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Illicit Verbal Couplings in a 'Murphy' Bed Jul. 15, 2026
Brian Garner, editor of Garner's Modern American Usage, has devised what he calls "Murphy's Law of L... Read More
Close Your Inner Eye to Activate Your Imagination Jul. 10, 2026
In his short story, "The Country of the Blind," H.G. Wells depicts a mountaineer in the Andes who ha... Read More
Latin Word for Cattle Became a Cash Cow Jul. 08, 2026
In ancient Rome, no one cared how many Teslas, McMansions or Rolexes you owned. Nope; wealth was mea... Read More
Increase Performance by Turning Into the Wind Jul. 03, 2026
Back in college, I captained my dorm's intramural volleyball team. Our haphazard collection of resid... Read More
Speaking Words of Wisdom, 'Let It Be' Jul. 01, 2026
Q: Is "leave him be" an acceptable substitute for "let him be"? — J. K. via email A: To some e... Read More
Balancing the Equation of Intentions vs. Outcomes Jun. 26, 2026
On Jan. 14, 2005, Harvard President Lawrence Summers ignited the firestorm that eventually cost him ... Read More
The French (and Italians) Have a Word for It Jun. 24, 2026
Even if you're an eminence grise who has fashioned a piece de resistance and mastered the lingua fra... Read More
'Soc' It to Me, World Cup! Jun. 17, 2026
As the World Cup tournament got underway last week, a reader asked me why this sport is called "socc... Read More
To be Human is to be Exceptional Jun. 12, 2026
"Do you have any heroes?" I'm guessing that Peter Singer would answer with a hard "no," considering ... Read More
Word Fiends Have an 'Ax' To Grind Jun. 10, 2026
I get by with a little help from my fiends — word fiends, that is. In a recent column about th... Read More
If You Get Where You're Going, You've Taken the Wrong Road Jun. 05, 2026
The story isn't new. But it continues to fascinate as it becomes more relevant every day. Three deca... Read More
Do You Have a Knack for Nicknames? Jun. 03, 2026
For 15th-century Florentine artist Paolo di Dono, the bird was the word. He loved feathered creature... Read More
Think Twice Before You Take Advice May. 29, 2026
Legend has it that Apelles of Kos, court painter of Alexander the Great, displayed his paintings in ... Read More
A Useful Conjunction, Albeit an Old One May. 27, 2026
Frank Resnick of New Britain, Conn., writes, "Can the antique-sounding conjunction 'albeit' still be... Read More
Want Everything to Go Smoothly? Be Careful What You Wish For May. 22, 2026
How did we ever get by before Google Maps and Waze? I ask myself that question every time I travel, ... Read More
Summer Dreams of Verbal Themes May. 20, 2026
Whether you're sunbathing at the beach, lounging at the lake or reflecting on rainbows this summer, ... Read More
Why Attention to Detail Brings the Big Picture to Life May. 14, 2026
I've always adored Rembrandt. From the time my grandfather first took me to the art museum, I was en... Read More
Short Words Have Their Ups and Downs May. 13, 2026
"I've always found it interesting," writes Bob Fliegel of St. Augustine, Fla., "that the shortest an... Read More
How Ethical Leaders Promote Success and Happiness May. 08, 2026
Storm clouds loom on the horizon. Your heart pounds. Your fists clench. Your body tenses as you anti... Read More
The 'Pen' Is More Versatile Than the Sword May. 06, 2026
Did you know that there's no "pen" in "pencil," no "penalty" in "penitentiary" and no "penny" in "pe... Read More
