Category Archives: Language

QUIET WEEK or DEAD WEEK?

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Ed Battistella

It’s QUIET WEEK on my campus—the week before finals, when students are hopefully finishing projects, preparing for exams, and writing papers. The idea of QUIET WEEK is to transition gently into finals exams, with instructors not making any last minute … Continue reading →

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Words of the World: A Global History of the Oxford English Dictionary

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Ed Battistella

Sarah Ogilvie’s Words of the World: A Global History of the Oxford English Dictionary begins by describing her entry into the quiet world of the OED. She had come from of Australian branch of Oxford dictionaries, was a rare linguist … Continue reading →

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The Story of Ain’t

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Ed Battistella

David Skinner’s The Story of Ain’t ain’t just about ain’t. It’s the tale of the making of Webster’s Third International Dictionary, the wonderfully controversial flashpoint in the cultural wars between realists and snoots. I wondered what Skinner would add to … Continue reading →

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Arithmetic Depends on Grammar

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Ed Battistella

If you get all of the presents in the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” how many presents do you get? 364 (because of the AND) Here’s the formula: ((1 x 12)+ (2 x 11)+(3 x 10)+(4 x 9)+(5 x … Continue reading →

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