Unh, Thag Use Big Word…
and nine-tenths of the population probably has no clue what Thag meant. I have come across the word solipsism or one of its variants three times in one day. That’s not exactly a common word among the general population, yet the first two times I met it, I nodded politely and read on. The third […]
Don’t Snigger at Me, You Oaf!
Once again, a controversy over spellings darkens the skies. Is it “snicker” or “snigger”? Let the Grammar Guru help, won’t you? Snicker means “to utter a half-stifled, possibly snide, laugh.” Snigger means “a disrespectful laugh, usually partly-stifled.” In essence, they are synonyms, although snigger carries more negative connotations of disrespect or furtiveness, usually giving the […]
Take a Breath! Breathe, Breathe, Breathe!
breath, breathe: This one is simple, but it’s a very common mistake. Breath (breth with a soft /th/ sound) is the noun: I need to catch my breath. Take a deep breath and cough. Breathe (/breeeeeth/ with a hard /th/ sound) is the verb: Breathe in and out slowly, please. Don’t breathe the chlorine fumes. […]