For Crying Out Loud!

Usually, when people cry, they cry out loud. But of course you can cry silently, can’t you? That hasn’t always been the case though.

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Would You Mind Helping Me?

No, not at all.

or…

Yeah, sure.

Which is the correct answer?

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By the Way

I think I use this expression a lot. I notice, as I’m writing, which phrases I tend to use more often than others. It’s not necessarily such a bad thing: we can’t use every word in the language, and our use of certain words and expressions is what gives us our own style.

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Hump Day

Look, I know this is being published on a Thursday, but in my defence I’m writing this on a Wednesday and the idea came to me this afternoon.

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Remuneration

That’s right. Not renumeration: remuneration.

This is probably among the most-commonly misspelled words in English, and it’s easy to understand why.

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Blurb

You may know that a blurb is any text on the back cover (or occasionally inside the dust jacket) of a book. The word is generally associated with quotes from authors or reviewers praising the book, but it can also refer to any text, like a plot summary, author biography, or information about the series the book belongs to. Continue reading →

What do you Call a French Muggle?

Un non-magique, apparently.

Before I go any farther, I should explain that I’m talking about Harry Potter.

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