Category Archives: Ideas and Opinions

My Year of New words, Part 9: TYPOS

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Ed Battistella

One of the types of word formation that doesn’t turn up much in textbooks—but which has been enormously helpful to be—is the typo. Typing quickly I notice odd combinations of letters that sometimes suggest new words. Typing malapropism, for example, … Continue reading →

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MY YEAR OF NEW WORDS, Part 8 – EPONYMS

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Ed Battistella

July is the month added by Julius Caesar (and August, naturally, by Augustus Caesar), which is why September, October, November and December and not the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth month, as they should be based on their Indo-European roots. … Continue reading →

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The Secret Languages of English, a guest post by Kristy Evans

Posted on April 20, 2013 by Ed Battistella

The Secret Languages of English Many Americans, particularly those of a younger generation and vernacular, have most likely at one time or another learned or at least heard an alteration of the English language that was used for the purpose … Continue reading →

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The Arguments of Jonathan Swift, a guest post by Cat Seaton

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Ed Battistella

It’s the End of the Term So This Paper is 100% Sassafras Or, The Arguments of Jonathan Swift: Or, More Aptly: Jon Swift Claims to Care about English but is Actually Just Asking for Money Swift is a clever man. … Continue reading →

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