by John D. Pierce | Jun 27, 2023 | Feature, Opinion
Word usage can convey confusion as well as clarity. Paying attention to how words are used is important to understanding. A recent visit to Walden Pond reminded me of my surprise from a much earlier trip to Concord, Massachusetts. Everything I had envisioned about...
by Starlette Thomas | May 26, 2023 | Feature, Opinion
There’s a difference between calling someone a white supremacist and calling someone the “N-word.” To say they are the same is a false equivalent; this is not a “both sides” argument. The N-word is rooted in a belief in white supremacy. It’s a racial slur used against...
by Tony W. Cartledge | Apr 12, 2023 | Feature, Opinion
Want to start an argument with a group of grammarians? Just bring up the subject of exclamation points, and the verbal sparring will begin. SOCK!! WHAM!! POW!! Grammar purists and most writers argue for self-restraint. Mark Twain, in an 1895 essay on writing funny...
by Mitch Randall | Feb 16, 2023 | Opinion
The Church of England is considering using gender-neutral language when referring to God in its liturgy. Like other traditions and throughout history, God is referred to using male pronouns. The Washington Post reported on a statement provided by the Church of...
by Tony W. Cartledge | Feb 1, 2023 | Opinion
Back in November, I wrote about the discovery of an ancient lice comb that was engraved with the oldest known sentence written in a very early version of the proto-Canaanite alphabet. The comb, found in the southern city of Lachish, was dated to around 1700 BCE. What...
