How to Start a Novel.

19 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The root of "hysterical" may surprise you (and make you want to use "hilarious" instead). Also, things to remember when starting a novel. Use the hash...

797 - Why Dickens' Character Names Are So Revealing. 'Continual' or 'Continuous'?

12 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What Dickens can teach you about choosing your characters' names. Plus, how to remember the frustratingly different meanings of "continuous" and "cont...

796 - What Is a 'Crony'? Why Doesn’t 'Veterans Day' Have an Apostrophe?

06 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What Is a 'Crony'? Why Doesn’t 'Veterans Day' Have an Apostrophe? Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Gramma...

795 - Why People Use Scare Quotes. 'Dialog' or 'Dialogue'?

29 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We have some theories on why people write things such as "'fresh' meat." Plus, we dig in to the two spellings of "dialog" (or is that "dialogue"?). Re...

794 - Create Characters as Great as Hamlet. How to Format Internal Dialogue

22 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

6 steps to help you create gripping characters. Plus, we talk about how to format internal dialogue: italics, quotation marks, or nothing? Read the tr...

793 - Why Journalists Use Misspellings Like 'Lede' and 'Spox'

15 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Journalists "bury the lede," not the "lead." But why do they spell it that way? And what do HTK, TK, and CQ stand for? From "hed" to "spox," here's al...

792 - A Totally, Like, Bitchin' Podcast About 'Like'

08 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It's not lazy and it's not just filler, but using "like" too much can still get you in trouble. Read the transcript: Like Use the hashtag #WhereIListe...

791 - 'Although' Versus 'While.' Why We Write with Cliches (and How to Stop)

01 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when I discover that my pet peeve is wrong? Also, why do we write with cliches? Should we stop, and if so, how? Read the transcript: Alth...

790 - 'Laureate' Is Good. Why Is 'Resting on Your Laurels' Bad? 'Smarmy.'

24 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If getting laurels is good, and being a Nobel laureate is good, how did we get to "resting on your laurels" being bad? Also, we learn that the word "s...

789 - How to Make Your Readers Laugh. 'Whoa' or 'Woah'?

17 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Believe it or not, there are actually rules to being funny. Also, do you think "woah" is a separate word from "whoa"? Some people do, and they think i...

788 - Why 'Out of Pocket' Means Both 'Inappropriate' and 'Unavailable'

10 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

People have been asking about the "unavailable" meaning of "out of pocket" for decades, but there's also an "inappropriate" meaning that is spreading....

787 - Why We Associate Political Parties with the Colors Red and Blue

03 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Nick and Hannah explain "red" and "blue," the origin of "POTUS," why the Declaration of Independence is the greatest break-up letter ever written, and...

786 - 'Doomscrolling' (OK, Doomer). 'Each Other' or 'One Another'?

27 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you call it "doomscrolling" or "doomsurfing," it's not your fault that you feel compelled to do it. "Doom" has an interesting history though. ...

785 - 'Gantlet' or 'Gauntlet'? Do You Want to Say 'Had Went'?

20 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Have you been told to write "run the GANTLET"? Here's why you shouldn't. Also, editor Ben Yagoda explains why he's so tempted to use "had went" instea...

784 - A Historical Tip for Remembering When to Use 'Historical.' Put More Thought into Your Punctuation.

13 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kamala Harris's selection as Joe Biden's running mate is important, significant, and a number of firsts, but should we call it "historic" or "historic...

783 - How Hurricanes Get Their Names. When You Should Avoid Using Contractions.

06 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Isaias. Mitch. Andrew. Jimena. How hurricanes get their names, and why you'll see some names twice and others never again. Also, have you ever heard t...

782 - What are those dots over letters? Why does 'money' have a plural, and how do you spell it?

30 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What are those double dots over letters in English? Why does "money" have a plural, and how do you spell it? Read the transcripts: Diaeresis. 'Monies'...

781 - Blursday or Whensday? Middle Grade Versus Young Adult Fiction

23 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Blursday is a popular word to use when you don't know what day of the week it is. It captures that disoriented feeling when everything is a blur. And ...

780 - Which Comes First? Who or Where?

16 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We started to wonder about the question words in the phrase "Who does what and goes where when." Read the transcript. Use the hashtag #WhereIListen to...

779 - How You Can Help the OED. Capitalizing 'Black.' How Playwriting Techniques Can Improve Your Writing.

09 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine the bragging rights: The OED needs your help antedating words. Why you should capitalize "Black." How playwriting techniques can improve your ...

778 - Do We Say 'Red Skies at Night, Sailor's Delight' Because of the Saharan Dust Plumes? Also, 'Yoiks!'

02 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Saharan dust plumes can make the sky red, but they aren't the source of the old saying "Red skies at night, sailor's delight. Red skies in the mor...

777 - How to Write Fight Scenes (and How to Get Started as a Fiction Editor)

25 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Fiction editor Joshua Essoe gives his best tips for writing fight scenes (hint: it's not about the fighting). And he describes how he got his first ed...

776 - Why a Detective Searched for 'Clews' in a 1929 Novel. ‘Systemic’ or ‘Systematic’?

18 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our writer was surprised when he came across "clew" instead of "clue" in a detective novel from 1929, and the explanation includes a great story about...

775 - Why We Talk About 'Bad Apples.' 'A Few' Versus 'a Couple'

11 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We started to wonder why people seem to forget the second half of the saying about bad apples. Plus, we settle a dispute about the difference between ...

774 - Roy Peter Clark on Civic Clarity

04 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Roy Peter Clark has been teaching writing at the Poynter Institute since 1977 and regularly offers up some of the best writing advice I see. Today, we...

773 - Postal Zones. Reenter. Bougie.

28 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How postal zones led to ZIP codes. Why I like to put a hyphen in "re-enter." How "bougie," which today has a negative connotation, came from an older ...

772 - The History of ZIP Codes and Addresses (Plus How to Write Them)

21 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever wondered how to capitalize 'ZIP Code' (or is that 'ZIP code' or 'zip code'?), this one is for you. Plus, I have an interview with Deird...

771 - Writing Lessons from Bad Job Applications

14 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest, Lindsay McMahon of the All Ears English podcast, recently hired and now shares the lessons she learned going through a lot of bad résumés...

770 - 'Muslim' or 'Moslem'? 'Fishfolk'? 'Fishist'? What Is the Gender-Neutral Term for 'Fisherman'?

07 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we use the new spelling "Muslim" and not the older spelling "Moslem" anymore? Also, we talk about AP Stylebook updates and end up on a fun tang...

769 - Why Do We Say 'Cool Your Heels'? What's Up With 'Zhuzh'?

30 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Here's why we say "cool your heels" and "cool your jets"—they're different! Also, we take a close look at the word "zhuzh" which means to make somet...

768 - Why Aren't We 'Whelmed'? And Cabin 'Fever,' Anyone?

23 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We know we can be overwhelmed. Why aren't we ever just whelmed? Also, maybe it was having cabin fever that made us start thinking about all the Englis...

767 - The semicolon is so much more interesting than you imagine

16 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

From 19th century grammatical duels to modern day suicide prevention campaigns, the semicolon has a long history of inspiring strong emotions. Read th...

766 - 'Flaunt' and 'Flout.' 'Band Together.'

09 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The word "flaunt" and "flute" are strangely related (flue of shame, anyone?), but don't use either of them to mean "flout." Read the transcripts. 'Flo...

765 - Say No to Marshall Law. How 'Vaccine' Is Related to 'Cow.'

02 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Why you could be forgiven for (briefly) getting excited about "Marshall Law." Plus, the word "vaccine" is related to cows. That's a surprise! Read the...

764 - Skeleton Crew. Hunker Down. Uncharted. Existential.

26 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Times are terrible, but no matter what is happening, we will always have interesting words and phrases to explore. Read the transcripts. Skeleton Crew...

763 - How to Write Better Email. 'Pandemic' vs. 'Epidemic.' 'Canceled' vs. 'Cancelled.'

19 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Are you writing more email? We have seven ways to do it better. Also, we'll help you understand the difference between an epidemic and a pandemic and ...

762 - How to Pronounce 'Celtic.' 'Whiskey' or 'Whisky'?

12 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sports fans say "Seltik." Historians say "Keltik." Here's the deal. Plus, have you ever noticed that Irish whiskey and Scottish whisky are spelled dif...

761 - Why It's Called 'Daylight Saving Time.' The Origin of the Word 'Woman.'

05 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We're moving our clocks forward this weekend, but do you know why we call it "daylight saving time"? Plus, I have some other time-related tips. Finall...

760 - What Is Genre. 'Bangs' Versus 'Fringe.'

27 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How to figure out which genre you love or how to describe the book you're writing so the publishing industry will understand where it fits. Also, we e...

759 - What Does ‛Mardi Gras’ Mean? "Drive to Work" Versus "Drive Home"

20 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the end of February, which means Mardi Gras is almost here! When we think of Mardi Gras, we picture parties, parades, and beads. But did you ev...

758 - Why 'XOXO' Means 'Hugs and Kisses'

13 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You may write "XOXO" to means "hugs and kisses," but do you know how those symbols get their meaning? LINKS AND SPONSORS | Learn how you can get my Li...

757 - The days of the week are names you've known your whole life, but do you know their origin?

06 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Saturday and Tuesday come from different places. The days of the week are names you've known your whole life, but have you ever wondered about their o...

756 - High Odds or Low Odds?

30 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this Super-Bowl-themed episode, we learn why "high odds" and "low odds" are confusing, we learn why you want a disinterested referee, and in honor ...

755 - How to Write Anything

23 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Develop this one skill and you'll write better essays, profiles, movie reviews, complaint letters, and more. LINKS AND SPONSORS | Learn how you can ge...

754 - The Tie Between Ann Landers and 'Could Care Less.'

16 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Language experts actually have theories about why people say they "could care less" (instead of they "couldn't care less"). We dig deep to find the ro...

753 - Take Heart! Here's Why You Still Have Time to Write Your First Novel

09 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this interview, I talk with Bourne Morris about starting a writing career after you've retired. Bourne had one amazing career running a large adver...

752 - Why Do Asian Languages Have So Many Different Scripts?

02 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You don’t have to learn a new script when you learn Norwegian, Czech, or Portuguese, let alone French, so why does every East Asian language require...

751 - Why Are There So Many Spellings for 'Hanukkah'? (Or Is That 'Chanukah'?)

26 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hebrew and English don't use the same alphabet, which is why you see so many different spellings for "Hanukkah." The word is transliterated from Hebre...