Monthly Archives: February 2012

Happy leap day!

Posted on February 29, 2012 by

I think that everyone should get leap day off from work. There could be some kind of bacchanalia-type festival and lots of inappropriate celebration. I mean, it only happens once every four years. It’s like the Olympics or the World … Continue reading →

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When to italicize foreign words and phrases

Posted on February 23, 2012 by

Every once in a while, it feels good to add a snooty foreign word or phrase to your writing. I mean, what would the writing world be without a little je ne sais quoi? However, there are rules about how … Continue reading →

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Empathy versus sympathy

Posted on February 20, 2012 by

Lesson: learning the difference between empathy and sympathy empathy: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, … Continue reading →

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Short (and sunny) hiatus

Posted on February 10, 2012 by

I know this is going to be difficult for you, but I thought you should know that I’ll be away for a week . . . in the Bahamas. Trust me, this pasty Minnesotan needs to get a sun burn. … Continue reading →

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Say no to exclamation points

Posted on February 8, 2012 by

“Cut out all these exclamation points. An exclamation point is like laughing at your own joke.” —F. Scott Fitzgerald “Five exclamation marks, the sure sign of an insane mind.” —Terry Pratchett ALERT: This post contains a rant. I have a … Continue reading →

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Check out Grumble Party!

Posted on February 7, 2012 by

Dear all word nerds, grammar sticklers, owners of multiple dictionaries, and other language freaks, Ever feel like no one understands why you get hot under the collar when you hear someone say “between you and I”? Do you feel like … Continue reading →

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Confusing words: peek, peak, pique

Posted on February 7, 2012 by

Here’s another set of troublesome words: peek, peak, and pique. To make things more difficult, peek and peak can be both nouns and verbs. (Pique can also be a noun and verb, but since pique as a verb is much … Continue reading →

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Titles of works: italics or quotation marks

Posted on February 3, 2012 by

Today we’re going to talk about titles of works (movies, books, articles, and more) and whether they should be in italics or quotation marks. You’ll learn the rules in The Chicago Manual of Style, which is the style guide people … Continue reading →

Posted in copy editing, style issues | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments