Said and Read
Words fascinate me. Their origins, their meanings, their evolution — all of that interests me, and has for as long as I can remember. Words are the building blocks of thought, and the pathway to other minds. They give us a way to externalize the complex and ephemeral thoughts and feelings that make each of us unique in the history and future of the world. In this blog, I’ll share my exploration of (and enthusiasm for) words, language, and communication. I’ll try for a good mix in trivia, tips, and observations.
If Shakespeare Worked in Corporate Communications
A fun part of ghostwriting or drafting speeches is trying to capture the distinct style and "voice" of someone else's language. Over the past few weeks I’ve been playing around with the idea of how certain famous writers would have fared in the corporate setting....
Rethinking Brevity
The most-repeated advice to communications professionals in the digital era is "shorter is better." I preached it, too, especially when I was doing a lot of web work. It is often great advice, but I've come to think we've been emphasizing the wrong thing. I suspect...
We’ve Heard It All Before
Here’s a simple way to check for cliches in your writing.
Junk English
Junk English comes in many flavors, some of which are very addictive. Overused phrases. Buzz words. Hyperbole. Euphemisms. Filler words. We usually don't notice or mind when someone uses these devices in speech – and most of us do. Sometimes they have redeeming...
Noah Webster, Demoralized
Last weekend, I visited Dearborn, MI — specifically, the Henry Ford [museum] and Greenfield Village. Lots of interesting old cars and so on in the museum, as you'd expect. (My favorites: the Bugatti and the X-Prize winner.) Greenfield Village was good, too. The...
Philology & Logophilia
One of Dictionary.com’s words of the day last week was “philology.” An interesting word. The second definition given, which is the more familiar one now, is “the study of literary texts and of written records” – usually related to determining meaning, authenticity,...
Editorial Oops
I'm so glad that people sometimes say — and write — unwittingly funny, telling, or bizarre things. Even the most articulate people and the most well-edited publications are subject to editorial slip-ups, and you just have to be grateful for that. I, for one, can laugh...
The Back Streets of Vocabulary
Learning new words is something profound. A new word can bring a new idea into focus. Vocabulary is the foundation of thought. There doesn't seem to be a standard answer to "how many words are there in the English language". The problems with counting are pretty...
Karmic Apostrophes
It's not an obsession, this thing I have about apostrophes. It's just that the poor things are so misunderstood and misused! When I notice one in the wrong place, I can't get it out of my mind. It's the same feeling I get when I'm visiting someone's home and the...
Does the First Sentence Really Matter?
I just started reading Maphead, by Ken Jennings, and I am already sure I’m going to love it. It's the kind of book I'm inclined to like—but I am only a few pages in and already hooked. How? Writing instructors often stress the importance of the first sentence, and I...