Monday
URBAN/URBANE
“Urban” (adj.) pertains to a city or town. It also can mean citified.
“Urbane” (adj.) means courteous, polite, refined or delicate.
Urban sprawl is considered by many to be a major blight.
The urbane lothario wooed the girl with wine and roses.
Tuesday
PRONUNCIATION DILEMMA
Should the indefinite article "a" be pronounced as in the word "hay" or should it be pronounced as in the word "flat"?
The correct pronunciation of “a” is as in “flat”. “A” as in “hay” is incorrect and regional and is avoided in refined speech.
Wednesday
GROW MISUSE
“You can grow your business exponentially if you have the right vision."
You do not “grow” your business; you develop or expand your business.
The farmer does not “grow” a crop; a crop “grows” by itself.
"These type of girls are to be avoided."
“Types” must be used; “type” is singular and incorrect because “these girls” is plural.
Thursday
COMPLEMENTARY/COMPLIMENTARY
One is “complimentary” when one pays another a compliment as an expression of praise.
“Complementary” means completing or making whole such as in complementary angles.
Friday
WHO/WHOM
“Who” is subjective and is used in referring to the doer of the action.
“Whom” is objective and is used in designating the receiver of the action.
“Who is going to correct all these errors? “Who” is subject of the verb “is going”.
"I shall choose whom I want to be on my team." “Whom” is object of the verb “want”.
WORDS OF THE DAY
“Reprehensible" (adj.) means blameworthy, unethical, unjust.
“Inscrutable" (adj.) means mystifying, impenetrable, incapable of being scrutinized.
“Exacerbate" (v.) means to aggravate, irritate or increase the bitterness of feeling.
"Circumspect" (adj.) means watchful, cautious or prudent.
"Voluptuous" (adj.) means full of luxurious or sensuous pleasure or enjoyment.
LABOUR DAY - Monday, September 3, 2007
There will be no blog entry on Labour Day.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Friday, August 31, 2007
A SIMPLE CHALLENGE
WHO/WHOM
What is the difference between "who" and "whom"?
When is each word used in sentences? Explain the reasons for your choices.
TODAY'S WORD
"Voluptuous" is today's word.
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
WORD REVIEW
Here are the words that I posted on the blog over June, July and August.
Can you remember the meanings of all of them?
Have you attempted to use any of them in your speech or writing?
Apotheosis, Assuage, Atrocious, Axiomatic, Chivalrous, Circumspect, Coercion, Conundrum, Coruscate, Disingenuous, Effete, Efficacy, Exacerbate, Excoriate, Exculpatory, Fallacious, Feckless, Fulsome, Idiot, Imbecile, Ineffable, Ingratiate, Inscrutable, Insipient, Matriarchy, Moron, Nefarious, Nescience, Obfuscation, Obtuse, Penultimate, Perorate, Platitudinous, Pretentious, Putridity, Rapacious, Redress, Reprehensible, Reprobate, Scrupulous, Specious, Spurious, Suffice, Turpitude, Voluptuous, Xenophobia
CORRECTIONS AND EXPLANATIONS
The corrections and explanations will be posted tomorrow instead of Sunday.
What is the difference between "who" and "whom"?
When is each word used in sentences? Explain the reasons for your choices.
TODAY'S WORD
"Voluptuous" is today's word.
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
WORD REVIEW
Here are the words that I posted on the blog over June, July and August.
Can you remember the meanings of all of them?
Have you attempted to use any of them in your speech or writing?
Apotheosis, Assuage, Atrocious, Axiomatic, Chivalrous, Circumspect, Coercion, Conundrum, Coruscate, Disingenuous, Effete, Efficacy, Exacerbate, Excoriate, Exculpatory, Fallacious, Feckless, Fulsome, Idiot, Imbecile, Ineffable, Ingratiate, Inscrutable, Insipient, Matriarchy, Moron, Nefarious, Nescience, Obfuscation, Obtuse, Penultimate, Perorate, Platitudinous, Pretentious, Putridity, Rapacious, Redress, Reprehensible, Reprobate, Scrupulous, Specious, Spurious, Suffice, Turpitude, Voluptuous, Xenophobia
CORRECTIONS AND EXPLANATIONS
The corrections and explanations will be posted tomorrow instead of Sunday.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
EASY ENTRIES?
COMPLEMENTARY/COMPLIMENTARY
Explain the difference in meaning between "complimentary" and "complementary".
WORD OF THE DAY
"Circumspect" is today's word.
Define "circumspect" and use it in your speech today.
TOMORROW
Tomorrow, I will present the second list of words that I have asked you to define over the last few months.
Explain the difference in meaning between "complimentary" and "complementary".
WORD OF THE DAY
"Circumspect" is today's word.
Define "circumspect" and use it in your speech today.
TOMORROW
Tomorrow, I will present the second list of words that I have asked you to define over the last few months.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Gnarled Diction
TWO TERRIBLE MISUSES
What is wrong below? Why?
"You can grow your business from FedEx."
...from a FedEx commercial on TV
"These type of girls are to be avoided."
...from too many illiterate newscasters
A GOOD WORD
"Exacerbate" is a good word; it has character.
Define "exacerbate" and use it is your speaking today.
What is wrong below? Why?
"You can grow your business from FedEx."
...from a FedEx commercial on TV
"These type of girls are to be avoided."
...from too many illiterate newscasters
A GOOD WORD
"Exacerbate" is a good word; it has character.
Define "exacerbate" and use it is your speaking today.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
OPINION WANTED
PRONUNCIATION DILEMMA
Should the indefinite article "a" be pronounced as in the word "hay" or should it be pronounced as in the word "flat"?
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "inscrutable".
Define the word and use it in your speech today.
Should the indefinite article "a" be pronounced as in the word "hay" or should it be pronounced as in the word "flat"?
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "inscrutable".
Define the word and use it in your speech today.
Monday, August 27, 2007
A PURIST'S DILEMMA
URBAN/URBANE
What is the difference in meaning between "urban" and "urbane"?
PHRASES I LOATHE
"You can grow your business exponentially if you have the right vision."
This has become a common expression but is a total misuse of language.
What is the problem? Why? Correct it.
WORD OF THE DAY
Today' word is "reprehensible".
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
What is the difference in meaning between "urban" and "urbane"?
PHRASES I LOATHE
"You can grow your business exponentially if you have the right vision."
This has become a common expression but is a total misuse of language.
What is the problem? Why? Correct it.
WORD OF THE DAY
Today' word is "reprehensible".
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - August 26, 2007
Monday
WHAT IS WRONG?
He sat inside of the snow cave.
The bear tore the bark off of the tree.
The word “of” following another prepositions such as “outside”, “inside”, “off” or “atop” is redundant and unacceptable.
Corrections
He sat inside the snow cave.
The bear tore the bark off the tree.
Tuesday
"Some report waiting lists of customers anxious to test drive the new vans, according to Dave Buckingham, vice-president of sales for Chrysler Canada."
The word “anxious” comes from the word “anxiety” which means “distress” or “uneasiness” and is not what the author intends in the sentence.
He should use “eager” meaning “keen” or “ardent” in desire.
Correction
"Some report waiting lists of customers eager to test drive the new vans, according to Dave Buckingham, vice-president of sales for Chrysler Canada."
Wednesday
You should have went to the movies with them.
“Gone” is the past participle of “to go”. As the verb, it must be preceded by an auxiliary verb such as “has”, “have”, “had”, “is” “am”, “are”, “was”, “were”, “be” or one of their contractions.
“Went” is the past tense of “to go”. It never takes an auxiliary verb.
Thursday
WHICH IS CORRECT?
“Her renown as a hated stage mother is legendary,” is correct.
‘Her reknown as a hated stage mother is legendary,” is incorrect because “reknown” is not a word.
Friday
AGGRAVATE/IRRITATE
“Aggravate” means to make worse. “Certain businesses aggravate the problem of global warming by refusing to lower their toxic emissions.”
“Irritate” means to inflame or exasperate. “Your constant whining irritates me.”
WORDS I LIKE
"Coruscate" (v.) means to emit vivid flashes of light, to sparkle or to gleam
The noun form is “coruscation”.
The sparklers coruscate brilliantly in the night air.
"Insipient" (adj.) means a lack of knowledge or folly.
The ham actor’s constant crying about his “need to be motivated” was insipient and frustrating.
"Ineffable" (adj.) means inexpressible, unspeakable or that which should not be uttered.
The ineffable horror of the flooding was in the minds of everyone.
"Disingenuous" (adj.) means lacking in frankness, candor or sincerity.
The politician’s comments about truly representing his constituents were disingenuous and laughable.
"Coercion" (n.) means forcible restraint or government by force.
The tyrant used coercion and brutality to maintain his regime.
PHRASES I HATE
"No problem."
"No problem." is often used in place of “you’re welcome”. It is often used to indicate that the speaker is “cool” and can handle a problem. It is trite, disingenuous and patronizing.
I think, with respect, that your opinions are short sighted and wrong."
“With respect” is often used by debaters and pundits who disagree with their opponents. The phrase is hollow, hypocritical and usually insincere. It is about as honest as Rush Limbaugh saying he respects the opinions of Jon Stewart.
WHAT IS WRONG?
He sat inside of the snow cave.
The bear tore the bark off of the tree.
The word “of” following another prepositions such as “outside”, “inside”, “off” or “atop” is redundant and unacceptable.
Corrections
He sat inside the snow cave.
The bear tore the bark off the tree.
Tuesday
"Some report waiting lists of customers anxious to test drive the new vans, according to Dave Buckingham, vice-president of sales for Chrysler Canada."
The word “anxious” comes from the word “anxiety” which means “distress” or “uneasiness” and is not what the author intends in the sentence.
He should use “eager” meaning “keen” or “ardent” in desire.
Correction
"Some report waiting lists of customers eager to test drive the new vans, according to Dave Buckingham, vice-president of sales for Chrysler Canada."
Wednesday
You should have went to the movies with them.
“Gone” is the past participle of “to go”. As the verb, it must be preceded by an auxiliary verb such as “has”, “have”, “had”, “is” “am”, “are”, “was”, “were”, “be” or one of their contractions.
“Went” is the past tense of “to go”. It never takes an auxiliary verb.
Thursday
WHICH IS CORRECT?
“Her renown as a hated stage mother is legendary,” is correct.
‘Her reknown as a hated stage mother is legendary,” is incorrect because “reknown” is not a word.
Friday
AGGRAVATE/IRRITATE
“Aggravate” means to make worse. “Certain businesses aggravate the problem of global warming by refusing to lower their toxic emissions.”
“Irritate” means to inflame or exasperate. “Your constant whining irritates me.”
WORDS I LIKE
"Coruscate" (v.) means to emit vivid flashes of light, to sparkle or to gleam
The noun form is “coruscation”.
The sparklers coruscate brilliantly in the night air.
"Insipient" (adj.) means a lack of knowledge or folly.
The ham actor’s constant crying about his “need to be motivated” was insipient and frustrating.
"Ineffable" (adj.) means inexpressible, unspeakable or that which should not be uttered.
The ineffable horror of the flooding was in the minds of everyone.
"Disingenuous" (adj.) means lacking in frankness, candor or sincerity.
The politician’s comments about truly representing his constituents were disingenuous and laughable.
"Coercion" (n.) means forcible restraint or government by force.
The tyrant used coercion and brutality to maintain his regime.
PHRASES I HATE
"No problem."
"No problem." is often used in place of “you’re welcome”. It is often used to indicate that the speaker is “cool” and can handle a problem. It is trite, disingenuous and patronizing.
I think, with respect, that your opinions are short sighted and wrong."
“With respect” is often used by debaters and pundits who disagree with their opponents. The phrase is hollow, hypocritical and usually insincere. It is about as honest as Rush Limbaugh saying he respects the opinions of Jon Stewart.
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