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The Gallery of Regrettable Punctuation
I’ve always gotten a chuckle out of James Lileks’ “Gallery of Regrettable Food.” I mean, you have to love the commentary on the abominations you’ll find in things like the Cookin’ with Dr. Pepper cookbook. Inspired by this gallery, then, I hereby present The Official “A Way with Words” Gallery of Regrettable Punctuation, and invite more…
What’s Your Choice for Word of the Year?
Grant and I did some yakking live this week on KPBS’s “These Days” radio show about candidates for “Word of the Year.” We discussed possibilities like “grass station” and “toe tapper.” Although I’m holding out for “lecondel” and “facebook” used as a transitive verb. What’s YOUR nomination for the word or phrase of the year? more…
Biggest. Diary. Ever.
I’ve been remiss in lamenting the death last month of Robert Shields, the protestant minister born in Seymour, Indiana, who left behind a diary of his life consisting of some 37.5 million words, a possible world record. Holy cow! Although I do have to wonder how many emails I’ve sent in the last 16 years. more…
T-Minus 9 Days to the New AWWW!
We at “A Way with Words” are sooooo excited! The premiere of the brand-new season of “A Way with Words” — and yes, podcasters, we’re talking all-new, hour-long episodes — starts Saturday, Nov. 24! Check out the new “A Way with Words” site, where you can meet fellow word lovers in our discussion forum and more…
Grant’s New Column
And with a circulation of 1.2 million — not bad! Check out Grant’s first column about his adventures in lexicography — and the slang word “cougar.”
Are You a Podcast User?
Then you might enjoy Podcast User Magazine. (And not just because one this month’s featured interviewees, Charles Hodgson of Podictionary, tells the magazine that the one podcast he’d never want to do without is — what else? — “A Way with Words.”) And may I just take a moment to say how very pleased I more…
Of Wide Stances and Toe-tappers
Pondering the saga of Larry Craig, Rebecca Boone notes in today’s Seattle Post-Intelligencer: In the list of famous excuses ever given for questionable behavior, “I have a wide stance” must fall somewhere between the schoolchild’s favorite, “the dog ate my homework,” and President Bill Clinton’s, “I didn’t inhale.” Later in the article, my co-host Grant more…
Cackleberries ‘n Blinky Milk
Folks, in this week’s “A Way with Words” podcast, I’m gittin’ all nostalgic for my Southern roots — a sentimental journey that began as I thumbed through a few pages of glorious reference work, the Dictionary of Smoky Mountain English. Incidentally, in the podcast I mention that my dad, Henlee Barnette, was born in a more…
