language

When DEI means Deny, Exclude, Intrude

The daily stroll last week took us down Claremont Avenue where large picture window affords a passing glimpse into a…

1 year ago

Language Matters and the Mother Tongue

Lots of appropriately scornful responses to the charity Oxfam's Inclusive Language Guide  published this week. First of all, it's 92…

2 years ago

Cats and Pronouns

Cats and Dogs Dogs have owners; cats have staff. That's now a familiar saying but just as accurate nonetheless And…

2 years ago

The House of Cards

Coming out of the Irish government this week is a truly helpful definition of “gender”. So for all you folks…

2 years ago

Gobbledegook, Gibberish, and Deep Joy

Are you all sitty comftybold two-square on your botty? Then I'll begin. If you're a Brit of a certain vintage…

2 years ago

The Intersectional Cellar Door

I once shared the idea that 'cellar door' was considered by some to be the most beautiful sounding phrase in…

2 years ago

Wordle and Boxed

Together with half of the known universe, I added Wordle to my daily routine. I was first aware of it…

2 years ago

Eye-Rhyme Blues

eye rhyme /ˈī ˌrīm/ noun An eye rhyme, also called a visual rhyme or a sight rhyme, is a rhyme…

3 years ago

Simple Pleasures and Stickybeaking

Stickybeak  NOUN: an intrusive, meddlesome, busybody, nosy parker who sticks their nose (beak) into other people's business. The act of…

3 years ago

Large Dog Eats Anything Loves Children

It’s always fun when a tiresome book about the rules of the English language gets debunked and when some clever…

3 years ago

Snow Day Distraction

Unpaired Words Prefix or Suffix reversed or left off. They have no in-, no un-, no dis-, and no -less.…

4 years ago

A Heap of Broken Images

What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow Out of this stony rubbish? Son of man, You cannot say,…

4 years ago

An Abundance of Caution

In an abundance of caution, Density reducing, I stay at home. I keep my social distance Leave bleach and hand…

5 years ago

Game of Swans

A group of swans is a wedge when they're in flight, likely because of the shape a group of swans takes in…

5 years ago

All Hands Above Board for the Scuttlebutt

It's always fun when someone you know - a friend - has a book published. Here's Three Sheets to the…

5 years ago