Read “Lederer on Language” every other Saturday in the San Diego Union Tribune and on this site
When Irish Words are Smiling, We All Feel Blessed
The Irish are known not only for St. Patrick’s Day (coming up March 17), but also for the lyricism and sentiments of their toasts, often
The Lantern of Diogenes Illuminates Proper Usage
Diogenes (412?-323 BCE) of Sinope was an ancient Greek philosopher who rejected the hollow values he saw in Athenian society. One sign of that integrity
Recalling America’s Most Notable, Quotable Poems
Step through the golden gates of National Poetry Month. “There’s no money in poetry,” quoth poet laureate Robert Graves, “but there’s also no poetry in
Correct Word Choice Lights the Way to Clear Writing
The United Press International Stylebook cautions, “A burro is an ass. A burrow is a hole in the ground. As a writer, you are expected
The Punctuation Police Arrest Apostrophe Catastrophe
The Cambridge, England, City Council recently ruled that apostrophes should be removed from all street signs to avoid confusion, but the city’s Good Grammar
How Many Ways Can You Say ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’?
The tradition of sending Valentine’s cards did not become widespread in the United States until the 1850s, when Esther A. Howland began mass producing them.
How Two Black Writers Gained Liberation Through Literacy
As we enter Black History Month, I ask you please to listen to my stories of two giants of African-American literature who experienced the
Saturday Morning Posts From The World Of Words
I’m now writing a series of grammar articles for The Saturday Evening Post. It makes me feel old when my friends under 60 ask
Readers Decry The Use of Terminal Prepositions
My column of two weeks ago endorsing the graceful use of terminal prepositions raised a storm of protests. This letter is one of many: