A blog on the idiosyncrasies of today’s fast-moving, social-media-driven language managed by 20-year-plus public relations writer Joseph Priest. l write “e-mail” with a hyphen, detest the word “issue,” and abbreviate “microphone” as “mike.” Got a language question? Bring it on.
Recent Posts
‘Catsup’ or ‘Ketchup’? ‘Barbecue’ or ‘Barbeque’?
August is a perfect time to clarify the spellings of two favorite summertime delicacies.
Fits Like a Glove (Not)
Does the “kid” in the expression “kid gloves” really mean what most people think it means?
Generation Gap
Many people seem to be one generation removed when it comes to writing the names of people born from 1981 to 1996 and people born from 1997 to 2013.
‘Artificial Intelligence,’ ‘artificial intelligence’ or ‘AI’?
Perhaps we need an artificial intelligence tool to help us to be able to write the name of this technology correctly.
Heavenly Names
The solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, offered a good reason to brush up on these terms.
A Seasonal Phenomenon
Is the start of a new season a reason for a capital letter?
A Super-Common Misspelling
Ready for the NFL championship game?
Happy ‘New Year’ or ‘new year’?
A common January expression is much more confusing than it looks.
What Does the ‘X’ Stand for in ‘Xmas’?
Is “Xmas” rude — or right? The meaning of the first letter of this controversial word may surprise a lot of people.