This web site is all about writing and writing well. To accomplish this, we need a command of the English language and the ability to distinguish between real and fake words.
Fake words, whether colloquialisms or slang, have a way of creeping into our vernacular. Some become recognized in time as real words and others fade from use. Social media and the Internet have a way of spreading fake words at lightning speed, so we need to be vigilant to protect the language.
Each week we present a short article with one real and one questionable word. These are always family friendly and can be shared with the younger crowd to help them build word power over time.
These two words do not naturally sit together. One likes to stretch out and show off. The other barely moves. They are not opposites, just far apart in personality. Still, they meet in a strange middle ground, the moment when complicated thought finally stops trying so hard and settles into
I confess that these two words are new to me and not on the tip of my tongue. It is like knowing two things but not knowing there was a single word to describe each. Brontide and cockalorum are good words to know, especially when you want to get a
Some imaginary words exist purely to make life more entertaining. Automagically and pandelerium are two of those pretend words. They give us a playful way to describe the strange little moods that drift through an ordinary day. We have used pandelerium once before, explaining the difference between it and pandemonium,
These two words, nudiustertian and preferment, are uncommon, but not completely obscure. Of the two, nudiustertian is closer to obscurity. But it is a handy word to know, and dropping it in conversation is always good for a few puzzled looks Nudiustertian Nudiustertian (noo-dee-uhs-TUR-shun), is an adjective that places an
Noctivagant and Clinomania make a comfortable but odd pair of words. Noctivagant describes a person who wanders, sometimes aimlessly, through the night. Clinomania refers to
In every generation, a nation must decide whether its use of power will be shaped by enmity or by obeisance. Key to this decision is
Today, in politics, authority and accountability often share the same stage but speak different languages. Often, we claim today to have authority without accountability. When
There are moments when the body reaches for the wall, and the heart reaches for the past. One is instinctive, and the other is memory.
Some weeks, the word pairing is obvious, and the connections flow with ease. Other weeks, it is just plain difficult. This was a difficult week.
Some words describe what we do (aphorism). Others describe why we do it (meraki). These two Greek terms sit there, nodding to each other across
We recently published an article titled “Johnny Cannot Read,” in which we highlighted the crisis in our nation’s education. If it were not so tragic,
Many arguments or feuds eventually reach the point where someone decides that dignity is overrated and heads for the exit. With this pair of words,
These two words seem unrelated but, at times, share a fishy kinship. One, ichthyological, belongs to the scientific world of fish. The other word, monachopsis,
Here we have two seemingly unattached words that are connected. One is a portmanteau from the German language, and the other is a portmanteau from
History becomes clearer when we stop measuring the past by today’s standards. Every generation believes it sees more clearly, yet each is wrong in its
Some weeks we find real words, and other times we find words recognized, but not in Webster’s Dictionary. Another source of obscure, sometimes slang or
Every age invents its own vocabulary used to represent decay. Some words mock it, others name it. Together, they reveal how ambition and emptiness can
Friends now pass along unusual words to me for these articles, some familiar and some whose meanings I can only guess at. This week’s words
Some weeks, when we choose words to explore, the pairing is obvious. Other weeks, the words sit across the table from each other with arms
Some weeks, the world does not fall apart so much as it tilts just enough to send everyone into a small, unnecessary tailspin. And when
Sometimes two words land next to each other in a way that makes you pause. These two do not normally share a room, but they
Altiloquence means lofty or pompous speech that reaches upward even when the subject does not. The word comes from Latin altus (“high”) and loqui (“to
Agentic is a word that was new to me in the modern context. It has become a way to describe how artificial intelligence can act
The word delulu (d lu lu) is internet slang for delusional, and more specifically, the delusion that you can influence your destiny through willpower alone.
The word slurb is slang and a portmanteau of slovenly and suburb. It is used to describe a poorly planned or sleazy suburb. The possibility
The noun falsiloquence refers to situations in which a person is less than truthful. This is obviously not a word in common use and was
A flibbertigibbet is a person who gossips or chatters about anything. Centuries ago, it might have been used to indicate someone flighty or silly. The
Largiloquent is an antiquated word used to describe someone who boasts and speaks grandly about themselves. It is an older form of the word grandiloquent,
Homiletics is an early word used to describe the writing or preaching of sermons. It is used to describe both the construction, composition, and delivery
Hobbledehoy is an old-fashioned word or term that describes a young man or boy who is awkward. Today, I think of this as a good
Cacodemonomania is not a term commonly encountered in conversation. The last few letters of the word “mania” are a bit of a giveaway as to
Banjax, or banjaxed, is a new word to us that means ruined, incapacitated, or broken. According to Webster’s Dictionary, the origin of the word is
If you have ever heard of backwardation and contango before the last two weeks, then you are hanging around investment circles with very sophisticated players
The term “pro-life” escaped me as a teenager in the 1970s. I remember thinking, is “pro-death” then the opposite, a dead human no longer breathing?
If you have ever heard of backwardation and contango before the last two weeks, then you are hanging around investment circles with very sophisticated players
Argle-bargle has a meaning often associated with politics or politicians. It means to quarrel or argue with others, especially members of your party. When Democrats
Cabotage is not a word you will encounter unless you hang around docks or join the crew of a merchant ship. You might have a
Peripatetic is an interesting word and can be used as either an adjective or a noun. When used as an adjective, it might describe a
For some reason, when I hear the word cypher, my mind flips back to the old Beverly Hillbillies show and Jethro. His explanation of his
Bodacious is an adjective and a portmanteau of “bold” and “audacious.” I often think of it as slang, but it is not. I believe it
In all likelihood, you know what the word upspeak means, you do not know you know. For me, this is one of those annoying habits
A flume can be either a natural, narrow sloping channel with a stream running through it or an artificial channel used to move water or
At first, ponding might not sound like a real verb, but it is when used correctly. We are all familiar with its noun derivation, pond.
Most are familiar with the words “antonym” and “synonym,” but what is a “contranym?” The word “contranym” was new to me, and I had a
Most are familiar with the word charlatan. It does not seem to be used conversationally much, but when it is, we know it from books
We all know that in many restaurants, the chef wears some form of a distinctive hat, but few are aware that the name for this
Loquacious is a fancy way to describe someone as talkative or wordy. It is a good word to know, especially if you want to describe
You rarely hear the words firstly, secondly, or thirdly, even though they are real words, ordinal adverbs to be exact. We rarely hear them used
You rarely hear the words firstly, secondly, or thirdly, even though they are real words, ordinal adverbs to be exact. We rarely hear them used
If you know these two words, you spend too much time in the dictionary or watching old movies. We ran into the word atelophobia in
We are taking a break until Thursday, April 17 to recover from a new round of Covid. No matter how many shots you take or
The word Sisyphean refers to an endless task, originating from the Greek myth of Sisyphus, who was condemned to roll a rock up a hill,
Jabberwocky originates from an 1872 poem by Lewis Carroll and is a nonsensical and fictional tale of an encounter between a monster and a young
Hankering is a word we have heard in the South for decades, and I would have categorized it as slang. However, according to Webster’s Dictionary,