Many phrasal verb particles, after long use, begin to take on a life of their own that departs significantly from what common sense suggests they should mean.  Continue reading...

Here are the three questions you should ask yourself to find out if self-publishing is right for you.  Continue reading...

Like many four-letter words, poll is versatile. Where did it come from, and how did it come to be associated with voting?  Continue reading...

Watch out — there's a new candidate for Euphemism of the Year! And this one just might be one of the sneakiest snakes.  Continue reading...

I was delighted to learn recently of The Sifter - A Food History Research Tool, which is a gigantic online database of historical cookbooks. What I've been doing in The Sifter initially is a kind of time travel via language.  Continue reading...

Three reasons why you should take a step back and consider "back-and-forth" writing.  Continue reading...

As we approach a presidential election, I've been thinking about campaign slogans old and new, memorable and forgettable. Is the political slogan still relevant? Or is it passé in the era of hashtags, acronyms, and memes?  Continue reading...