Archaic and dated expressions have their uses. One of them is economy, saying what needs to be said in as few words as possible. Archaic words and expressions may, when used correctly, add a certain color to a sentence or paragraph. If, . . . Continue reading →
usage
Grammar Guerrilla: Counsel And Council
So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers (Matt 27:7). Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.” (Acts 25:12) When . . . Continue reading →
Grammar Guerilla: Champing Vs Chomping At The Bit
Language evolves over time and that process is often driven by popular usage. This may be one of those instances where popular usage has so far outstripped the original use of a phrase that it is beyond correcting. Nevertheless I persevere if . . . Continue reading →
Grammar Guerilla: Incredible And Incredulous
One hears and sees these two adjectives confused with increasing regularity. E.g., in a Dallas, TX news story an attorney is quoted as saying, “It’s incredulous that this lease is being used….” The word incredible is derived from the Latin incrēdibilis, which . . . Continue reading →