Heterographic Homophones
different - writing - same - sounds “I’m in a good mood today,’ he said. “This morning on the second tea I got a whole in won!”...
Search
peterluykx
- Oct 14, 2019
- 2 min
Down with nicknames!
Examples of how to eliminate nicknames and restore words to their proper form: Just don’t call me by my nicholas-name; I hate it! From...
13 views0 comments
peterluykx
- Jul 10, 2019
- 6 min
More Words With Unexpected Origins
Many modern words have had their original meanings and forms modified or even lost over the centuries. Here are eleven additions to my...
10 views0 comments
peterluykx
- Mar 24, 2019
- 4 min
Words with Unexpected Origins
Some English words have fairly obvious origins, such as the word SYMPATHY, which comes from the Greek σύν (sym-), “with” + πάθος...
14 views0 comments
peterluykx
- Oct 5, 2018
- 2 min
Greek Non-Plurals
A number of words ending in -os have been borrowed directly from the Greek and incorporated unchanged into the English language, although...
20 views0 comments
peterluykx
- Aug 29, 2018
- 5 min
Insects on the Tongue
ant, bee, beetle, bug, butterfly, cocoon, flea, fly, gnat, louse, moth, nit Not counting bacteria, insects make up at least half of the...
11 views0 comments
peterluykx
- Aug 18, 2018
- 3 min
Automobile names
The names of makes of automobiles often come from the family names of company founders, manufacturers, automotive designers, or other...
24 views0 comments
peterluykx
- Feb 20, 2018
- 1 min
The alphabetical aardvark
Argh! says the aardvark, as he dribbles accidentally some reddish ackee juice offhandedly and aggravatingly onto his vest while relaxing...
20 views0 comments
peterluykx
- May 23, 2017
- 1 min
Body Parts
Among the first things an infant learns are the names of parts of the body: head, face, hand, foot, mouth, eye, and so on. When human...
37 views0 comments
peterluykx
- Sep 26, 2016
- 1 min
The forgotten parthenogenotes
To the tune of “When Johnny comes marching home again,” the counting nursery-rhyme song starts out . . . The animals went in two by two...
35 views0 comments
peterluykx
- Feb 11, 2016
- 2 min
Cardinal
When a thing is named, its name seems to capture something of its inner nature. The name – cardinal – of the bird now singing its...
16 views0 comments
peterluykx
- Jan 14, 2016
- 1 min
Birthday present
“What do you want for your birthday?” she asked. He said, “Nothing.” “I don’t know of any stores where they carry nothing.” “Try amazon,”...
38 views0 comments
peterluykx
- Dec 14, 2015
- 2 min
Quarry and Quarry
Sometimes two words have different origins and different meanings but end up being spelled the same way . . . as if they had wandered...
23 views0 comments
peterluykx
- Oct 9, 2015
- 2 min
Positive forms of negative words
We should resurrect the positive forms of some words that are usually used only in their negative forms. The sentences below are...
13 views0 comments
peterluykx
- Aug 8, 2015
- 2 min
Bird words seven
There are many expressions with direct references to birds: jaywalking, mudlarking, crow’s nest, pigeon-toed, pigeon-holed, stool pigeon,...
8 views0 comments
peterluykx
- Aug 8, 2015
- 1 min
alphabetical-order words
Some English words have three adjacent letters in the same order as they occur in the alphabet; e.g., a word containing a-b-c in that...
22 views0 comments