From the category archives:

WORDS & GRAMMAR

NAIF : pertaining to a naive, or inexperienced person*

September 4, 2010

A book in my library which remains a favorite is called “Paris et les Naifs.” It is a compilation of paintings about Paris, including some children’s work and some adult works.  But all are accomplished in the genre of art called naif. When I pull the book from my library I find myself gazing at [...]

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ORIENTATE: a form of “orient”: to face east

September 3, 2010

For years I have rejected the word orientate as being just a sloppy way of pronouncing the word “orient.” It seemed to me that the word orientate was another one of those words that comes down to us through its use in the military.
However, I was surprised to discover that the dictionaries I consult agree [...]

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BLACK SWAN: an unanticipated, but story-changing event

September 2, 2010

It pays to read other blogs on a regular basis.  One of my favorites is called “Throw Grammar From the Train.” It is an occasional blog which explores grammatical issues, many times with a tongue firmly planted in the cheek.  The other day the author explored the grammatical errors in a graphic used to supplement [...]

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WATCH/WARNING: hurricane on the way

September 1, 2010

The photo at the right shows Hurricane Earl as seen from outer space by astronauts aboard the Space Station.  It is massive, already churning up to over 135 mile per hour winds and moving at a rapid 12 miles per hour toward the East Coast.  There is a possibility that we may see Earl on [...]

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OVERSTREET: a place where dreams were born

August 31, 2010

The village I grew up in was a small community in Upstate New York.  I didn’t know it was a small town when I was growing up.  I had to develop that perspective by leaving, first for college, then for good.  Several years ago I was in a conversation with someone who had worked at [...]

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SAGACIOUS: wise

August 30, 2010

It is clear to me that people regularly confuse the meaning of the word “wise” to mean intelligent, smart, or scholarly.  While it may be true at times that these qualities apply to a wise person, it is not appropriate to say that the words are synonymous.  All smart, intelligent, scholarly people are not wise.  [...]

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DEFERENCE: respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, will, etc., of another

August 29, 2010

There are some who would identify deference as a weakness.  In an age and society in which getting ahead at any cost prevails, the idea of acknowledging the superiority of another can be seen as a sign of inferiority.  Those who strive for the top of the pile might subscribe to the theory that one [...]

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CONTRETEMPS: an awkward or difficult situation or mishap

August 28, 2010

Everyone has a story to tell about an embarrassing moment when the wrong word spurts out, or something of the sort.  An interesting word to describe that moment is contretemps, obviously a French word that has found its way into usage in the English language.  Those difficult moments are a nightmare waiting to happen. 
The other [...]

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FRAUGHT: showing or producing tension or anxiety:

August 27, 2010

An article in the New York Times used an interesting phrase when reporting about the mission of former President Jimmy Carter to North Korea this week.  He went to secure the release of an American citizen who had been imprisoned for illegal entry into North Korea.  (Last night it was reported that Carter was successful [...]

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SNEAKERS: a rubber-soled shoe

August 26, 2010

My blog-friend, Newport Betty, raised a question which I have asked a number of times myself.   She was commenting on her daughter’s sneakers and posed the question:
“Where does the name sneakers come from, anyway?”
I had a vague idea what the answer might look like, but it was worth spending some time researching the issue, since [...]

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