Would cheugy by any other name be as drip? Now that I’ve completely confused my Spell Check as well as anyone reading this, let me remind you that it’s once again time for my ESL quiz. That is, English as a Second Language as spoken by our high school and college-age grandkids. Spring break is
Greetings grandparents and other significant others. It’s that time of year again when colleges and universities fling open their doors and bless us with visits from our young scholars. And once again I’m here to help in the event that you are fortunate enough to get them to unbend their necks and actually engage in
Hi folks. Happy New Year! This is the last time I shall say “Happy New Year” in 2023. It’s the middle of January. It’s enough already! There should be a National “Say By” date when it is no longer appropriate to utter those three words. Much like a “Use by” or a “Sell by” date
It’s 2022, and if you’re only just getting last year’s slang, forget it! Gen Z has invented a whole new lexicon. The March breaks are over, but it’s not too late to prepare for the April school vacation and visits or texts from the grandkids. Don’t get what they’re saying? Once again, I’m here to
It’s been almost a year and a half since I launched my campaign to invite lost words back into our everyday English vocabulary. Since then, I trust my readers have been making every effort to include the likes of egad, gadzooks, and piffle in their daily communications, be it texts, emails, or the rare voice
There is a consensus among linguists that the English language is weird. (Well, maybe not all linguists, but two or three, at least.) That might be because English is like your pet dog if your dog happens to be a mutt. What makes a mutt weirdly, and wonderfully, unique is that it has borrowed its
Yeet! Get ready Boomers and Pre-Boomers, it’s Spring Break time again and your Gen Z grandkids are on the loose. Want to spend some time with them and be really savage? Then don’t be baby and learn to talk the talk! Yes, it’s time for our annual English as a Second Language quiz. Challenge your
So there I was, 9:30 in the morning, indulging in my guilty pleasures -- a second cup of coffee and my second crossword puzzle. As I filled in 13 Across -- a four-letter word expressing sorrow -- the proverbial light bulb flashed. Now there's a fine word, I thought. Why does no-one say 'alas' any
No, I did not invent that word in the title. It's real. But I'll get to that in a moment. First, I have to own up to the fact that the subject of today's essay is definitely a reflection of having entirely too much time on my hands. Like everyone else, I don't get around
So your Gen Z grandkid is home from school. (Can you believe she’s in college already!?!) You overhear her talking on her iGen iPhone to her bestie. It sounds like she’s speaking English, but is she? Not that you mean to be nosy, but you don’t understand a thing she says. But if you want
