Linguist Michael Erard, the author of Um. .. Slips, Stumbles, and Verbal Blunders, and What They Mean who we recently interviewed, graciously sent us this article, which he first wrote and published in the magazine Lingua Franca:

In a recent issue of the moderated e-mail list Linguist, Brown University anthropologist William O. Beeman addressed an odd phenomenon: Apparently, there is a different word for butterfly in every language, even though historical relationships and geographic contacts often suggest the words should be similar. Beeman called it "the butterfly problem."

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Need to just get away and write? Residencies offer writers a creative environment, lodging and peer support. Check out these prestigious (and in some cases legendary) programs here:

Yaddo Residency

MacDowell Colony

Edward F. Albee Foundation

Hedgebrook

(Click here to find more writer residencies)

Ah, December: Family gatherings, the company holiday party, Santa slipping down your chimney -- and the annual bevy of "Best Books" lists. Here are a few of our favorites:

New York Times' The 10 Best Books of 2007

Washington Post's Book World Holiday Issue

Boston Herald's Best Fiction and Nonfiction Books of 2007

Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year

School Library Journal's Best Books of 2007

I wish all advertising, publicity and marketing communications were truthful and not deceptive in any way. But, alas, that just isn't the case. In fact, the bestselling author Seth Godin even titled one of his books "All Marketers Are Liars." It was an in-joke because the book was actually about using storytelling techniques in marketing, and not about lying. But the fact that he joked about it on the cover of a major book shows there is a problem.

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Have you ever wondered why some people write easily and fluently, while others struggle and strain as if trying to squeeze a 185-lb body into a size six pair of jeans? In 30 years at this trade, I've noticed that effective writers tend to share seven traits. So, with apologies to Stephen Covey, here is my list.

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Confusing Words "is a collection of 3210 words that are troublesome to writers and readers." Hmm, that's a lot of words. Click here to untangle the one that's troubling you!