The Common Errors in English Usage Podcast: Recent Episodes
Paul Brians
This week we discuss more medical terms, including MRIs, EKGs, CAT scans and others; and then we proceed to some talk about food sensitivities. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Buy the book! This week’s calendar entry is “feint/faint.”
This week we discuss medical terms, including accessible care vs. guaranteed care; fractures, sprains, and strains; Alzheimer’s vs. dementia, and more. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Buy the book! This week’s calendar entry is “taunt/taut/tout.”
This week we continue our discussion of terms related to governance and politics. We explore crusades, demagogues, stump speeches, gerrymandering, and barn burners. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Buy the book! This week’s calendar entry is “vapid/vacuous.”
This week we continue our discussion of terms related to governance and politics. We explore citizenship, civil disobedience, and civil war. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Buy the book! This week’s calendar entry is “unrest.”
This week we rebroadcast our Christmas episode from 2015. In the spirit of the Christmas season, Paul Brians calls on his background as a scholar of the Bible and discusses some of the important language in the story of Christmas. Do you know the religious tradition of the Magi? The difference between miracle and magic? … Continue reading Episode 118: The Magi(c) of Christmas
When a would-be suicide bomber attempted a terrorist attack in New York City earlier this month, he said he chose his target because there were Christmas-themed posters nearby. This week on the podcast we talk about the more theoretical war on Christmas, and we discuss holiday greetings. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon … Continue reading Episode 117: Holiday Greetings and the War on Christmas
This week we continue our discussion of terms related to governance and politics. We explore caucuses, lobbyists and PACs, and more. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Buy the book! On sale through the end of the year for just $15. This week’s calendar entry is “yea/yeah/yay.”
This week we take up our discussion of terms related to governance and politics. We explore the origin of the word “veto,” talk about filibustering and reconciliation, and more. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Buy the book! On sale through the end of the year for just $15. This week’s … Continue reading Episode 115: Administration, Congress, What Veto Means, and Much More
This week we pick up from last week and serve some Thanksgiving leftovers, including “dolly/handcart,” “duck tape/duct tape,” “between you and me,” and many more entries and cartoons from the book. We also promote the best way to buy the book on sale through the end of the year. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On … Continue reading Episode 114: More on the Book Sale, Plus Thanksgiving Leftovers—“dolly/handcart,” “duck tape/duct tape,” “between you and me,” and Lots More
This week we take a break from our extended discussion of political terms while Tom thanks Paul for creating the Common Errors in English Usage site and book, and Paul thanks Tom for contributing cartoons to the book. We also promote the best way to buy the book on sale through the end of the … Continue reading Episode 113: Giving Thanks for the Book
This week we discuss, define, and explore political leanings: red/blue, liberal, libertarian, conservative, and reactionary. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Buy the book! On sale through the end of the year for just $15. This week’s calendar entry is “reactionary/reactive.”
This week we discuss, define, and explore deeply more political terms. This time we cover left vs. right, socialism, and communism. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Pre-USSR communist societies. Buy the book! On sale through the end of the year for just $15. This week’s calendar entry is “socialize.”
This week we spend the time talking about several more terms related to politics and government, including bureaucracy, red tape, ballots, voting, constitution, and parliament. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Buy the book! On sale through the end of the year for just $15. This week’s calendar entry is “beauracracy/bureaucracy.”
This week we spend the time talking about the word “empire” and its implications. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Buy the book! On sale through the end of the year for just $15. This week’s calendar entry is “Romainian/Romanian.” Paul Brians’ essay on “postcolonial literature.” “What have the Romans ever … Continue reading Episode 109: Empire and Colonies
This week we focus on the dark side of governmental power: dictatorships, state capitalism, monarchy, oligarchy, plutocracy, kleptocracy, and empire. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: This week’s calendar entry is “oppress/repress.” Buy the book! On sale through the end of the year for just $15.
This week we focus on voting and discuss “suffrage,”“franchise,”“republic,” and more about “democracy.” Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: This week’s calendar entry is “Democrat Party/Democratic Party.” Buy the book!
This week we continue our discussion of words related to government and politics, including “feudalism,”“fiefdom,”“monarchy,” and “democracy.” Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: This week’s calendar entry is “grow.” Buy the book!
This week we begin a discussion of words related to government and politics, starting with “government” and “politics” themselves. First we go over problems with Washington, but not in the way you might think! Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: What is the “Slough of Despond” Paul mentions? This week’s calendar … Continue reading Episode 105: Government and Politics—More Than Just Words
This week we finish up our discussion of useful vocabulary related to health care, including talk about networks, pre-existing conditions, HIPA, Obamacare vs. the ACA, and primary care physicians. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: About “Yankee Doodle” in The New York Times. This week’s calendar entry is “sick/sic.” Buy the … Continue reading Episode 104: Finishing Up Health Care Terms: Networks, HMOs, Pre-existing Conditions, HIPA, and Primary Care Physicians
This week we talk more about health care, including long-term care insurance, health savings accounts, death panels, and Charlie Gard. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: The New York Times’ Ron Lieber on the ethics of adjusting your assets to qualify for Medicaid. This week’s calendar entry is “able to.” Buy … Continue reading Episode 103: Long-term Care Insurance, Health Savings Accounts, Death Panels, and Even More on Health Care
This week we continue our discussion of health care. Unfortunately, we all need to know a whole lot of complicated and confusing terms to get through our current health care debate. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: This week’s calendar entry is “realize/realise.” Buy the book!
This week we continue our discussion of health care. Unfortunately, we all need to know a whole lot of complicated and confusing terms to get through our current health care debate. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: This week’s calendar entry is “tradegy/tragedy.” Buy the book!
This week, and in the coming weeks, we will discuss the vocabulary of health care. Unfortunately, we all need to know a whole lot of complicated and confusing terms to get through our current health care debate. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: This week’s calendar entry is “boost in the … Continue reading Episode 100: More Health Care Terms to Know and Love (or at least know)
The ongoing debate on health care here in the US takes for granted that we understand deductible, co-pay, co-insurance, premium, out-of-pocket limits, and many other often-confusing terms. Since that isn’t always the case, we’ll be discussing the language of health care in the coming weeks. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: … Continue reading Episode 99: The Language of Health Care (Part 1)
Finally, after three weeks dwelling on words and expressions about idiocy, we turn our attention to some words that say smart. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: This week’s calendar entry is “genius.” Riddley Walker Buy the book!
We’ve been talking about insults to the intelligence, and this week we conclude our discussion of adjectives. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: This week’s calendar entry is “gull/gall.” Silly Symphonies on YouTube Alessandro di Cagliostro on Wikipedia From John Skelton’s 1528 volume entitled “Replycacion agaynst Certayne Yong Scolers”: As touchyng … Continue reading Episode 97: More Stupid Adjectives
We’ve been talking about insults to the intelligence, and this week we switch the focus to adjectives. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: This week’s calendar entry is “French dip with au jus/French dip.” Entry for “hairbrained/harebrained.” Entry for “ignorant/stupid.” Buy the book!
This week continue our high-minded discussion of terms that insult the intelligence. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: This week’s calendar entry is “ignorant/stupid.” Buy the book!
This week we discuss more words meant as insults to intelligence. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: This week’s calendar entry is “disrespect.” Buy the book!
This week we take on some words meant as insults to intelligence and where they come from. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: “Trump and the True Meaning of ‘Idiot’” in The New York Times Politically correct language was discussed in episodes 34 and 35. Buy the book!
This week we literally go back to the archives to replay our podcast on one of Paul’s most popular creations, “Mr. Gradgrind’s Literal Answers to Rhetorical Questions.” Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: This week’s calendar entry is “beginning of time.” Mr. Gradgrind’s Literal Answers to Rhetorical Questions
It’s Rose Festival time here in Portland, the City of Roses. In fact, 110 years ago, June 20–22, 1907, the first Rose Festival was held. Back then it was called the “Rose Carnival and Fiesta,” but we all know a Rose Festival by any other name would smell as sweet. Let’s mark the occasion by … Continue reading Episode 91: When Is a Rose Not a Rose? (From the Archives)
You see a lot of stories about various things losing steam or picking it up. This week we rebroadcast Episode 11, in which Paul discussed his interest in that phenomenon and other aspects of the word “steam.” Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: “Ancestor/Descendant” entry featured in the calendar this week … Continue reading Episode 90: Steam (From the Archives)
This week we take a break from usage and language to get some tips from Paul on photography. This time the focus is troubleshooting. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Shined/shone entry featured in the calendar this week Previous episodes discussing photography: 61, 62, 63, 79, 80 Buy the book!
This week we conclude our discussion of antiquated disease names. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Photo of the Week: St. Catherine Links: Downfall/drawback featured in the calendar this week Inspector Clouseau requests a room Buy the book!
This week we continue to explore antiquated terms for diseases, not all of which are, unfortunately, antiquated themselves. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Old English featured in the calendar this week “Adelaide’s Lament” from Guys and Dolls Buy the book!
How about another round of antiquated disease names, not all of which are all that pleasant? Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Buy the book!
Do you even want to listen? We talk about terms we used to use for various diseases, not all of which are entirely pleasant. You’ve been warned . . . Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Buy the book!
We conclude our discussion on contranyms, words that can mean two very different things. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: About Amelia Bedilia Buy the book!
We continue our discussion on contranyms, words that can mean two very different things. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Buy the book!
We continue our discussion on contranyms, words that can mean two very different things. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: A sampling of L.M. Boyd’s “factoids” Buy the book!
Words whose meanings can be contradictory—sometimes called contranyms, autoantonyms, antagonyms, or Janus words—are this week’s topic. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Cartoon accompaniment: Links: Buy the book!
This week we talk more about photography, with the focus on photographing people. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Some of Paul’s photographs of people A volunteer weed-puller working on a property protected by the Bainbridge Island Land Trust. She’s watching the ivy she’s pulled of a tree trunk falling. A boy and his … Continue reading Episode 80: Shooting People, Photographically
This week we take a break, as we do from time to time, from language and usage to discuss one of Paul’s favorite topics: photography. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Buy the book!
On the podcast this week we discuss some more commonly confused terms, this time on the topic of religion. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Buy the book!
On the podcast this week we discuss commonly confused terms related to sex and music. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Buy the book!
On the podcast this week we continue the discussion of “lies” as a front runner for Word of the Year. In part two we talk about the the current state of presidential lying. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: “Trump’s Gold Lining,” by Maureen Dowd Buy the book!
On the podcast this week we discuss “lies” as a front runner for Word of the Year. In part one we talk about the history of presidential lies. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Buy the book!
This week we conclude our discussion of romanticism, talking about its lasting influence. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Paul Brians’ essay on romanticism The Definitive Flash Gordon Study Guide for Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Book One The Influence of Nietzsche The Enlightenment Study Guide for Voltaire’s Philosophical Dictionary Buy the book! Puget … Continue reading Episode 74: Romancing the Podcast (Part 5)
Happy Valentine’s Day! This week we continue on the topic of romanticism and spend a little extra time on romantic love. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Paul Brians’ essay on romanticism Meet the Patels Buy the book!
This week we continue with our discussion of romanticism. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Paul Brians’ essay on romanticism Buy the book!
This week we continue our discussion of romanticism, starting with some talk about Shakespeare and winding up with a Gothic romance. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Paul Brians’ essay on romanticism Authorship of Shakespeare’s plays: The case for Oxford Authorship of Shakespeare’s plays: The case for Shakespeare “How Movies and TV Address … Continue reading Episode 71: Romancing the Podcast (Part 2)
We love our holidays, and in anticipation of Valentine’s Day coming up soon, Paul talks about romanticism, a topic he knows very well. This week we talk about the history of the word and begin a discussion of the history of romanticism. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Paul Brians’ essay on romanticism
French words adapted for use in English have their own set of pronunciation pitfalls. This week we talk about some of them. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Link: Featured pronunciation entries on the blog.
This week we talk about some words with tricky pronunciation. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Link: Featured pronunciation entries on the blog.
This week we continue our conversation on Australia’s Plain English Foundation’s list of objectionable usage in 2016. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Link: Plain English Foundation announces worst word of 2016
This week we talk about usage stories of the year. What was the word of the year according to Webster’s and others? What usage did Australia’s Plain English Foundation object to the most? Don’t just click the links below—listen to us discuss these weighty matters! Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Plain English … Continue reading Episode 66: 2016 in Review (Part 1)
In the spirit of the Christmas season, Paul Brians calls on his background as a scholar of the Bible and discusses some of the important language in the story of Christmas. Do you know the religious tradition of the Magi? The difference between miracle and magic? Listen to find out. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 … Continue reading Episode 65: The Magi(c) of Christmas
Seasons change, but the podcast this week remains the same as we rebroadcast a timely episode from the archives. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: revolve/rotate astrology/astronomy center around/center on epigram/epigraph/epitaph/epithet earth, moon satellite Also note this celestial event, mentioned in verse in the comic strip Frazz.
This week we continue our discussion of photography as Paul Brians offers some great tips on how to get good images. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Through the end of the year, get the book for $15 Send an e-mail message to Paul for a free oval matte cutter
This week we continue our discussion of photography as Paul Brians offers some great tips on how to get good images. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Through the end of the year, get the book for $15 Send an e-mail message to Paul for a free oval matte cutter The photography of … Continue reading Episode 62: Photography (Part 2)
For the next three weeks we are taking a holiday from our usual conversations concerning language and usage points to talk about photography, one of Paul Brians’ great interests. We sprinkle in a few terms worth knowing along the way. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Through the end of the year, get … Continue reading Episode 61: Photography (Part 1)
This week we conclude our discussion of streets, avenues, boulevards, and other thoroughfares. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Through the end of the year, get the book for $15 Listen to last year’s Thanksgiving-themed podcast
This week we discuss the vocabulary of streets, avenues, boulevards, and other thoroughfares. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher A view of Kirk Avenue:
This week on the podcast we continue our discussion of the apostrophe, this time focusing on contractions. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: “Bigly” or “big league”? President Obama’s dropped Gs “Roaring 20’s or Roaring 20s?” Apostrophes as visual separators
This week on the podcast we continue our discussion of the apostrophe, this time focusing on possessives. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: “Apostrophes,” on the Common Errors in English Usage Web site “Expressions with Apostrophes,” a blog post by Paul Brians A blog post on its/it’s—are there three common errors to talk … Continue reading Episode 57: Apostrophes (Part 2)
This week on the podcast we begin our discussion of the apostrophe, both the word itself and its use in punctuation. We go into some detail about good practice in typesetting along the way. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: A blog post on its/it’s—are there three common errors to talk about here? … Continue reading Episode 56: Apostrophes (Part 1)
This week we conclude our discussion on the topic of nuclear war in the arts. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Nuclear Texts & Contexts Nuclear Holocausts: Atomic War in Fiction, by Paul Brians Vladimir Gakov and Paul Brians: Nuclear-War Themes in Soviet Science Fiction, An Annotated Bibliography
This week we continue our discussion on the topic of nuclear war in the arts. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Nuclear Holocausts: Atomic War in Fiction, by Paul Brians Newsletter: Nuclear Texts & Contexts Nuke Pop (popular culture images of nuclear war) Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and the Dystopian Tradition Vladimir Gakov … Continue reading Episode 54: Going Nuclear, Part 2
This week we talk about a word used in the first Clinton/Trump debate that triggered a lot of response for Paul Brians: nuclear. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Merriam-Webster tracks election words on their site The New York Times: Jonathan Mahler watches the debate in silence Muscular Christianity Nuclear Holocausts: Atomic War … Continue reading Episode 53: Going Nuclear, Part 1
Last week Paul Brians gave us the history and variety of uses for the word hot. This week it’s cool’s turn. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Gwendolyn Brooks discusses and reads “The Pool Players, Seven at the Golden Shovel”
We start this week with a rundown of Prince Charles’ recent comment about Twitter as a mortal threat, then bid farewell to summer with a discussion of the word hot. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Ann Miller sings “Too Darn Hot” by Cole Porter Julie Andrews sings “Le Jazz Hot” from Victor/Victoria … Continue reading Episode 51: Le Podcast Hot
This week we take on more words and phrases that are commonly confused. This time we discuss the correct way to use ethnic and religious terms. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Commonly confused expressions AramcoWorld subscription services Edward Said, Orientalism Paul’s photo from the top of the Musée du monde Arabe:
This week we talk about commonly confused words, also previously discussed in episodes 39 and 45. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Commonly confused expressions
This week on the podcast we discuss words of enthusiasm like “huge,”“terrific,” and “fantastic,” including their history and sometimes-surprising shifts in meaning, in spite of what the Oxford English Dictionary might say about them. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: ABC report on Trump’s hands Tom Terrific Paul Brians’ post on “brilliant” “Thou … Continue reading Episode 48: Swell (and other Fabulous Words)
This week we pick up last week’s conversation about the names of the nominees; this time it’s all about Trump. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Jumping the shark Make Donald Drumpf Again
What’s in a name? This week on the podcast we discuss the names Hillary, Pence, and Kaine. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: St. Hilarius (improv comedy troupe) Herb Caen
This week we talk about Melania Trump’s plagiarism, labyrinths and mazes, and then discuss some more commonly confused words, previously discussed in episode 39. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Is it plagiarism? Yes. The Labyrinth Society Web site Paula in her labyrinth:
This week we conclude our discussion of commonly misunderstood or misread passages and phrases from The Bible. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Edward Hicks’ paintings Early arguments against anesthesia Alan Bennett: Take a Pew
This week we continue our discussion of commonly misunderstood or misread passages and phrases from The Bible. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher
This week the topic is The Bible. We touch on its history and begin a conversation on some of its more famously misunderstood passages. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Through a mirror, darkly on the Common Errors in English Usage Web site Lyndon Baines Johnson and “Let us reason together”
This week we continue our discussion of the comic strips of American newspapers. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: Fearless Fosdick appears in Dick Tracy More on Fearless Fosdick IDW European Disney comics translations IDW Library of American comics
This week we take a break from English usage points and talk about one of Paul’s great interests, the comic strips of American newspapers. We discuss the early history. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: PhD Comics—A professor writes his e-mail IDW Publishing Fantagraphics Yellow journalism Toonerville Trolley cartoon John Alden Carpenter’s “Krazy … Continue reading Episode 40: A History of American Comics (Part 1)
Is Paul reticent about attempting to ride his unicycle in public, or is he hesitant to do that? You’ll find the answer right away when you hit the Play button this week, but keep listening to hear about other commonly confused terms. We’ll be covering more such expressions in future podcasts. Subscribe on iTunes Download … Continue reading Episode 39: Words Often Confused
This week we discuss the decline of the period as a punctuation mark and delve into the interesting history of the word bug. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: On the disappearing period (from The New York Times) More on the changing uses for the period Edison and the term bug Grace Hopper … Continue reading Episode 38: The Period Is Disappearing—Does That Bug You?
Last week we talked about words some of us would like to do without. This week we discuss words some of us would like to see more often. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: “Some words deserve a comeback. Others need to die.” The complete list of words that deserve wider use at … Continue reading Episode 37: Shall We Bring Back Some Words?
This week we talk about words some of us would like to do without. Our verdict: If you don’t like them, don’t use them. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 On Stitcher Links: “Some words deserve a comeback. Others need to die.” The complete list of words to banish at Lake Superior State University Philip Corbett’s … Continue reading Episode 36: Shall We Banish Some Words?
This week we continue our conversation at the crossroads of politics and literary criticism. It turns out there is some vocabulary worth knowing in this area, including cosmopolitanism, interrogation, formalism, and several others. This all relates to the Common Errors in English Usage Web site, too, in interesting ways. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: … Continue reading Episode 35: Political Language and Literature (Part 2)
This week we continue talking about the language of politics—this time focusing on how it is used to discuss literature. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: Paul Brians’ Retirement Speech (“Teaching, Politics, and Me”) Misconceptions, Confusions, and Conflicts Concerning Socialism, Communism, and Capitalism Introduction to 19th-Century Socialism Study Guide for The Communist Manifesto Paul Brians’ … Continue reading Episode 34: Political Language and Literature (Part 1)
This week we talk with Paul Brians about the language of elections, including politicians’ propensity to use “we” when they really mean “I.” Paul also explains how Bernie Sanders, a socialist, has taken advantage of the way conservatives in the U.S. have used language for the past several years. Other topics include a couple of … Continue reading Episode 33: The Language of the Election Season
This week on the show Chris Waigl joins us to discuss more about eggcorns (see also episode 30) and her work putting together The Eggcorn Database, a great resource for finding examples of this type of error. Chris also tells us about her background in science and language, and we talk generally about attitudes toward … Continue reading Episode 32: Chris Waigl of The Eggcorn Database
This week we discuss the meaning of the word “theory,” which was recently reported on by Carl Zimmer in The New York Times. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: In Science, It’s Never ‘Just a Theory’ A Week of Misconceptions Paul Brians’ entry on the word theory
This week we discuss a kind of error known as an eggcorn. The term was coined by Geoffrey Pullum, who explains. After that, Paul Brians runs down some examples from Common Errors in English Usage. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: The Eggcorn Database Egg corns: folk etymology, malapropism, mondegreen, ??? Far from the Madding … Continue reading Episode 30: Eggcorns! (with special guest Geoffrey Pullum)
This week we continue with tech terms worth knowing. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: Phrasal verbs vs. nouns
This week the topic is tech terms worth knowing, including some of the recent history of technology and how language has been affected by it. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: What do others say about this? That’s easy: Google it! And while you’re at it, decide whether you think “Google” is capitalized when used … Continue reading Episode 28: Technology Terms Worth Knowing (Part 1)
This week we feature something very lovely indeed: Paul Brians delivers a lecture on the history of the rose in art. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: There Is No Rose of Such Virtue Mediaeval Song, by James J. Wilhelm David Camden’s translation of Florus Thomas Parnell’s translation of “The Vigil of Venus” Fragonard’s The … Continue reading Episode 27: When Is a Rose Not a Rose?
This week we conclude our discussion of non-errors. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: Paul Brians’ page of non-errors The AP changes its mind about “hopefully” Grammar Girl analyzes “Think Different” Bonus (Paul’s “spitting image”):
This week we continue our discussion of non-errors. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: Paul Brians’ page of non-errors
Last week on the podcast we discussed antiheroes; this week you could say we discuss anti-errors. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: Entries discussed in this episode Interview with Ingrid Tieken
Is there a difference between an antihero and a villain? How about a hero and a protagonist? This week Paul Brians explains these literary terms and talks about Dostoyevsky’s Underground Man. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: hero/protagonist (from Common Errors in English Usage) heroin/heroine (from Common Errors in English Usage) Study Guide for Dostoyevsky: … Continue reading Episode 23: We Could Be Antiheroes
Sure, we already discussed “dessert” on a previous podcast, but this week is the final course for our discussion of food-related terms. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: A vintage article about Japan’s tiramisu craze 15 Easy Hummus Variations
This week we continue our discussion of food-related terms, starting with a German lesson. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: Cole slaw need not be cold slaw Is the Croissant Really French?
This week we go back to the beginnings of the Common Errors in English Usage site as we talk about menu and other food-related terms prone to getting misspelled, mispronounced, and other faux pas (yes—there’s a little French in there, too). Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: The Argyle Sweater Palin’s Rhetoric Is an Enchanted, … Continue reading Episode 20: What’s on the Menu? (Part 1)
This week Paul Brians shows off more of his sci-fi film knowledge with his discussion of Star Wars movies, Buck Rogers, and Flash Gordon. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: How Did Han Solo Make the Kessel Run in 12 Parsecs? “Light-year” entry on the Common Errors in English Usage Web site
This week we talk about a word that has seemingly gained a lot of currency: busted. Listen to Paul Brians discuss the history of this word and its many uses. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: “Busted” by Ben Zimmer The Beau Hunks Play the Original Little Rascals Music NYC’s homeless skeptical of programs intended … Continue reading Episode 18: Totally Busted
While everyone is Ziggying and discussing “A Space Oddity,” this week we are zaggying and talking about the language of Stanley Kubrick’s famous movie whose title served as inspiration for David Bowie. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: ADS Word of the Year 1969 Interview with Stanley Kubrick Inaccuracies in the Film 2001 Trivia Page … Continue reading Episode 17: The Language of 2001: A Space Odyssey
This week we continue our discussion about the origins of the Common Errors in English Usage Web site. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Link: Common Errors in English Usage, the site
It feels like a millennium ago, but in fact it was merely last millennium, in 1997, that Paul Brians started his Common Errors in English Usage Web site. In the next two weeks we will be talking about the origins of the site. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Link: Common Errors in English Usage, the … Continue reading Episode 15: A History of Common Errors in English Usage (Part 1)
Happy New Year! There are style changes for the Washington Post, and Paul Brians offers his own perspective. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: The Post drops the ‘mike’ — and the hyphen in ‘e-mail’ by Bill Walsh mic/mike email/e-mail Internet/intranet World Wide Web company names with apostrophes they/their (singular) collective plural
It’s the winter solstice here in the northern hemisphere, and this week the conversation gets celestial. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: revolve/rotate astrology/astronomy center around/center on epigram/epigraph/epitaph/epithet earth, moon satellite Also note this celestial event, mentioned in verse in the comic strip Frazz.
In the spirit of the Christmas season, Paul Brians calls on his background as a scholar of the Bible and discusses some of the important language in the story of Christmas. Do you know the religious tradition of the Magi? The difference between miracle and magic? Listen to find out. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 … Continue reading Episode 12: The Magi(c) of Christmas
This week Paul Brians discusses how the word steam has persisted well past the steam age. It’s a family podcast, so things don’t get too steamy! Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: “We Haven’t Run Out of Steam Yet,” by Paul Brians Photographs Bainbridge Island from the Virginia V steamer, by Paul Brians The City … Continue reading Episode 11: Steam—Not for Punks Only
This week we discuss the introduction to Mary Norris’s book, Between You and Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen. From there we talk about peculiarities of commas in The New Yorker, basic guidelines for comma usage, and everyone’s favorite: The Oxford Comma. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Links: “Learning to Love the House Style,” by … Continue reading Episode 10: Commas (Inspired by Mary Norris)
Happy Thanksgiving! This week we discuss place name oddities. Paul Brians begins with his blog post, “Let’s Talk Turkey.” Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Order Common Errors in English Usage before the end of the year and get $4 off the cover price when you enter the coupon code FIFTEEN: http://tinyurl.com/commonerrorsbook. Expires December 31, 2015. … Continue reading Episode 9: Talking Turkey (and Many Other Place Names, Too!)
Joining the podcast from Leiden University in the Netherlands is Ingrid Tieken to talk about her study of the history of usage guides. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Order Common Errors in English Usage before the end of the year and get $4 off the cover price when you enter the coupon code FIFTEEN: http://tinyurl.com/commonerrorsbook. … Continue reading Episode 8: Bridging the Unbridgeable with Ingrid Tieken
In this week’s episode we go back in time and talk about a particularly marvelous George Eliot sentence. Subscribe on iTunes Download mp3 Order the book before the end of the year and get $4 off the cover price when you enter the coupon code FIFTEEN: http://tinyurl.com/commonerrorsbook. Expires December 31, 2015. Links: Daniel Deronda, the … Continue reading Episode 7: Reading George Eliot and Moving Back in Time
This week we get a visit from Paul Brians’ alter-ego, Mr. Gradgrind, who answers our rhetorical questions with his unique fact-based approach! Download mp3 Subscribe on iTunes LINK: Mr. Gradgrind’s Literal Answers to Rhetorical Questions
On rare occasion you may perhaps wonder where the expression “Once in a Blue Moon” comes from. This week Paul Brians discusses the true origin. Download mp3 Subscribe on iTunes Links: Moody Blues, by Paul Brians The Eggcorn Database Why Did People Once Think the Moon was Made Out of Cheese? (from Today I Found … Continue reading Episode 5: Moons and Moods of the Blue Kind
Choosing the right word is more than a matter of looking up synonyms. In this episode Paul Brians talks about word choice, with a smattering of etymology and linguistic discussion of “snow words” thrown in. Download mp3 Subscribe on iTunes Links: Sapir-Whorf hypothesis “Eskimo Words for Snow”: A Case Study in the Genesis and Decay … Continue reading Episode 4: Synonyms
Ever thought you’d like to hear two middle-aged married men’s advice on dating? No? Too bad—in this week’s episode we talk about something that’s been in the news lately: English usage in online dating profiles. Download mp3 Subscribe on iTunes Links: “What’s Really Hot on Dating Sites? Proper Grammar” “On Dating Sites, Good Writing Matters” … Continue reading Episode 3: Blogging, Dating, and Grammar
This week we discuss shades of meaning between US and UK English, focusing on two common words that are used differently on the two sides of the Atlantic. Link: Brilliant in Britain
In the first episode of the Common Errors in English Usage podcast, we remember Yogi Berra and talk about Yogi-isms. Send comments to commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com. Subscribe on iTunes Links: “Yogi Berra Died, Not Yogi Bear: AP makes a Boo Boo?” from iMediaEthics. “Behind the Yogi-isms: Those Said and Unsaid,” The New York Times.