Grammar Girl: For Writers and Language Lovers.

1028. This week, we look at the weird situation when you want to add a suffix (such as "-less") to a plural-only noun such as "pants" or "scissors" — with a fun detour for some pants-related idioms. Then, with a new "Beetlejuice" in theaters, we look at the fascinating origin of the name and its role in mythology throughout the ages. The "pantless" segment is by Jim Norrena, MFA, who has been writ...

1027. This week, I talk with forensic linguist Natalie Schilling about how people's language gives them away — in manifestos, ransom notes, text messages, and more. Natalie Schilling is a professor emerita of linguistics at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and runs a forensic linguistics consulting firm. You can find her on LinkedIn . 🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat. 🔗...

1026. This week, we look at the origins of words for men, including the ancient roots of "man," the surprising evolution of the word "guy" from being an insult to just another word, and how "guido" took a different route. Then, for some Halloween fun, we look at the difference between crypts, catacombs, mausoleums, and ossuaries, with an emphasis on their fascinating origins and some famous exampl...

1025. Have you ever wondered where meeting terms like “quorum” or “proxy” come from? In this episode, Jim Slaughter looks at the linguistic origins and historical contexts of these and other common parliamentary words. We discuss the evolution of words like “bylaws,” why minutes aren't related to time,  how “filibuster” is connected to pirates, and why “majority” is often misunderstood. Jim Slaugh...

1024. It often sounds weird if you try to end a sentence with a contraction like "you're" and "I'm." We look at why! Then, get ready for Halloween with the language of fear. The "contractions" segment is by  Neal Whitman, an independent writer and consultant specializing in language and grammar and a member of the Reynoldsburg, Ohio, school board. You can search for him by name on Facebook, or fin...

1023.  I felt like I could write anything after this discussion with Anne Lamott about painful first drafts, beating perfectionism, and the one thing she'd change in "Bird by Bird."  Best of all, you can meet Anne yourself at the upcoming Writers Rising conference . Use the code grammargirl10 for a 10% discount. 🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat. 🔗  Watch my LinkedIn Learning wr...

1022. This week, we look at election terms like “president-elect” and “lame duck” and how they're used during a U.S. presidential transition. Then, I dig into my favorite kind of hot grammar news: people in Germany are angry about apostrophes!  The "election words" segment is by Karen Lunde Hertzberg, a former Quick and Dirty Tips editor who has crafted hundreds of articles on the art of writing w...

1021. This week, Christopher Penn talks about the  role of AI tools like ChatGPT in writing and editing. We look at common misconceptions about how AI works and best practices for writing prompts. We also talk about privacy concerns, bias, fact-checking, and our concerns for the future. Whether you use these tools daily, tried them a long time ago and decided they aren't for you, or are just curio...

1020. This week, we shed light on quirky restaurant slang like “kill it” and “Chef Mike.” Then, we tackle the long-standing debate over what to call residents of Michigan — "Michiganders" or "Michiganians" — and what Abraham Lincoln has to do with it. The "kitchen lingo" segment is by  Susan K. Herman, a retired multidisciplined language analyst, editor, and instructor for the federal government....

1019. This week, Jonathan Small, author of "Write About Now," shares what he's learned about the common struggles writers face throughout their careers. His book highlights stories from bestselling authors about their beginnings, the risks they took, and how they handled early rejection. I was especially surprised by the stories of shockingly bold decisions that launched more than one successful a...

1018. This week, we look at the meanings of the word "board," including the differences between board games, table games, and table-top games. We also look at the punctuation of participial phrases, helping you understand when to use commas in sentences like "She yelled at me, making me cry" versus "She is the lady making me cry." The "board" segment is by  Samantha Enslen, who runs Dragonfly Edit...

1017. How did British words find their way into American English? Author Ben Yagoda shares insights with us from his new book "Gobsmacked!" We learn about words like "brilliant" and "ginger" that have crossed the pond, some words you might think came from Britain (but didn't), which politicians are prone to using Britishisms, and why some adopted terms might sound more pretentious than others to A...

1016. This week, we look at why some verbs are so irregular that their forms don't even seem related, like "go" and "went." Then, we look at the surprising finding that corporate euphemisms are worse than annoying — they can also hurt a company's stock price. The "suppletion" segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "...

1015. The Chicago Manual of Style is updated every seven years, and this year's update is a big one! I talked with two of the editors — Russell Harper and Mary Laur — about the major changes, how the decisions get made, and the history of the CMOS (pronounced "sea moss"). 🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat. 🔗  Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses . 🔗  Subscribe to the news...

1014. This week, we debunk misconceptions about gendered language, tracing the etymology of words like "cockamamie" and "gynecology." We also look at the flexibility of English grammar, examining how common words like "that" and "up" can function as different parts of speech in various contexts. The "gendered words" segment was written by Samantha Enslen, who runs Dragonfly Editorial. You can find...

1013. How can fiction writers create diverse, authentic characters without relying on stereotypes? Alex Temblador, author of "Writing An Identity Not Your Own," tackles this question and more. Learn about the importance of community engagement in research, the pitfalls of overemphasizing certain character traits, and techniques for editing with an eye toward inclusivity. Temblador also shares her...

1012. Most words are different in different languages, but water from steeped leaves has only two main names: tea and chai. We look at why! Also, if you've ever mixed up words, like calling a butterfly a "flutterby," you'll love learning about what these slips of the tongue tell us about how we form sentences. The "tea" segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the Uni...

1011. This week, we look at language patterns that may indicate someone is lying, such as how often they say "um" and the diversity of the words they use. Then we tease out the difference between being legendary, famous, infamous, and notorious. The "language of lying" segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of " Like,...

1010. We'd never be accused of belling the cat, but we did let our curiosity get the best of us when sniffing around common cat-related idioms. Plus, little did we know that we're already in Augtober and Summerween! Grab a pumpkin-spiced treat and come on an adventure through the looking glass to learn about portmanteau words.  The "cat idoims" segment is written by Susan K. Herman, a former multi...

1009. If you think apostrophes are confusing today, wait until you hear how people used them 100s of years ago! Ammon Shea has some wild stories. Plus, should you use "first," "second," and "third" or "firstly," "secondly," and "thirdly"? Ammon Shea is the author of " Bad English ," " Reading the OED ." 🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat. 🔗  Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing cou...

1008. We look at why you have to use "the" before some nouns and not others, and then we dive into the science behind why rhymes stick in our memory and how they can even influence our beliefs.  The "articles before nouns" segment was written by Neal Whitman, an independent writer and consultant specializing in language and grammar and a member of the Reynoldsburg, Ohio, school board. You can sear...

1007.  Why do Adele and Susan Boyle sound American when they sing? We have answers. Plus, with all the talk about "weird" lately, we think it's time to examine the old "I before E except after C" rule that has so many exceptions it's hardly a rule at all — until you add W for "weird." The singing segment is written by Susan K. Herman, a former multidisciplined linguist, editor, and instructor for...

1006. We look at why the pronoun "I" seems to take plural verbs, and then we talk about a grammar topic that's in the news: how to make names that end in S (like Harris and Biles) possessive. | Share a recording of your familect story with me on WhatsApp , Threads , Instagram, or   Mastodon . | Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/names-possessive/transcript |...

1005. You asked, so I have a brief history of English from invading Germanic tribes to the Modern English era. We talk about Vikings, the Norman Conquest, the Black Death, the Tyndale Bible, the printing press, and more. | Share a recording of your familect story with me on Threads , Instagram, or   Mastodon . | Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/history/tra...

1004. This week, Karen Yin, author of "The Conscious Style Guide," discusses the concept of conscious language and its importance in promoting equity and respect. We explore the differences between conscious language and political correctness, the evolution of the singular "they," and how to navigate language change. Karen also shares insights on addressing language mishaps, the importance of cont...