A plain language guide to grammar, punctuation and writing well
I don’t often throw things at the radio when BBC journo Nick Robinson is on – but missiles were launched this morning (including a complaint via email) when he described a dead female refugee as ‘beautiful’. What?? Here’s what he said on the BBC’s flagship news programme: “The photograph of a beautiful young woman stares… Continue reading A beautiful dead woman
Flippant? Oxford Dictionaries? Who said so? Oh, Oxford Dictionaries. Just for the record, here’s Oxford Dictionaries’ definition of ‘flippant’: 'Not showing a serious or respectful attitude' And here’s why (as reported in the Guardian today) Oxford Dictionaries fessed up to such undictionary-like behaviour: A Canadian anthropologist, Michael Oman-Reagan, tweeted Oxford Dictionaries last week to ask… Continue reading Rabid sexism… Oxford Dictionaries says sorry
Well, the Wordwatch Towers butler is threatening to resign and claims he’s been offered a new post on what he refers to as a ‘successful grammar blog’. Says he’s bored here. Nothing to do except polish the turrets and hoover the drawbridge. Yes, I know, he has a point. It has been several ice ages… Continue reading Pet peeves, a slight mistake, a palindrome and plus fours
That noise is an alarm going off. The Wordwatch Towers butler just checked and has confirmed it’s the ‘women being undermined via descriptions of the animal kingdom to avoid accusations of blatant sexism’ alarm. Thought so.
Ephraim Hardcastle, writing in the Mail newspaper, displays a rare ability to combine side-splitting Wildean wit with a genuine concern for public safety shared by all right-thinking people:
Meanwhile, security at Friday's royal wedding is being overseen by blonde bombshell Commander Christine Jones. Help!
Isn’t it interesting how the phrase ‘old wives’ tale’ is almost always used pejoratively? Here’s Oxford Dictionaries' definition.
It’s another example of how the everyday words and phrases we use have such immense power -- in this case to deny and denigrate the enormous knowledge and wisdom women have traditionally passed down through the generations.
It’s another example of how the everyday words and phrases we use have such immense power – in this case to deny and denigrate the enormous knowledge and wisdom women have traditionally passed down through the generations.
The definition of ‘garrulous’ in the Oxford Dictionary of English is to ‘talk excessively, especially on trivial matters’. It includes this example of its use:
A garrulous woman who liked to chat about eggs
Naturally, it's a woman doing the excessive talking.
Wordwatch Towers 