David Zapatka David Wittenberg, fellow member of the Grammar Police Special Interest Group, wrote this in a recent post. “For most Indians, meat is not a staple. The majority of the Indian diet consists of grains, pulses, and vegetables. As a result, Indians don’t talk about meat the way Americans do. The terms ‘veg’ and…
Tag: Word of the Month
Features, December 2023
Word of the Month: Bildungsroman
David Zapatka Reader, friend, and fellow bridge player, Gayle Covey, writes, “This is a really favorite word; bildungsroman. My friend Judy taught me this word several years ago … and now it comes up all the time! All those YA (Young Adult) fiction writers, turning books into films … and, of course, it is the word describing…
Features, November 2023
Word of the Month: Resilience
David Zapatka Reader, friend, and fellow bridge player, Pat Schlect, writes, “I was very happy to see your article in the Sun Lakes Splash.I loved the subject. The word I would choose for research is ‘resilience.’ Why? If you had to pick one characteristic or quality you’d most like to have, what would it be?…
Features, October 2023
Word of the Month: Verso and Recto
David Zapatka Reader, friend, and fellow bridge player, Gayle Covey, writes, “As always, enjoyed your SaddleBrooke word column. I’ve been saying I’d send a word or two. Finally … I’m an English major and a words person. How did I not know this? It just came up in Wordle (and I thought of you!) … verso. And…
September 2023, Features
Word of the Month: Emotion
David Zapatka Do emotions happen consciously or unconsciously? Can emotions be chosen or do they just happen? While reading “I Am: The Power of Discovering Who You Really Are” by Howard Falco, I read, “Emotions are the clues that lead you to the treasure of everlasting peace.” Ponder this for a while. Are our emotions…
Features, July 2023
Word of the Month: Grimoires
David Zapatka Reader Tony Sciabica wrote, “I read your article in the April edition of the Crossing. I found the word sempiternal interesting. My use of the word would be the following: Eternal means to me something that has no beginning and no end. Sempiternal has a beginning but no end. Semper fidelis has a beginning…
Features, June 2023
Word of the Month: Cenote
David Zapatka Reading in the Quest magazine recently, I came across the word cenote. Cenote—si-ˈnō-tē noun: a natural pit or deep sinkhole in limestone resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath with a pool at the bottom that is found especially in the Yucatán Peninsula. Origin and Etymology—Mexican Spanish, from Yucatec ts’onot…
Features, September 2022
Word of the Month: Eggcorn Reader Comments
David Zapatka July’s WOTM word, “eggcorn,” resulted in a flurry of reader comments. “Just read your article in the Pioneer Press about eggcorns, and it made me chuckle. I didn’t realize they were called eggcorns, but I’ve encountered a few of the same “slip of the ears.” One that always annoys me is when people say ‘It’s…
Features, August 2022
Word of the Month: Sniglet
David Zapatka Thirteen months ago, we went off the beaten path of dictionary words when reader Debbie M. wrote, “Hello, I enjoy your column and want to offer a suggestion. ‘Orbisculate’ is a word not yet in the dictionary. I think we should help the young people who are trying to get this word into…
Features, July 2022
Word of the Month: Eggcorn
David Zapatka Is it just me or are you hearing this too? It seems more people are using words or phrases that sound like but are mistakenly used in a semi-logical or seemingly plausible way for the correct word or phrase either on its own or as part of an expression. While at Rudy’s BBQ,…