Calling from the Greek island of Crete, a retired English teacher named Beth asks about using of amount of instead of numberof when it comes to such phrases as the amount of people or the amount of eggs. The traditional distinction is that amount applies to mass nouns, or uncountable things, and number is used with count nouns, or things that can be counted. In everyday speech, however, it’s fine to relax about this rule. This is part of a complete episode.
An 1875 dictionary of the Sussex dialect from southeastern England gives a colorful glimpse of life there in those days. A beever is “an 11 o’clock luncheon.” In parts of Sussex, a ladybug is variously known as a Bishop Barnaby, a fly-golding, or...
A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, listener says when he was growing up, his family used the word schmutz as a verb. For example, when one parent reminded the other to apply sunscreen to the youngsters, they might say Make sure you schmutz the kids...
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