Tag Archives: words
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Paronomasiacs, Oxt, and Other Honkerbonkers
Leave a commentJanuary 15, 2015 by libroshombre
James Boswell, famed as the autobiographer and companion of Samuel “Dictionary” Johnson in the 1700s, was a thorough-going scamp. However, …
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Tree Asps, Knock-knock Jokes, and Surprising Books
Leave a commentJanuary 5, 2015 by libroshombre
The powerful 17th century French nobleman Francois de La Rochefoucauld made a sad commentary on his life when he wrote, …
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Abecedarians, Librarians, and Profane Homophones
Leave a commentAugust 14, 2014 by libroshombre
We’re lucky that our school district pays attention to its libraries, since that’s where students get grounded in navigating the …
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Hyphenites, Assonance, and Monkeyshines
Leave a commentJuly 24, 2014 by libroshombre
Last week brought a new appreciation for animal-oriented names, especially daddy long-leg spiders, carpenter ants, and the expression “monkeyshines.” But …
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The Etymology of Soccer, Football, and Ageless Slang
Leave a commentJuly 10, 2014 by libroshombre
The old Scottish poet Allan Cunningham once wrote about a time “when looks were fond and words were few.” That …
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Brewer’s, Jenkin’s Ear, and How Far Athletes Run
Leave a commentJune 26, 2014 by libroshombre
Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, that thick collection of concise explanations and curiosities is perfect for lazy, rainy June …
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Grammar Nazis, Word Power, and Shakespeare’s Library
Leave a commentMay 8, 2014 by libroshombre
Truly, I’m no grammar nazi. I’ve known real ones – some of my best friends are grammatical storm troopers – …
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Hifalutin Dogberries and Abstract Nouns.
Leave a commentApril 24, 2014 by libroshombre
There’s a lot to be said for reading The Economist. Besides in-depth, authoritative reporting, its writers and editors employ richer …
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Morphemes, Bashi-Bazouks, and Grawlixes
Leave a commentJanuary 30, 2014 by libroshombre
Libraries, those magnificent repositories of knowledge, are brimming with words of all sorts: written, spoken, sung, and projected. This is …
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