Article archive :: Language Clinic

rationale/rationalization

21/01/2013 18:19

When you’re explaining the reasoning behind your position, you are presenting your rationale. But if you’re just making up some lame excuses to make your position appear better—whether to yourself or others—you’re engaging in rationalization.

Compliment/Complement "of the Season"

08/01/2013 13:02

Compliment means an expression of praise, commendation, or admiration. a formal act or expression of civility, respect, or regard: The mayor paid him the compliment of escorting him. compliments, a courteous greeting; good wishes; regards: He sends you his...

Barbing hair/Barbing shop

28/12/2012 14:34

"to barb your hair" for "having a haircut" Men do say that they want to 'barb' their hair. The word 'barb' does not have anything to do with cutting at all let alone human's hair. As a noun, it means 1. a point or pointed part projecting backward from a main point, as of a fishhook or...

Advice/Advise

28/12/2012 14:27

'advice' and 'advise' We do use these two words interchangeably and which is not supposed to be so. The two words are used according to two regional variations. i.e. America and Britain. BrE 'advice' (NOUN) 'advise' (VERB) AmE : 'advise' is either used as a verb or a noun. To avoid...

Whereabouts

21/12/2012 16:09

'Whereabouts' is always with 's' not whereabout.

Shiloh

10/12/2012 18:18

Shiloh is pronounced as if it were /SHAILo/ or SHY-lo, not the common pronunciation.

LONG LEG / LONG ARM

06/12/2012 12:21

long arm — n 1. power, esp far-reaching power: the long arm of the law 2. make a long arm to reach out for something, as from a sitting position 3. connection ...

OMNISHAMBLES - The newest word in Oxford Dictionary.

05/12/2012 14:04

Have you heard this word before: omnishambles? It is the newest word in Oxford Dictionary. Omnishambles (noun, informal) means a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterised by a string of blunders and miscalculations. [coined by the writers of the satirical...

FROM THE BLOG

05/12/2012 13:08

letterhead not letterheaded paper, ban not band; Between SEND-OFF AND SENDFORTH, CORRECT USAGE OF "YOU" AND "ME" . . . Go to the blog for the detail.

Article archive