Not long ago I learned a new word: “mondegreen,” from Throw Grammar from the Train . A “mondegreen” is a misinterpretation, most often of song lyrics, by a listener. The word comes from author Sylvia Wright who heard the words “Lady Mondegreen” in a Scottish ballad. She thought they sang: Ye highlands and ye lowlands Oh…
Today’s post is a spontaneous outburst, unlike most of my painfully extracted posts. Fodor’s Japan (2012) states that “Karaoke is a Japanese institution whose rabid popularity cannot be understated.” What does that MEAN? That we can’t go low enough in our statement because the popularity is so infinitely low? I don’t think so! It was intended to mean…
I was without internet for nigh 60 hours as we went on a weekend excursion to the Sunshine Coast, a couple of hours north of Brissie. Note that I am catching on to Aussie-speak. The first rule is that fewer simpler syllables are better than long complex ones.
When walking a city for hours with no particular purpose except to get to know the place, one stops and reads plaques and cornerstones.
Note: Dr. B is a guest contributor author to this blog, answering questions you send in. Dr. B took quite a bit of time to craft this response, as it seems he/she/it is not gainfully employed elsewhere. Question: Dr. B, Clarely mentioned a Dr. Blithering in an earlier post. I believe that is his first name and his…
Yes, it has been hot in Toronto this week (over 37 degrees plus humidity) but that is true all over the continent except for the west coast, where we’ve scarcely had the opportunity to remove our winter jackets. I went for a 20 minute stroll, not too fast. Here is what I found on the…
A linguist’s blog on the most annoying grammar mistakes has inspired me to review two of my favourite books (see my page called Favourite Things). I am surprised by how many language fans are not familiar with the classic by H.W. Fowler – Modern English Usage, and I am dismayed because they are missing a wonderful thing . I…
Czech is a difficult language of very limited usefulness. Even so I feel a bit guilty about my lack of effort. I just take the role of accessory to my husband and have not made much attempt to learn it. This brings me to last night, standing in the cold crisp dark evening locked outside…
Seeing Clarely 