Stacy from Denver, Colorado, is accustomed to using the idiomatic expression let alone in a particular way, mentioning two possibilities within a range and placing the more extreme possibility at the end of the statement, as in I can’t even cook for myself, let alone cook Thanksgiving for ten people. Increasingly, though, she’s hearing people reverse such constructions, as in I can’t even cook Thanksgiving, let alone cook for myself. Stacy’s usage is correct, although let alone is a difficult phrase to parse, so the mistake is understandable. In this case, let alone is one of what linguists refer to as complementary alternation discourse constructions, a group that includes such phrases as to say nothing of, never mind, and much less. This is part of a complete episode.
What makes a great first line of a book? How do the best authors put together an initial sentence that draws you in and makes you want to read more? We’re talking about the openings of such novels as George Orwell’s 1984...
To slip someone a mickey means to doctor a drink and give it to an unwitting recipient. The phrase goes back to Mickey Finn of the Lone Star Saloon in Chicago, who in the late 19th century was notorious for drugging certain customers and relieving...
Subscribe to the fantastic A Way with Words newsletter!
Martha and Grant send occasional messages with language headlines, event announcements, linguistic tidbits, and episode reminders. It’s a great way to stay in touch with what’s happening with the show.
