I don’t know about you, but I’m trying to think positive thoughts these days, positive thoughts like peace, unity, health, and the pursuit of happiness. And today, all this leads me to a very important question:
Well, it depends on who you ask.
In our graphically designed worlds, we’re used to seeing lots of polished layouts. In print. On the web. Well done graphic design surrounds us. Yet, when one does this work, when one actively does the designing, how does “layout” become a verb?
Art directors, designers, and publishers, this one is for you.
If you meet someone with a certain vibrance, is that different from having a certain vibrancy? Or is one of those usages just simply not correct? One little letter sometimes makes all the difference, doesn’t it?
Do you have a gut instinct here? “Vibrance” vs. “vibrancy” feels like a complicated decision.
Sometimes, we need to delve deep into heavy issues and be our best possible selves, especially in the words we use. We need to effect change. Other times, we just need to figure out the difference between “snoot” vs. “snout” because there’s got to be a difference. There wouldn’t be two words if there wasn’t a difference hiding in there somewhere, right?
Right. Definitely. And it’s time to dig into these answers. (Whether you’re digging with your snout or snoot leading the way is up to you.)
If only the English language was cut and dry—or is it “cut and dried”? Oh no. It’s another expression that you probably felt really confident about until I raised the question. And now it’s ping-ponging back and forth in your mind. “Cut and Dry” vs. “Cut and Dried” vs. “Cut-and-Dry” vs. “Cut-and-Dried.” What is the standard version?
If you’re having a moment of embarrassment, nervous you’ve always said this one wrong, you might feel better because you’ve hardly been alone in this confusion.
Here’s to the class of 2020! Are you ready for a graduation language-use challenge?
Recognizing and thanking those who have helped you out along the way is always a good thing—whether in your essay research, your book writing journey, or in everyday life—but wait, how do you spell that word? “Acknowledgments” or “Acknowledgements”?
Spellcheck won’t help you. Again. Darn spellcheck.
The answer doesn’t harken back to a complex etymology story. Nope, it’s quite simple:
David Bowie might have steered us wrong on this one, folks. And I suppose “steering” is a part of the problem. When distinguishing between “maze” vs. “labyrinth,” some sources argue that these words are synonyms, but it’s important to note that many others do not.
Yep, some word comparisons are simpler than others, and this is one where there remains some disagreement. Or if not “disagreement,” we can frame this as “everyday use” vs. “pro-level word savvy.”
I have dreams of someday someone opening up my grammar book and saying, “dude, that’s sick,” with “sick” meaning awesome. If they said, “it’s [sic],” I’d be super bummed. So bummed I would “sick” or “sic” a dog after them? No. That seems a bit over the top, don’t you think? But I needed to see how else to get these words into the story.
You probably never realized how complicated “sick” vs. “sic” could be.
Think fast, should it be one or two words? Or should it be hyphenated?
“Line up” or “lineup” or “line-up”? It’s one of those language questions that can have you staring at the blinking cursor on your screen. Hopefully, this quandary isn’t one that crosses the line of something that has you blinking and cursing at your screen.
But when I ask, “which version is correct,” it’s admittedly a bit of a trick question. It can be one word or two, depending on your goals with it.