Friday, December 14, 2007

SIMPLE BUT NECESSARY

CAN/MAY

I am appalled that I should even have to consider this one, but it is a problem that has to be noted.
What is the difference in meaning and usage in the words "may" and "can"?


WORD OF THE DAY

The word for today is "anomaly".
Define "anomaly" and use it in your speech today.

CORRECTIONS AND EXPLANATIONS

Corrections and explanations for this week's postings will be published Sunday.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

SOME RADIO EFFORTS

TRY THIS ONE

I am paraphrasing this one, but I almost swallowed my teeth when I happened to hear this. What is the error? Do not consider that it is an incomplete thought.

"...with myself, Arms Bumanlag at Radio 800 CKLW..."
Arms Bumanlag, CKLW Morning Show, Thursday, December 13, 2007.


HERE'S ANOTHER

What is the error is this sentence?

"There were a bunch there."
Lisa Williams, The Morning Drive, AM 800 CKLW, Wednesday, December 12, 2007, 7:35 am.

AND YET ANOTHER!

What is wrong in the sentence below?

"A crash at Lincoln and Wyandotte has now cleared."
Peter Straw, AM 800 CKLW News, Thursday, December 13, 2007, 9:00 am.


TODAY'S WORD

I like this one.
The word for today is "simulacrum".
Define "simulacrum" and use it in a sentence.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

SEMI-TOUGH

BROOCH/BROACH

What is the difference in meaning between "brooch" and "broach"?


WORD OF THE DAY

The word for the day is "inveterate".
Define "inveterate" and use it in a sentence.


QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

Who is the author of the following quotation?

"Everything is funny as long as it is happening to Somebody Else."

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

TSK! TSK!

TWO FOR ONE! A GREAT DEAL!

Identify and correct the errors in the following:

"Because the members of Ontario's Ministry of Transportation licence plate review committee seem like a dour bunch with too much time on their hands and not enough sense in their heads."
Lead Editorial, "Vanity Plates", The Windsor Star, Tuesday, December 11, 2007.

"Hopefully, this panel will have a sense of humour. And some restraint."
Lead Editorial, "Vanity Plates", The Windsor Star, Tuesday, December 11, 2007.

TODAY'S WORD

The word for today is "mordant".

Define "mordant" and use it in a sentence.

Monday, December 10, 2007

EASY START

MONDAY EYE OPENERS


ORDINANCE/ORDNANCE

What is the difference between "ordinance" and "ordnance"?

SETUP/SET UP

Which is correct: "setup" or "set up"?
Explain your choices.


TODAY'S WORD

The word for today is "confluence".

Define "confluence" and use it in a sentence.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - December 9, 2007

Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's postings.

Monday

CANDELABRUM

Candelabrum” is a branched ornament containing lights.
The root is the Latin “candela” meaning branched candle.
Candelabra” is the plural form. “Candelabrums” is incorrect.
The confusion is in the “branching” concept of the item because a candelabrum has multiple arms.


Tuesday

What are the errors in the sentences below? (Hint: check punctuation also.)

Before that, she says to me, "Keep still."
“She says” is incorrect and unacceptable.
The terminal period should be outside the final quotation mark.

Before that, she said to me, "Keep still".

Set down on this couch.
“Set down” demands an object. The context demands “sit”.
Sit down on this couch.

Sit the money on the counter.
The action is performed on something so “Set” must be used.
Set the money on the counter.

The child felt kind of lonely.
“Kind of” is not acceptable. “Of” should have an object because it is a preposition, such as in, “This is a kind of (meaning type) orange”.
The child felt rather lonely.


Wednesday

BURST/BUST/BUSTED

Bust”, meaning "blow up, burst or explode" and “busted” are nonstandard and unacceptable; use “burst” in this context.
Burst” is the same in the present, past and past participle forms.


Thursday

How many errors can you find in the sentence below?

"Paint isn't the only way lead gets in toys."
Paint doesn’t “get into” something; it is incapable of action so the structure is inane.
“In” is incorrect; it should be “into”.
The sentence should be reworded to make proper sense.

"Paint isn't the only way toys can be contaminated with lead."


Friday

Identify the errors in the following; be sure to give supporting reasons:

1. She asked Natalie and I to be guardians.
“I” cannot be used as an object; “me” must be used.
She asked Natalie and me to be guardians.

2. He implied from her stare that she was angry at him.
“Imply” means to suggest indirectly. “Infer” means to conclude or solve by guessing. In this sentence “he” is deducing a conclusion, so “infer” must be used.
He inferred from her stare that she was angry at him.

3. She wrote him a love letter and he responded back.
“Respond means to answer; therefore “back” is redundant and must be dropped.
She wrote him a love letter and he responded.

4. Snowfalls are reoccuring events in Canada's north.
There is no such word as “reoccuring”. Even if there were, it would be misspelled.
Snowfalls are recurring events in Canada's north.


THIS WEEK’S WORDS

Expository" (adj.) means to expose, clarify, set forth or elucidate.

Rationale" (n.) means an explanation, a principle or a statement of reasons.

Sanctimonious" (adj.) means self-righteous or excessively or hypocritically pious.

Chicanery" (n.) means guile, trickery or deceptiveness.

Cogent" (adj.) means persuasive, effective or forceful, as in a forceful or thoughtful presentation.



LITERARY LEGEND

Identify the author, work and speaker of the following; be really clever and explain the reason for the statement:

"It is a far, far, better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."

Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities.
This last line of the novel was said by Sydney Carton who had taken the place of another to be executed by guillotine during the French Revolution. It completed the resurrection theme of giving one’s life for another.