There seem to be more and more instances of the adjective "everyday" being used where the adjective+noun (acting together as an adverbial phrase) "every day" should be used. Everyday means: "Daily, quotidian, commonplace: happening every day." Every day also means "daily," but modifies a verb, not a noun. Every Day vs. Everyday The bus driver…
Passive Voice and Passival Tense
Happy Passive Voice Day! Don't go nuts trying to always avoid passive. Here is a useful illustration of other verb forms being confused for passive in student paper-grading, and links to Language Log posts on the passive voice. Bonus links: Language Log on the now-archaic passival tense, replaced since ca. the mid-18th century by the…
This Clickbait Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity
Is Upworthy indirectly addressing a crisis of faith that internet users collectively feel? Is there something about the hyperlink that makes us want to believe, or disbelieve, what is on the other side? Does clickbait restore our faith or inspire our disbelief? Life Sentences: The Grammar of Clickbait! From The American Reader. Short but sweet.…
Ben Yagoda Loves Comma Puns
NB: New York Times links: Fanfare for the Comma Man Most Comma Mistakes Some Comma Questions Dashes and exclamation points are also covered in others of his Opinionator posts. And his blog is also entertaining.
very syntax
A linguist explains the grammar of Doge. Wow. From the Toast. Previously: A linguistic analysis of lolspeak. (i iz a PDF.) From All Things Linguistic. Photo of Kenji from the imnotafox.com tumblr.
Fox Editing 