Friday, January 11, 2008

A FULL FRIDAY

A POSER

Are there errors in the following entry?

"For example, despite a ground breaking ceremony in September for the rebuilding of Benson elementary school, the project that was supposed to start in October is on hold until a financial dispute with the province can be resolved."
Monica Wolfson, "Ont. cost concerns put schools on hold." The Windsor Star, Friday, January 11, 2008.

WORDS

Below are the words that have been posted on the blog from September 1 to December 19, 2007. Have you used any? Can you remember the meanings? Can you correctly pronounce them?

Anomoly, aphorism, axiomatic, aemused, bumptious, cataclysm, catharsis, chicanery, cogent, collusion, confluence, desultory, disparate, egregious, emasculate, ephemeral, esoteric, exactitude, expiate, expiation, expository, fallacious, flippant, genteel, germane, harlequin, histrionic, iconoclast, intrepid, inveterate, jejune, laconic, libertine, libidinous, ludicrous, lugubrious, maladroit, melange, miscreant, misogamy, misogyny, mordant, moue, mundane, obviate, pandemic, paucity, pejorative, penultimate, perturbation, pretentious, prissy, profligacy, profligate, rapacious, rationale, recidivism, reprobate, rhapsodic, salacious, salient, sanctimonious, satiate, scintilla, scurrilous, sepulchral, simulacrum, slovenly, spurious, supercilious, sylvan, threnody, untoward, vapid, vitiate, xenophobia.


TODAY'S WORD

The word for today is "ratiocination".


CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS

Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted on Sunday.
Define "ratiocination" and use it in a sentence.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

A WEE CHALLENGE

SINGLE/SINGULAR

What is the difference in meaning and use in the words "single" and "singular"?


TODAY'S WORD

The word for today, as chosen by a friend, is "miasma".
Define "miasma" and use it in a sentence.


TOMORROW

Tomorrow I will post a list of the "Words of the Day" that were used over the last few months. The test will be whether or not you learned or used any of them.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

A TOUGH ONE

HOW MANY ERRORS?

I suggest there is more than one error below. You judge.

"Because police seized the machine loaded with customer information, none of the customers at the bank were victimized by the scammers, but the machines are usually reused and it is being reviewed to see what other information it contains."
Chris Thompson, "ATM scam foiled", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, January 9, 2008.


TODAY'S WORD


The word for today is "asperity".
Define "asperity" and use it in a sentence.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

SHORT AND SHARP

ANYONE/ANY ONE


What is the difference between "anyone" and "any one"?

Use each in a sentence that clearly demonstrates the differences in meaning.



TODAY'S WORD

The word for today is "acuity".

Define "acuity" and use it in a sentence.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

NEW YEAR! NEW LOOK! SAME OLD!

AN HONOUR - THANK YOU

Michael's English Usage has been nominated by the 2007 Canadian Blog Awards as "Best Educational Blog".
I confess to knowing nothing about the association nor the awards but I am happy my blog has been noticed.
I also confess to knowing nothing about the voting and/or selection procedure.
If anyone would like to enlighten me, please click on "Comment" below and educate me.


PROFESSIONAL POT POURRI

Here is a sampling of English abuse and misuse that attracted my attention over the Christmas break.
What are the errors? Correct them.

"One in five bishops face axe in shrinking parishes."
Jonathan Petre, sub-title of "Anglican church set to lay off costly clergy", The Windsor Star, Thursday, December 27, 2007.

"Where do you get your instructors from for the show?"
Melanie Deveau, "Windsor Now With Melanie Deveau", Friday, January 4, 2008, 5:33 pm.

"Not only have the majority of the firm's partners been on board for more than 20 years, Bartlet and Richardes can also boast of having four former partners named to the bench - John Aylesworth, George Urquhart, Arthur Jessop and Richard Gates."
David Hall, "City law firm marks 120 years of service", The Windsor Star, Saturday, January 5, 2008.

"In other words, once a deal is in the can, so there can be no backsliding."
Gord Henderson, "Dilkens hits a nerve", The Windsor Star, Saturday, January 5, 2008.


THE YEAR'S FIRST WORD

The first word is "sophomoric".
Define "sophomoric" and use it in a sentence. (You might consider using the entries listed above as the catalyst for the creation of your sentence.)