#english-usage — Public Fediverse posts

WHAT THE WORD WON'T SAY

Learn why the common word 'there' is being avoided by people with different political views and what it means for communication.

#Language, #Politics, #Communication, #WordAvoidance, #EnglishUsage

https://newsletter.tf/why-people-avoid-word-there-in-politics/

A common word, 'there', is being avoided by people across the political spectrum. This is a sign of how language is used to avoid certain topics.

#Language, #Politics, #Communication, #WordAvoidance, #EnglishUsage
https://newsletter.tf/why-people-avoid-word-there-in-politics/

Saw "nonhabit-forming" in a book and wanted to parse it (nonsensically) as "forming of non-habit".

I wrote about these tricky hyphens once: https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/non-life-threatening-unselfconscious-hyphens/

#punctuation #hyphens #semantics #writing #EnglishUsage

Saw "nonhabit-forming" in a book and wanted to parse it (nonsensically) as "forming of non-habit".

I wrote about these tricky hyphens once: https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/non-life-threatening-unselfconscious-hyphens/

#punctuation #hyphens #semantics #writing #EnglishUsage

I’ve been noticing more novel compound words. I just saw “freewill” in a book. My 1985 Macquarie Dictionary (AU) has entries only for “free will” and “free-will”. Is this a shift of a computer age? Maybe I see these compounds most in news headlines? Checking now I see a headline about “sunscreen” - and I’m surprised to find it’s not even mentioned in my old Macquarie! Nor is “sun-block”. Another in today’s news is “ceasefire” which has a hyphen in Macquarie. I wonder if hyphens drop out over time. #EnglishUsage

I’ve been noticing more novel compound words. I just saw “freewill” in a book. My 1985 Macquarie Dictionary (AU) has entries only for “free will” and “free-will”. Is this a shift of a computer age? Maybe I see these compounds most in news headlines? Checking now I see a headline about “sunscreen” - and I’m surprised to find it’s not even mentioned in my old Macquarie! Nor is “sun-block”. Another in today’s news is “ceasefire” which has a hyphen in Macquarie. I wonder if hyphens drop out over time. #EnglishUsage

Saw this sentence with both the Irish English "give out" and a standardized-English "give out":

"The banks often give out¹ that the rules are too tight and they can’t give out² the money people need."

¹ complain
² issue, distribute

Source and commentary: https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2013/09/07/giving-out-irish-style/

#language #dialect #idioms #IrishEnglish #EnglishUsage #phrases

Saw this sentence with both the Irish English "give out" and a standardized-English "give out":

"The banks often give out¹ that the rules are too tight and they can’t give out² the money people need."

¹ complain
² issue, distribute

Source and commentary: https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2013/09/07/giving-out-irish-style/

#language #dialect #idioms #IrishEnglish #EnglishUsage #phrases

On the peculiarly Irish use of "grand", from Garrett's Carr's novel The Boy from the Sea

More on that usage here: https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2019/06/27/a-grand-irish-usage/

#books #IrishBooks #reading #GarrettCarr #words #grand #EnglishUsage #Ireland #IrishEnglish

On the peculiarly Irish use of "grand", from Garrett's Carr's novel The Boy from the Sea

More on that usage here: https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2019/06/27/a-grand-irish-usage/

#books #IrishBooks #reading #GarrettCarr #words #grand #EnglishUsage #Ireland #IrishEnglish

Missed this last month – Language Hat followed up on my post about pronoun use for animals. Lots of interesting comments: https://languagehat.com/animals-who/

#language #grammar #animals #pronouns #EnglishUsage #writing

Missed this last month – Language Hat followed up on my post about pronoun use for animals. Lots of interesting comments: https://languagehat.com/animals-who/

#language #grammar #animals #pronouns #EnglishUsage #writing

The collective noun suggester is suggesting that the collective noun for misheard words is: a quiver of errors.

#CollectiveNoun #EnglishUsage

The collective noun suggester is suggesting that the collective noun for misheard words is: a quiver of errors.

#CollectiveNoun #EnglishUsage

Words¹ misspelled² so often, even in edited text, that my copy-editor's heart does a little happy dance when I see them spelled appropriately:

ad nauseam, complement, its, just deserts, led, minuscule, principle, supersede

¹ In a broad sense, to include phrases.
² The descriptivist in me protests the implicit judgement, but "spelled in a nonstandardized way" is on the wordy side for a throwaway Mastodon post.

#language #spelling #words #EnglishUsage #editing #copyediting #proofreading

Words¹ misspelled² so often, even in edited text, that my copy-editor's heart does a little happy dance when I see them spelled appropriately:

ad nauseam, complement, its, just deserts, led, minuscule, principle, supersede

¹ In a broad sense, to include phrases.
² The descriptivist in me protests the implicit judgement, but "spelled in a nonstandardized way" is on the wordy side for a throwaway Mastodon post.

#language #spelling #words #EnglishUsage #editing #copyediting #proofreading

It seems like a small thing, but I tend to notice what pronouns people use when they refer to animals. Here's a new blog post about it:
https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2025/12/15/a-list-of-animals-who/

#language #grammar #animals #pronouns #EnglishUsage #books #writing

It seems like a small thing, but I tend to notice what pronouns people use when they refer to animals. Here's a new blog post about it:
https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2025/12/15/a-list-of-animals-who/

#language #grammar #animals #pronouns #EnglishUsage #books #writing

Fun example of semantic drift, but is it restricted to one person? Let me know if you've encountered this reading of "take it offline", from Gen Z or elsewhere
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/amandabrummitt_i-spend-a-lot-of-time-talking-about-communication-activity-7402116821522567168-T5vD

#language #idioms #phrases #jargon #EnglishUsage

Fun example of semantic drift, but is it restricted to one person? Let me know if you've encountered this reading of "take it offline", from Gen Z or elsewhere
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/amandabrummitt_i-spend-a-lot-of-time-talking-about-communication-activity-7402116821522567168-T5vD

#language #idioms #phrases #jargon #EnglishUsage

In the conventional spelling, "drinks cabinet", "drinks" is used attributively; there's no need to invoke the possessive case. But you do see occasional variation with compounds like this

#punctuation #apostrophe #EnglishUsage #writing #spelling

In the conventional spelling, "drinks cabinet", "drinks" is used attributively; there's no need to invoke the possessive case. But you do see occasional variation with compounds like this

#punctuation #apostrophe #EnglishUsage #writing #spelling

I understand the motivation for this apostrophe, but I do not share it.

(from "A Crack in Everything" by Marcus Chown, a fine new book about black holes)

#punctuation #writing #grammar #EnglishUsage #apostrophe

I understand the motivation for this apostrophe, but I do not share it.

(from "A Crack in Everything" by Marcus Chown, a fine new book about black holes)

#punctuation #writing #grammar #EnglishUsage #apostrophe

Worth reading this exchange between linguists on the subject of spelling errors and correction, especially if you struggle with spelling sometimes
https://arnoldzwicky.org/2025/10/10/linguists-spell-things-out/

#spelling #words #language #teaching #EnglishUsage

Worth reading this exchange between linguists on the subject of spelling errors and correction, especially if you struggle with spelling sometimes
https://arnoldzwicky.org/2025/10/10/linguists-spell-things-out/

#spelling #words #language #teaching #EnglishUsage

Reading nonfiction, you'd be forgiven for thinking sometimes that humans are a single-gender species. Generic "he"/"man" etc. as the default has declined but is still frustratingly common

#reading #books #language #EnglishUsage #sexism #gender #patriarchy

Reading nonfiction, you'd be forgiven for thinking sometimes that humans are a single-gender species. Generic "he"/"man" etc. as the default has declined but is still frustratingly common

#reading #books #language #EnglishUsage #sexism #gender #patriarchy

Authors who have used "would of" (or other modal+"of" phrases) in their books include:

Hilary Mantel, Margaret Atwood, Raymond Carver, Patrick O'Brian, Sylvia Plath, Shirley Jackson, Octavia Butler, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, James Baldwin, Anne Tyler, Elmore Leonard, Carson McCullers, Terry Pratchett, Dylan Thomas, Agatha Christie, Patricia Highsmith, Cormac McCarthy, Alison Bechdel...

https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/would-of-could-of-might-of-must-of/

#writing #spelling #language #literature #EnglishUsage #grammar #books

Authors who have used "would of" (or other modal+"of" phrases) in their books include:

Hilary Mantel, Margaret Atwood, Raymond Carver, Patrick O'Brian, Sylvia Plath, Shirley Jackson, Octavia Butler, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, James Baldwin, Anne Tyler, Elmore Leonard, Carson McCullers, Terry Pratchett, Dylan Thomas, Agatha Christie, Patricia Highsmith, Cormac McCarthy, Alison Bechdel...

https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/would-of-could-of-might-of-must-of/

#writing #spelling #language #literature #EnglishUsage #grammar #books

My first thought was that it was an editing error: changing "would of" to "would've" and forgetting to delete the "of".

But a search suggests niche usage of the doubled-up version. LLog has looked at similar cases, e.g. "wouldn't of have" [2/2]

https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=1162

#writing #language #grammar #linguistics #EnglishUsage #blog

My first thought was that it was an editing error: changing "would of" to "would've" and forgetting to delete the "of".

But a search suggests niche usage of the doubled-up version. LLog has looked at similar cases, e.g. "wouldn't of have" [2/2]

https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=1162

#writing #language #grammar #linguistics #EnglishUsage #blog

"Would of" (for "would've) and other modal+"of" phrases are surprisingly common in literature – see the link below for loads of examples

But I've seldom if ever seen both at once: "would've of" (from Jim Nesbit's novel Lethal Injection) [1/2]

https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/would-of-could-of-might-of-must-of/

#writing #spelling #language #grammar #books #JimNesbit #linguistics #EnglishUsage #blog #dialogue

"Would of" (for "would've) and other modal+"of" phrases are surprisingly common in literature – see the link below for loads of examples

But I've seldom if ever seen both at once: "would've of" (from Jim Nesbit's novel Lethal Injection) [1/2]

https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/would-of-could-of-might-of-must-of/

#writing #spelling #language #grammar #books #JimNesbit #linguistics #EnglishUsage #blog #dialogue

Jane Goodall's first scientific paper was sent back to her with amendments, the editor having replaced every "he"/"she" (referring to chimpanzees) with "it", and every "who" with "which". She changed them back, refusing to mark non-human animals as inferior.
https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2015/05/27/annals-of-animals-which-get-who/

#JaneGoodall #language #EnglishUsage #grammar #PoliticsOfLanguage #pronouns #science #animals

Jane Goodall's first scientific paper was sent back to her with amendments, the editor having replaced every "he"/"she" (referring to chimpanzees) with "it", and every "who" with "which". She changed them back, refusing to mark non-human animals as inferior.
https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2015/05/27/annals-of-animals-which-get-who/

#JaneGoodall #language #EnglishUsage #grammar #PoliticsOfLanguage #pronouns #science #animals

New eggcorn spotted in the wild: "sure up" instead of "shore up"

#eggcorn #linguistics #language #EnglishUsage #words #LanguageChange

New eggcorn spotted in the wild: "sure up" instead of "shore up"

#eggcorn #linguistics #language #EnglishUsage #words #LanguageChange

Thanks to 3 Quarks Daily and The Browser for sharing my latest grammar nerdout with their readers:
https://3quarksdaily.com/3quarksdaily/2025/05/the-trouble-with-dangling-modifiers.html
https://thebrowser.com/free/tattoos-trouble/?ref=the-browser-newsletter

#grammar #EnglishUsage #writing #editing #syntax #WritingCommunity

Thanks to 3 Quarks Daily and The Browser for sharing my latest grammar nerdout with their readers:
https://3quarksdaily.com/3quarksdaily/2025/05/the-trouble-with-dangling-modifiers.html
https://thebrowser.com/free/tattoos-trouble/?ref=the-browser-newsletter

#grammar #EnglishUsage #writing #editing #syntax #WritingCommunity

The trouble with dangling modifiers. New blog post:
https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2025/05/06/the-trouble-with-dangling-modifiers/

#writing #grammar #syntax #EnglishUsage #language #editing #copyediting

The trouble with dangling modifiers. New blog post:
https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2025/05/06/the-trouble-with-dangling-modifiers/

#writing #grammar #syntax #EnglishUsage #language #editing #copyediting

On the blog, a review of the linguistics book 'New Horizons in Prescriptivism Research' https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2025/04/24/book-review-new-horizons-in-prescriptivism-research-2024/

#books #BookReview #linguistics #sociolinguistics #research #language #prescriptivism #EnglishUsage

On the blog, a review of the linguistics book 'New Horizons in Prescriptivism Research' https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2025/04/24/book-review-new-horizons-in-prescriptivism-research-2024/

#books #BookReview #linguistics #sociolinguistics #research #language #prescriptivism #EnglishUsage

Dangling modifier in the Irish Times Weekend Quiz. As a usage dictionary notes, "It's the funny ones that cause trouble." https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/a-hovering-dangling-modifier/

#grammar #language #EnglishUsage #journalism #writing #editing

Dangling modifier in the Irish Times Weekend Quiz. As a usage dictionary notes, "It's the funny ones that cause trouble." https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/a-hovering-dangling-modifier/

#grammar #language #EnglishUsage #journalism #writing #editing

There are multiple questions in Geoff Lindsay’s short multiple choice questionnaire on the changing use of *multiple* in English.

It only took me a couple of minutes.

https://www.englishspeechservices.com/multiple-survey/

#linguistics #EnglishUsage

There are multiple questions in Geoff Lindsay’s short multiple choice questionnaire on the changing use of *multiple* in English.

It only took me a couple of minutes.

https://www.englishspeechservices.com/multiple-survey/

#linguistics #EnglishUsage

A brief history (and critique) of English spelling reform that I once wrote for @HistoryToday:
https://www.historytoday.com/brief-history-english-spelling-reform

Supplementary notes on the history of English spelling reform:
https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2016/02/08/the-history-of-english-spelling-reform/

#linguistics #spelling #language #history #EnglishUsage #writing #LanguageChange

A brief history (and critique) of English spelling reform that I once wrote for @HistoryToday:
https://www.historytoday.com/brief-history-english-spelling-reform

Supplementary notes on the history of English spelling reform:
https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2016/02/08/the-history-of-english-spelling-reform/

#linguistics #spelling #language #history #EnglishUsage #writing #LanguageChange

A thing about language that a lot of people don't know is that you can dislike a usage intensely – a pronunciation, a piece of grammar, etc. – without presuming to reject it on behalf of all people, in all places, for all time

#language #words #EnglishUsage #grammar #prescriptivism #LanguageChange

A thing about language that a lot of people don't know is that you can dislike a usage intensely – a pronunciation, a piece of grammar, etc. – without presuming to reject it on behalf of all people, in all places, for all time

#language #words #EnglishUsage #grammar #prescriptivism #LanguageChange

I like to sometimes for no other reason than just because I can and because it bothers pedants split an infinitive extravagantly

#grammar #language #EnglishUsage #writing #WritingCommunity