Kris Spisak

What does “normalcy” mean to you? How about “normality”? How do you imagine this pier differently?

For anyone who’s heard the term “new normal” one too many times and had their mind wander, this writing tip is for you. For me, it wandered to the difference between “normalcy” vs. “normality” and the question of whether one of these words is the hands-down, correct term we should all be using.

What do you think? Which rolls off your tongue?

Here’s what you need to know:

“Normalcy” isn’t normal. It’s a bit of a renegade, but that’s not to say that it’s wrong. Why am I calling “normalcy” a renegade? Well, it’s not because it’s dancing on TikTok. Adjectives that end in “t” normally become nouns by adding “cy.” Think about it for a moment: “vacant” becomes “vacancy”; “intimate” becomes “intimacy”; “expedient” becomes “expediency”; “stagnant” becomes “stagnancy.” Yet “normal” ends with an “l,” and “l” words typically transform into adjective forms with an “-ity.”

“Normality” is normal in this way. It’s arguably the standard, preferred form and far more common everywhere English is spoken, yet this isn’t the end of the matter.

In scientific and mathematics circles, this “-cy” vs. “-ity” language-logic is cast aside, and “normalcy” is still the favored term for certain situations. Then there’s the choice of “normalcy” that no one can forget, when President Warren Harding used it in 1920 in his campaign slogan, “Return to Normalcy.” The press went wild, as media outlets seem to do, decrying the U.S. president’s incompetence with the English language. “Normalcy” vs. “Normality”—the debate raged again! To be fair, “normalcy” was in common use at the time, especially in American English. One hundred years later, in the COVID era, “normalcy” is heard almost as commonly as “normality” once again.

Unlike other illogical mistakes that find their way into the dictionary (ahem, “irregardless” or “literally” literally defined as “figuratively”), both “normality” and “normalcy” have their legitimate arguments of correct usage. Plus, neither word is dramatically older than the other either.

And really, if you want to talk about how not normal the nouns of “normal” are, you could also bring “normalness” into the conversation, which is another accepted adjective form. You didn’t see that coming, did you? Less common, yes, but it is a noun spelling that’s been around for almost as long as the other two.

So the nouns of “normal” are a bit abnormal in the end. It’s the English language. Are you surprised? To be fair, we could talk “abnormalities” all day long, but we wouldn’t really talk about “abnormalcies.”

But which word do you prefer? And why? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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We could also talk about the “splatter” and/or “spatter” on these blocks, but that’s a different discussion.

When it comes to elections, there are so many words people don’t quite use correctly. I’m not even talking about #fakenews. That’s another story—one worth digging into with all of your curiosity and truth-seeking passion. For now, though, I’m looking at you “few” versus “less,” and there are so many more examples.

• How do you spell it when people “canvas” / “canvass” a neighborhood?
• Or when we count the “amount of” vs. “number of” votes?

Yep, I’ve already covered a number of these, but today let’s look at the words “block” vs. “bloc”—another tricky pair that is muddled all of the time. These are two unique words, folks.

As we take the time to better understand the world around us and participate in making it a better place, it’s time to ensure we get this, among so many other things, right.

Remember:

• A “bloc” is not a typo. It is a group, often temporary, acting together for a common purpose. Countries can make up a bloc. Legislators can make up a bloc. Voters can too.
• A “block” has multiple definitions. It is an obstacle, a solid rectangular piece of wood or another building material, or a rectangular section of a city or town surrounded on all sides by interconnected streets. These definitions seem to go on and on, but the one thing a “block” isn’t is that group acting together for a common purpose. If you’re seeing it used in that way, my friends, what you’re looking at is a typo.

When it comes to the history of these words, it won’t help much when it comes to telling them apart. Why? Because they both derive from the same French word, bloc. The difference is when they came into the English language. “Block” came into English in the 1400s, while “bloc” came centuries later in the early 1900s. And their meanings have always been unique.

Confused? Don’t be. “Block” is misused all of the time, when “bloc” is what a writer truly intends. These writers just frequently don’t know the difference. But ignorance isn’t bliss. It’s just messy. We can do better, and that’s what we’re out to do, right? Is there a bloc for that? Let’s make that happen.

Bonus writing tip: For those overly reliant on spellcheck, have confidence if you use the phrase “en bloc,” meaning “as a whole.” Just like usages of “en masse,” a phrase that shares nearly the same meaning, spellcheck will tell you it’s wrong every time, but sometimes a dignified turn of phrase not only elevates your communication, but it also makes you savvier than your software. Go, you.

You can block someone on social media, or you can be a force in a bloc setting out to collaborate, cooperate, and create a better world for us all. We have many options these days. Have at it, folks. Starting with your word choice is always a smart bet.

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This poor fox rues the day that “What Does the Fox Say?” jumped into pop culture history. He liked his ancient mystery.

Maybe you know that Winnie the Pooh’s friend (and Kanga’s kid) is called “Roo,” but when it comes to “Rue” vs. “Roux” you might feel less confident. How do you spell “rue the day”? Or is it “roux the day”? Maybe little Roo’s birthday is “Roo day”? It’s time to get to some answers once and for all.

Remember:

• To “Rue” means to deeply regret or to feel remorse. “Rue” can also be a noun referencing that deep regret, sorrow, or remorse. If you’re looking for the connection here with the French word rue, meaning “street,” there isn’t one. A shared spelling, sure, but the English version of “rue,” dating back to the 1100s, derives from an Old English word, hrēow, which came from Old High German.
• A “Roux” is a thickening agent used in sauces, soups, and stews. It’s commonly a mixture of flour and butter, but almost any cooked mixture of flour and fat will do (whatever might suit your palate). This “roux” does indeed come from French, specifically a shorthand of beurre roux, meaning “brown butter.” “Roux” came into common English usage in the late 1700s.

Thus, the correct expression is “to rue the day,” which means to bitterly regret an event that’s taken place.

You might have a “roux of the day” that a chef is excited about, but otherwise “rue” holds strong.

Bonus “rue” trivia:

“Rue” is also an herb with a storied history. Not only is it commonly referenced in Lithuanian and Ukrainian folk songs and folktales, but it was once used medicinally from ancient Rome to ancient China. Ancient Egyptians claimed rue was a gift from the gods. Having gained the nickname “The Herb of Grace,” rue was ordered to be used in cloister gardens in the 700s so that nuns and priests would keep their chastity (i.e., they used rue so they wouldn’t rue their decisions). Early Celtic traditions claimed that rue would ward off evil magic. Italian artists like Michelangelo and da Vinci were said to chew on rue to enhance their creativity. Gulliver uses it in Gulliver’s Travels as a strong aromatic to overpower offensive smells. The tales go on and on.

More than you ever wanted to know about rue? Do you have a desire to make a “roux” involving “rue” and see what happens? (I’d recommend further research before trying that one.) What little Roo would say about all of this, I don’t know, but you, at least, are fully prepared to tackle the correct spelling of these words. And there’s nothing to rue about that.

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When change is in the air—when you can see it in the clouds, on the streets, or anywhere else—what are you going to do?

Oh, I know, you’ve got this. You’ve mastered “affect” vs. “effect.” You didn’t even need Get a Grip on Your Grammar to teach you the difference between this tricky pair. But then came this moment in your life, and you’re ready to “effect change” in the world (or are you ready to “affect change” in the world)? Uh oh. “Affect Change” or “Effect Change”?

Do you still feel as confident as you did a moment ago?

First, some review: More