Keeping it simple

A page from my third grader’s school planner:

15 signs you might be a word nerd

Do you have more than one style guide on your desk? Are you the one person in your company others call when they have a grammar question? That book you read before you go to bed at night—how many typos have you found in it? If you answered yes to the first two questions and more than 10 to the second question, you might be a word nerd. Never fear; no one here will make fun of you. PR Daily readers are a group of like-minded people who—though they have different interests and opinions—share an appreciation for the power and subtlety of words. Still not quite sure if...

7 more confusing word pairs

In a previous post, I discussed the distinctions between word pairs such as comprise and compose and imply and infer. The English language is full of problematic word pairs; here are seven more to note. Oral and verbal “Oral” means by mouth and should be used when referring to spoken language. It is more precise than verbal. • Example: The incident was mentioned in an oral report to her supervisor. “Verbal” means with words, either written or spoken. • Example: Patrick O’Brian is a verbal virtuoso. Complement and compliment “Complement” means to add to...

Careful, writers! 10 common words with o...

The English language is full of words with uncommon properties. There are backronyms, metaplasms, and neologisms. My favorite words of unusual properties are contranyms, or words that are spelled the same, but have two opposite meanings. These words are also known as Janus words, named after the Roman god of gates and doorways and of beginnings and endings. Janus words teach us the importance of context and bring a whole new meaning to the phrase “use it in a sentence.” Here are a few examples: Oversight. It can mean watchful care or an error or mistake. Example:...

8 tips to make the writing process easie...

No one who writes for a living will tell you that they actually enjoy writing. It’s tedious and soul-crushing to stare at a blank computer screen, knowing what you want to write but being unable to call up the proper words. Canadian author Ann-Marie MacDonald describes it aptly: “Writing is a hellish task, best snuck up on, whacked on the head, robbed, and left for dead.” This year, I was asked to lead a workshop on writing for non-writers. Participants were of varying experience levels, so I spent the majority of our time discussing how to make the writing process...