Take Scissors to Superfluous Words
“I believe more in the scissors than I do in the pencil.” Truman Capote …
Done Deal: $5 Million Resolves the Case of the Missing Comma
The case of Nitpickers v. Nitpickers, so coined by an article on Quartz.com, revealed the …
Wonderful Waggish and Witty Words
Our Wonderful Words series highlights odd and marvelous terms that may not be well known …
The Composition Book Decomposed
The classic composition book (left), long used by students for developing essays, taking notes …
The Power of One: Cut Those Superfluous Words
One word is like one drop – its impact is greater when surrounded by less …
How Inventions Live on As Action Words
Transferring words from one word class to another – called “conversion” – is just one …
Wonderful Words Curiously Created
The many odd and revealing terms of English vocabulary make the language a word collector’s …
Darling, Step Aside! Time to Eliminate Superfluous Words
Yes, even long-standing expressions, the darlings of speech, can be substituted for simpler discourse. If …
New Year’s Resolutions for Writers
This slightly adapted, popular line from a holiday song is as much about Santa’s preparation …
Wonderful Words Uncovered
Our wonderful words series highlights odd and marvelous terms that may not be well known …