Read “Lederer on Language” every other Saturday in the San Diego Union Tribune and on this site
Here’s the Absolute Last Word on Famous Last Words
DEAR MR. LEDERER: I’m fascinated by the famous last words that people say. What are your favorites? -Bob Hermann, Rancho Santa Fe As William
Should We Really Feel Bad About ‘Feeling Badly’?
DEAR MR. LEDERER: Please clarify the distinction between bad and badly. My question is especially relevant now that recently accused politicians are “feeling badly.” Isn’t
In So Many Words and Phrases the Eyes Have It
Have you heard about the cross-eyed teacher? She couldn’t control her pupils. That pun plays on the two meanings of the word pupil. The first,
Winston Churchill’s Finest Phrases Still Ring Out
Currently playing in theaters is the powerful film “Darkest Hour,” in which Gary Oldman portrays the titanic Winston Churchill in 1940. Against all odds, the
Legendary Dick Enberg was a Man of His Words
We citizens of America’s Finest City were stunned and saddened last week by the sudden passing, at 82, of Dick Enberg, America’s finest sportscaster. As
A Visit from St. Nicholas to Dog Lovers Everywhere
Yappy Howl-a-Days, dear readers! With help from Clement Clark Moore, who created the original “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” and some internet sources, I
Can You Figure Out What My Aunt Matilda Likes?
My Aunt Matilda is a very peculiar relative, a woman of strong likes and dislikes. For example, my Aunt Matilda likes apples but not oranges
There are So Many Ways to Say, ‘You’re Fired!’
Nobody gets fired anymore. Nowadays, when people lose their jobs, they are “reclassified,” “rightsized,” “deselected,” “outplaced,” “nonpositively terminated” or any other of dozens of
Lunatic English is a Language for the Verbally Insane
Language is like the air we breathe. It’s invisible, inescapable, and indispensable, and we take it for granted. But when we take the time