This Week: Wrapping Up the Book Sale, Plus The Magi(c) of Christmas + wreath/wreaths/wreathe/wreathes

wreath/wreaths/wreathe/wreathes
One circle of greens is a wreath (rhymes with “teeth”). The plural is “wreaths” (rhymes with “heaths”). In both cases the TH is unvoiced (like the TH in “both”).

To decorate something with wreaths is wreathe it (rhymes with “breathe” with a voiced TH like the one at the end of “bathe”). He or she wreathes it (also with a voiced TH).




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On the podcast this week, we air our traditional Christmas episode.

Final week of the book sale! Through the end of the year, buy the Common Errors in English Usage book now for $15 with free shipping in the US.

This Week: Book Sale Continues! Plus, A Christmas Podcast + anxious/eager

anxious/eager
Most people use “anxious” interchangeably with “eager,” but its original meaning had to do with worrying, being full of anxiety. Perfectly correct phrases like “anxious to please” obscure the nervous tension implicit in this word and lead people to say less correct things like, “I’m anxious for Christmas morning to come so I can open my presents.” Traditionalists frown on anxiety-free anxiousness. Say instead you are eager for or looking forward to a happy event.




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On the podcast this week, we discuss holiday greetings and the war on Christmas.

Book sale! Through the end of the year, buy the Common Errors in English Usage book now for $15 with free shipping in the US.

This Week: Book Sale Continues! Plus, More on the Language of Politics on the Podcast + yea/yeah/yay

yea/yeah/yay
“Yea” is a very old-fashioned, formal way of saying “yes,” used mainly in voting. It’s the opposite of—and rhymes with—“nay.” When you want to write the common casual version of “yes,” the correct spelling is “yeah” (sounds like “yeh”). When the third grade teacher announced a class trip to the zoo, we all yelled “yay!” (the opposite of “boo!”). That was back when I was only yay big.


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On the podcast this week, we pick up our discussion of words related to government and politics. This week the topic is caucuses, lobbyists, PACs, and more.

Book sale! Through the end of the year, buy the Common Errors in English Usage book now for $15 with free shipping in the US.

This Week: Book Sale Continues! Plus, More on the Language of Politics on the Podcast + capital/capitol

capital/capitol
A “capitol” is almost always a building. Cities which serve as seats of government are capitals spelled with an A in the last syllable, as are most other uses of the word as a common noun. The only exceptions are place names alluding to capitol buildings in some way or other, like “Capitol Hill” in DC, Denver, or Seattle (the latter named either after the hill in Denver or in hopes of attracting the Washington State capitol building). Would it help to remember that Congress with an O meets in the Capitol with another O?


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On the podcast this week, we pick up our discussion of words related to government and politics. This week we find out the origin of the word “veto,” talk of filibustering and reconciliation, and more.

Book sale! Through the end of the year, buy the Common Errors in English Usage book now for $15 with free shipping in the US.