Best Sellers
Ammon Shea looks at best seller lists.
What’s an expert?
Ammon Shea wonders what makes an expert?
For The Love Of Language
Ammon Shea wonders about our fear of reference books.
Winning Words and Losing Lingo
Ammon Shea looks at post-election words.
Jesus of Oxford
Ammon Shea reflects on his trip to Oxford.
Politician: Compliment or Curse?
Ammon Shea looks at the connotations of the word “politician”.
Clarifying Clarify
Ammon Shea looks at the frequent use of the word “clarify”.
Uppity-up
Ammon Shea takes a look at the word “uppity”.
Hansardize:
Can We Make An Old Word Modern?
Can you use “Hansardize” in a sentence?
The Price of a Self-Righteous Holiday
Ammon Shea reflects on Jeff Deck and Benjamin Herson’s unusual editing actions.
Precocious and Profane
Ammon Shea recalls a word from his childhood.
Help Ammon Shea: Gossypiboma
Ammon wonders about the word Gossypiboma.
Architecting a Verb?
Last Sunday, in the NY Times, I read a book reviewer taking an author to task for her word use. The reviewer stated that “the last time I checked the American Heritage Dictionary, in spite of how computer trade journalists might choose to use the word, “architect” was not recognized as a verb”.
Keeping Notes
Ammon reflects on note-taking.
The Merriams and the Madman
Ammon Shea looks at Merriam’s madman.
To Bailout, or Not
Ammon Shea ponders the word “bailout”.