A remark that’s critical of oneself might be described as self-deprecating. Surprisingly, though, before the 1940s, such a remark was properly said to be self-depreciating. In Garner’s Modern English Usage (Bookshop|Amazon), grammarian Bryan Garner notes that the use of these terms has flipped over time. Though long viewed as incorrect, self-deprecating is now 50 times more common than self-depreciating. This is part of a complete episode.
Scientists decided to name some newly discovered tree frogs in Madagascar based on the boops and trills they make, which reminded the researchers of Star Trek. Among the scientific names for these critters that belong to the rare Boophis frog genus...
The phrase fight the good fight, which means to “try one’s best” and “attempt to do what’s right” is inspired second of the epistles to Timothy attributed to the apostle Paul: “I have fought a good fight, I...
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