In the late 19th century, the name willipus-wallipus denoted a legendary monster said to haunt the American South. The term also came to designate “a steamroller” or “any large piece of road equipment.” The term lapslock, popular among fanfic...
Don’t capitalize names of seasons unless they’re part of a proper noun, such as Summer Olympics or Spring Formal. Unlike the names of months and days of the week, seasons aren’t eponymous, meaning they don’t derive from proper names. This is part of...
There’s no hard-set rule about whether to capitalize the phrase To Whom It May Concern, though it may also be worth figuring out who you’re addressing, and writing to them instead. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Capitalization in...
Meetup is an increasingly common substitute for meeting, especially when the gathering’s meant to be less formal and attendance is optional. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Meetups” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, I’m Bob...
Martha reads a favorite love poem by E.E. Cummings. (Because you’re going to ask, properly capitalizing his name is the right thing to do.) This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “E.E. Cummings Love Poem” Grant, I’ve been rereading the...
What’s your choice for 2010’s word of the year? Mama grizzly? Starwhacker? Who could forget vuvuzela? Martha and Grant discuss the five-oh in Hawaii 5-0, and whether the tagline “I approve this message” is grammatical. Also, is the phrase “it is...