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Tag Archives: Words
Word of the day – Uninterested and disinterested
If I’m uninterested, I really don’t give a rat about the subject. If I’m disinterested, I don’t have a dog in that fight, but I might find it interesting. If you don’t care to watch the Super Bowl regardless of who … Continue reading
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Tagged coach, editing, grammar, Hal DeKeyser, language, Words, Writing
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Word of the day – nausea, nauseous, nauseated
“Sex and death are two things that come but once in my lifetime, but at least after death you’re not nauseous.”— Woody Allen, Sleeper, 1973. Woody is a talented filmmaker and a funny fellow, but he’s wrong about nauseous. Playing … Continue reading
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Word of the day – There’s no their there
ASU begins their season . . . . Today we’re going to tackle what probably is the most frequently broken grammar rule in America: the singular noun followed by the plural possessive pronoun. You see this everywhere, and broadcasters are … Continue reading
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Tagged coach, editing, grammar, Hal DeKeyser, language, Words, Writing
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Word of the day – Incredible and incredulous
“That’s incredible” was a cheesy ‘80s TV show that demonstrated (as if it needed demonstrating) what stupid things people would do to get attention, like juggling things that can kill you. When you see someone land a plane on a … Continue reading
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Misused idiom or word of the day – weigh and way
Here’s an odd usage error I had never considered before — thanks to AZCentral’s story about fast food employees signing up for public aid programs: “Chucri said fast-food restaurants often attract young, low-skilled workers who are students and use the work … Continue reading
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Tagged coach, grammar, Hal DeKeyser, language, public relations, reporters, Words, Writing
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Word of the day – Duel, dual
Both “duel” and “dual” involve two, but one is definitely more deadly. In a duel, it’s two people or forces battling, as in the classic “pistol at 10 paces.” It also can be more philosophical or metaphorical, as in a … Continue reading
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Word of the day – Compose, comprise
The whole is composed of parts. The parts comprise the whole. “The American Southwest is composed of the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Nevada.” But: “Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico comprise the American Southwest.” Or … Continue reading
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Word of the day – Oral or verbal
These words often are used interchangeably to mean “spoken.” That’s generally not incorrect, but it’s also not precise — and often not really what is intended. Oral is the more precise word for that, as it refers to things of … Continue reading
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Word of the day – Reluctant, reticent
People use these words interchangeably, and while they both refer to hesitation, they’re not exactly the same. Reticence refers to an unwillingness to speak or discomfort talking. Reluctance is a general unwillingness to act, including the act of speaking. Reticent … Continue reading
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Word of the day – Wax and wane
The easiest way to remember waxing and waning is to apply them to the moon. The waxing moon is growing, and the waning moon is fading. Waxing, then, means to gain in intensity or magnitude. Wane means to decrease in … Continue reading
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