Did you know that in the book "Gone with the Wind," Rhett Butler said "My dear..." instead of "Frankly, my dear..."? Also, are we getting back to normalcy or normality? One of these words came from a misspeak (followed by a doubling-down) by William Harding. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 8...
Mar 18, 2021•10 min•Ep 815•Transcript available on Metacast Instead of bewaring the ides of March, I'm going to beware engaging with the Roman calendar. What a fascinating mess! In honor of St. Patrick's Day, we also look at some fun Irish phrases. On the pig's back, anyone? Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is ...
Mar 11, 2021•11 min•Ep 814•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever wondered WHY we celebrate National Grammar Day? Who started this thing anyway? And if you want to do your own grammar research, I'll help you get started. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast networ...
Mar 04, 2021•14 min•Ep 813•Transcript available on Metacast The origin of "kibosh" is a long-standing mystery in the English language. Yiddish? A whip? Clog-makers tools? We investigate. Also, sidekicks play interesting and important roles in fiction. Does your Watson or Robin meet expectations? A familect story about misolation. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty...
Feb 25, 2021•17 min•Ep 812•Transcript available on Metacast Coin a phrase? It does not mean what you think it means. And get your dose (or dosage?) right. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network . Links: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/ https://www.quickanddirtytip...
Feb 18, 2021•13 min•Ep 811•Transcript available on Metacast Would words and phrases like "operative" and "pump him for information" be out of place in a novel set in the 1800s? We investigate! And we also look at the two spellings of "OK/okay," and I explain why I prefer "OK." (It has a fun history.) Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-...
Feb 11, 2021•15 min•Ep 810•Transcript available on Metacast Should you call someone a diabetic or a person with diabetes? Also, are you confused about when to use italics? We have the basics (and something that might be changing)! Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast netw...
Feb 04, 2021•14 min•Ep 809•Transcript available on Metacast 6 Latin Abbreviations You Should Know. 'Imply' or 'Infer'? Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network . Links: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/ https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts https://www.quickandd...
Jan 28, 2021•15 min•Ep 808•Transcript available on Metacast If you're enjoying sea shanties these days, have you wondered why they're called "shanties"? Plus, I always have a hard time remembering how to spell "conscience." Here's my trick for getting it right. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Qu...
Jan 21, 2021•12 min•Ep 807•Transcript available on Metacast Why writing fanfiction can make you a better overall writer. Plus, my tricks for figuring out tricky pronunciations. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network . Links: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/ https:...
Jan 14, 2021•16 min•Ep 806•Transcript available on Metacast "Acedia": the lost name for the emotion we're all feeling right now. Plus, when does "thank you" need a hyphen? Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network . Links: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/ https://www...
Jan 07, 2021•11 min•Ep 805•Transcript available on Metacast Are Americans ruining the put-down "You've got another think coming," or was it the British band Judas Priest? Also, everyone loves Janus words like "sanction," "cleave," and "dust." We talk about what makes them special. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Gi...
Dec 31, 2020•14 min•Ep 804•Transcript available on Metacast It's the Oscars of the language world: word-of-the-year data analysis and voting! A spirited conversation with Merriam-Webster's Emily Brewster about the 2020 words of the year. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podca...
Dec 24, 2020•23 min•Ep 803•Transcript available on Metacast Brandon shares funny stories about character and place names gone wrong, his writing struggles, and what the future holds for his work. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network . Links: https://www.quickanddi...
Dec 17, 2020•34 min•Ep 802•Transcript available on Metacast More people get the phrase "just deserts" wrong than get it right, but we're here to help! Also, why do some people put a comma after "but"? They shouldn't, but we have some theories about why they do. (But don't.) Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is p...
Dec 10, 2020•12 min•Ep 801•Transcript available on Metacast Here's why you can ignore zombie rules and why it's actually better to write "What did you step on?" than "On what did you step?" (But also when you can't ignore those rules!) Then, I have two great memory tricks to help you remember the spellings for "dessert" and "desert." They relate to camels and, well, food. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game ...
Dec 03, 2020•10 min•Ep 800•Transcript available on Metacast Why the decline of 'whence' and 'whither' led to 'Where are you at?' And weird memory tricks to help you remember the difference between 'regime,' 'regimen,' and 'regiment.' (Don't say you weren't warned!) Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar G...
Nov 26, 2020•12 min•Ep 799•Transcript available on Metacast The root of "hysterical" may surprise you (and make you want to use "hilarious" instead). Also, things to remember when starting a novel. Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-44...
Nov 19, 2020•16 min•Ep 798•Transcript available on Metacast What Dickens can teach you about choosing your characters' names. Plus, how to remember the frustratingly different meanings of "continuous" and "continual." Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-...
Nov 12, 2020•14 min•Ep 797•Transcript available on Metacast What Is a 'Crony'? Why Doesn’t 'Veterans Day' Have an Apostrophe? Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network . L...
Nov 06, 2020•13 min•Ep 249•Transcript available on Metacast We have some theories on why people write things such as "'fresh' meat." Plus, we dig in to the two spellings of "dialog" (or is that "dialogue"?). Read the transcript: Scare Quotes . 'Dialog' or 'Dialogue'? Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar...
Oct 29, 2020•11 min•Ep 795•Transcript available on Metacast 6 steps to help you create gripping characters. Plus, we talk about how to format internal dialogue: italics, quotation marks, or nothing? Read the transcript: Character Creation. Formatting Internal Dialogue. Reedsy Character Profile Template Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Grammar Pop iOS gam...
Oct 22, 2020•15 min•Ep 794•Transcript available on Metacast Journalists "bury the lede," not the "lead." But why do they spell it that way? And what do HTK, TK, and CQ stand for? From "hed" to "spox," here's all the journo jargon that's fit to print. Read the transcript: Lede Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game ...
Oct 15, 2020•16 min•Ep 793•Transcript available on Metacast It's not lazy and it's not just filler, but using "like" too much can still get you in trouble. Read the transcript: Like Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) Grammar Girl...
Oct 08, 2020•16 min•Ep 792•Transcript available on Metacast What happens when I discover that my pet peeve is wrong? Also, why do we write with cliches? Should we stop, and if so, how? Read the transcript: Although . Cliches . Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mignon Fogarty VOICEM...
Oct 01, 2020•12 min•Ep 791•Transcript available on Metacast If getting laurels is good, and being a Nobel laureate is good, how did we get to "resting on your laurels" being bad? Also, we learn that the word "smarmy" started as a joke (in fact, a kind of familect story). Read the transcript: Laurels . Smarmy . Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar P...
Sep 24, 2020•15 min•Ep 790•Transcript available on Metacast Believe it or not, there are actually rules to being funny. Also, do you think "woah" is a separate word from "whoa"? Some people do, and they think it has a separate meaning. Read the transcript: Humor Writing . Whoa . Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card ga...
Sep 17, 2020•15 min•Ep 789•Transcript available on Metacast People have been asking about the "unavailable" meaning of "out of pocket" for decades, but there's also an "inappropriate" meaning that is spreading. Read the transcript: Out of Pocket Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HOST: Mi...
Sep 10, 2020•16 min•Ep 788•Transcript available on Metacast Nick and Hannah explain "red" and "blue," the origin of "POTUS," why the Declaration of Independence is the greatest break-up letter ever written, and more. Read the transcript: The Interview Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing course . Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter . Grammar Pop iOS game . Peeve Wars card game . Grammar Girl books . HO...
Sep 03, 2020•25 min•Ep 787•Transcript available on Metacast Whether you call it "doomscrolling" or "doomsurfing," it's not your fault that you feel compelled to do it. "Doom" has an interesting history though. Also, in honor of "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure," we talk about being excellent to each other (or should that be one another?). Read the transcripts: Doomscrolling . Each Other . Use the hashtag #WhereIListen and tag me to show me where you listen to the Grammar Girl podcast. Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates. Watch my LinkedIn ...
Aug 27, 2020•15 min•Ep 786•Transcript available on Metacast 
