The Common Errors in English Usage Podcast

Episode 122: The Gluten-Free Episode

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 21:28:58 +0000

This week we discuss more medical terms, including MRIs, EKGs, CAT scans and others; and then we proceed to some talk about food sensitivities.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/122-medicalterms2.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “feint/faint.”

Episode 121: Medical Terms—Refills, Urgent Care, Vein vs. Artery, Taut vs. Taunt, and Much More

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 20:42:16 +0000

This week we discuss medical terms, including accessible care vs. guaranteed care; fractures, sprains, and strains; Alzheimer’s vs. dementia, and more.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/121-medicalterms1.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “taunt/taut/tout.”

Episode 120: Crusades, Demagogues, Stump Speeches & More

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 18:57:18 +0000

This week we continue our discussion of terms related to governance and politics. We explore crusades, demagogues, stump speeches, gerrymandering, and barn burners.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/120-politics12.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “vapid/vacuous.”

Episode 119: A Modicum of Civility—Citizenship, Civil Disobedience, and Civil War

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 20:55:56 +0000

This week we continue our discussion of terms related to governance and politics. We explore citizenship, civil disobedience, and civil war.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/119-politics11.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “unrest.”

Episode 118: The Magi(c) of Christmas

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Sat, 23 Dec 2017 19:54:08 +0000

This week we rebroadcast our Christmas episode from 2015.

In the spirit of the Christmas season, Paul Brians calls on his background as a scholar of the Bible and discusses some of the important language in the story of Christmas. Do you know the religious tradition of the Magi? The difference between miracle and magic? Listen to find out.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/12-magicOfChristmas.mp3

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Opening music (Paul Brians’ favorite recording of “We Three Kings”)
“The Gift of the Magi,” by O. Henry
Zoroastrianism (Zarathustrianism)
Google search: The Slaughter of the Innocents
Google search: The Miracle of Christmas
Google search: The Magic of Christmas

Episode 117: Holiday Greetings and the War on Christmas

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 20:21:14 +0000

When a would-be suicide bomber attempted a terrorist attack in New York City earlier this month, he said he chose his target because there were Christmas-themed posters nearby. This week on the podcast we talk about the more theoretical war on Christmas, and we discuss holiday greetings.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/117-merryChristmas.mp3

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Buy the book! On sale through the end of the year for just $15.
This week’s calendar entry is “anxious/eager.”

Episode 116: Caucuses, Lobbyists, PACs, and More

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 00:15:13 +0000

This week we continue our discussion of terms related to governance and politics. We explore caucuses, lobbyists and PACs, and more.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/116-politics10.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “yea/yeah/yay.”

Episode 115: Administration, Congress, What Veto Means, and Much More

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 21:59:31 +0000

This week we take up our discussion of terms related to governance and politics. We explore the origin of the word “veto,” talk about filibustering and reconciliation, and more.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/115-politics9.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “capital/capitol.”

Episode 114: More on the Book Sale, Plus Thanksgiving Leftovers—“dolly/handcart,” “duck tape/duct tape,” “between you and me,” and Lots More

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 00:02:01 +0000

This week we pick up from last week and serve some Thanksgiving leftovers, including “dolly/handcart,” “duck tape/duct tape,” “between you and me,” and many more entries and cartoons from the book. We also promote the best way to buy the book on sale through the end of the year.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/114-thanksgiving2.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “dolly/handcart.”

Episode 113: Giving Thanks for the Book

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 21:00:39 +0000

This week we take a break from our extended discussion of political terms while Tom thanks Paul for creating the Common Errors in English Usage site and book, and Paul thanks Tom for contributing cartoons to the book. We also promote the best way to buy the book on sale through the end of the year. Entries we talk about include “auger/augur,” “all goes well/augurs well,” “hark/harken,” “one in the same/one and the same,” “the exception proves the rule,” “begs the question,” “hone in/home in,” and several others.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/113-thanksgiving1.mp3

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Paul’s mincemeat recipe
Buy the book! On sale through the end of the year for just $15.
This week’s calendar entry is “bare/bear.”

Episode 112: Political Stripes—Red & Blue, Liberal, Libertarian, Conservative, and Reactionary

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 22:38:23 +0000

This week we discuss, define, and explore political leanings: red/blue, liberal, libertarian, conservative, and reactionary.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/112-politics8.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “reactionary/reactive.”

Episode 111: Left/Right, Socialism, Communism

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 23:47:17 +0000

This week we discuss, define, and explore deeply more political terms. This time we cover left vs. right, socialism, and communism.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/111-politics7.mp3

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Pre-USSR communist societies.
Buy the book! On sale through the end of the year for just $15.
This week’s calendar entry is “socialize.”

Episode 110: Bureaucracy, Ballots & More

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 18:48:50 +0000

This week we spend the time talking about several more terms related to politics and government, including bureaucracy, red tape, ballots, voting, constitution, and parliament.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/110-politics6.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “beauracracy/bureaucracy.”

Episode 109: Empire and Colonies

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 21:33:38 +0000

This week we spend the time talking about the word “empire” and its implications.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/109-politics5.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “Romainian/Romanian.”
Paul Brians’ essay on “postcolonial literature.”
“What have the Romans ever done for us?” from The Life of Brian:

Episode 108: Dictatorships, State Capitalism, Monarchy, Oligarchy, Plutocracy, Kleptocracy, and Empire

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 23:33:13 +0000

This week we focus on the dark side of governmental power: dictatorships, state capitalism, monarchy, oligarchy, plutocracy, kleptocracy, and empire.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/108-politics4.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “oppress/repress.”
Buy the book! On sale through the end of the year for just $15.

Episode 107: Suffrage, Franchise, Republic & Democracy

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 19:06:00 +0000

This week we focus on voting and discuss “suffrage,”“franchise,”“republic,” and more about “democracy.”

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/107-politics3.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “Democrat Party/Democratic Party.”
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Episode 106: Feudalism, Fiefdoms, Monarchy, and Democracy—Where Do We Get All This Government From?

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 23:20:20 +0000

This week we continue our discussion of words related to government and politics, including “feudalism,”“fiefdom,”“monarchy,” and “democracy.”

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/106-politics2.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “grow.”
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Episode 105: Government and Politics—More Than Just Words

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 19:06:58 +0000

This week we begin a discussion of words related to government and politics, starting with “government” and “politics” themselves. First we go over problems with Washington, but not in the way you might think!

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/105-politics1.mp3

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What is the “Slough of Despond” Paul mentions?
This week’s calendar entry is “government.”
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Episode 104: Finishing Up Health Care Terms: Networks, HMOs, Pre-existing Conditions, HIPA, and Primary Care Physicians

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 18:51:54 +0000

This week we finish up our discussion of useful vocabulary related to health care, including talk about networks, pre-existing conditions, HIPA, Obamacare vs. the ACA, and primary care physicians.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/104-healthcare6.mp3

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About “Yankee Doodle” in The New York Times.
This week’s calendar entry is “sick/sic.”
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Episode 103: Long-term Care Insurance, Health Savings Accounts, Death Panels, and Even More on Health Care

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 22:14:53 +0000

This week we talk more about health care, including long-term care insurance, health savings accounts, death panels, and Charlie Gard.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/103-healthcare5.mp3

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The New York Times’ Ron Lieber on the ethics of adjusting your assets to qualify for Medicaid.
This week’s calendar entry is “able to.”
Buy the book!

Episode 102: Yet More Health Care Terms to Know and Love (or at least know)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 21:31:37 +0000

This week we continue our discussion of health care. Unfortunately, we all need to know a whole lot of complicated and confusing terms to get through our current health care debate.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/102-healthcare4.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “realize/realise.”
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Episode 101: Even More Health Care Terms to Know and Love (or at least know)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 23:33:11 +0000

This week we continue our discussion of health care. Unfortunately, we all need to know a whole lot of complicated and confusing terms to get through our current health care debate.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/101-healthcare3.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “tradegy/tragedy.”
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Episode 100: More Health Care Terms to Know and Love (or at least know)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 21:40:54 +0000

This week, and in the coming weeks, we will discuss the vocabulary of health care. Unfortunately, we all need to know a whole lot of complicated and confusing terms to get through our current health care debate.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/100-healthcare2.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “boost in the arm/shot in the arm.”
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Episode 99: The Language of Health Care (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 23:44:15 +0000

The ongoing debate on health care here in the US takes for granted that we understand deductible, co-pay, co-insurance, premium, out-of-pocket limits, and many other often-confusing terms. Since that isn’t always the case, we’ll be discussing the language of health care in the coming weeks.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/99-healthCareVocabulary1.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “anecdote/antidote.”
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Episode 98: Smarts

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 18:44:23 +0000

Finally, after three weeks dwelling on words and expressions about idiocy, we turn our attention to some words that say smart.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/98-smart.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “genius.”
Riddley Walker
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Episode 97: More Stupid Adjectives

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 20:53:57 +0000

We’ve been talking about insults to the intelligence, and this week we conclude our discussion of adjectives.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/97-idiotic2.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “gull/gall.”
Silly Symphonies on YouTube
Alessandro di Cagliostro on Wikipedia

From John Skelton’s 1528 volume entitled “Replycacion agaynst Certayne Yong Scolers”:

As touchyng the Tetrycall [severe] Theologisacion of these demy-diuines and Stoicall studiantes and frisca-ioly yonkerkyns … . moche better bayned [banned?] than brayned basked and bathed in their wylde burblyng and boyling blode Feruently reboyled with the infatuate flames of their rechelesse youthe and wytlesse wontonnesse enbrased and enterlased with a … moche fantasticall frenesy of their insensate sensualyte.

The Zombies perform “She’s Not There”:

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Episode 96: Some Stupid Adjectives

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 23:00:21 +0000

We’ve been talking about insults to the intelligence, and this week we switch the focus to adjectives.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/96-idiotic1.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “French dip with au jus/French dip.”
Entry for “hairbrained/harebrained.”
Entry for “ignorant/stupid.”
Buy the book!

Episode 95: Oafs, Goofs, Goons, and More on Insults

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 00:00:23 +0000

This week continue our high-minded discussion of terms that insult the intelligence.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/95-idiot3.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “ignorant/stupid.”
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Episode 94: Heads and Animals: More on Insults

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 22:54:57 +0000

This week we discuss more words meant as insults to intelligence.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/94-idiot2.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “disrespect.”
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Episode 93: The True Meaning of Idiot and Other Insults

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 19:44:51 +0000

This week we take on some words meant as insults to intelligence and where they come from.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/93-idiot.mp3

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“Trump and the True Meaning of ‘Idiot’” in The New York Times
Politically correct language was discussed in episodes 34 and 35.
Buy the book!

Episode 92: A Visit from Mr. Gradgrind (From the Archives)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 19:49:42 +0000

This week we literally go back to the archives to replay our podcast on one of Paul’s most popular creations, “Mr. Gradgrind’s Literal Answers to Rhetorical Questions.”

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/06-gradgrind.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “beginning of time.”
Mr. Gradgrind’s Literal Answers to Rhetorical Questions

Episode 91: When Is a Rose Not a Rose? (From the Archives)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 18:52:42 +0000

It’s Rose Festival time here in Portland, the City of Roses. In fact, 110 years ago, June 20–22, 1907, the first Rose Festival was held. Back then it was called the “Rose Carnival and Fiesta,” but we all know a Rose Festival by any other name would smell as sweet. Let’s mark the occasion by rebroadcasting Paul’s lecture, “When Is a Rose Not a Rose?”

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/27-WhenIsARoseNotARose.mp3

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This week’s calendar entry is “parallel/symbol.”
There Is No Rose of Such Virtue
Mediaeval Song, by James J. Wilhelm
David Camden’s translation of Florus
Thomas Parnell’s translation of “The Vigil of Venus”
Fragonard’s The Sacrifice of the Rose
Sting’s interpretation of “Come away, come, sweet love”
John McCormack: “Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes”

Episode 90: Steam (From the Archives)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 22:00:37 +0000

You see a lot of stories about various things losing steam or picking it up. This week we rebroadcast Episode 11, in which Paul discussed his interest in that phenomenon and other aspects of the word “steam.”

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/11-steam.mp3

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“Ancestor/Descendant” entry featured in the calendar this week
“We Haven’t Run Out of Steam Yet,” by Paul Brians
Photographs Bainbridge Island from the Virginia V steamer, by Paul Brians
The City of Lost Children
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (graphic novel)
Le Voyage Extraordinaire, Tome 1 (on Amazon UK)
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

Episode 89: Troubleshooting Photography

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 17:39:05 +0000

This week we take a break from usage and language to get some tips from Paul on photography. This time the focus is troubleshooting.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/89-photography6.mp3

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Shined/shone entry featured in the calendar this week
Previous episodes discussing photography: 61, 62, 63, 79, 80
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Episode 88: Rag-picker’s Disease, Milk Leg, Scarlatina, and More Disease Names of Antiquity

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 31 May 2017 00:29:40 +0000

This week we conclude our discussion of antiquated disease names.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/88-diseases4.mp3

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Photo of the Week: St. Catherine

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Downfall/drawback featured in the calendar this week
Inspector Clouseau requests a room
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Episode 87: King’s Evil, Grocer’s Itch, and (Blame It on the) Lumbago: More Disease Names of Antiquity

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Mon, 22 May 2017 23:34:49 +0000

This week we continue to explore antiquated terms for diseases, not all of which are, unfortunately, antiquated themselves.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/87-diseases3.mp3

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Old English featured in the calendar this week
“Adelaide’s Lament” from Guys and Dolls
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Episode 86: Bronze John, Dandy Fever, Gleet, and More Disease Names

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 16 May 2017 18:44:36 +0000

How about another round of antiquated disease names, not all of which are all that pleasant?

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/86-diseases2.mp3

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Episode 85: Black Death, Blood Poisoning, and Other Antiquated Disease Names

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 09 May 2017 20:12:11 +0000

Do you even want to listen? We talk about terms we used to use for various diseases, not all of which are entirely pleasant. You’ve been warned . . .

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/85-diseases1.mp3

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Episode 84: When One Word Points Two Ways (Part 4)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 02 May 2017 20:49:56 +0000

We conclude our discussion on contranyms, words that can mean two very different things.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/84-contranyms4.mp3

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About Amelia Bedilia
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Episode 83: When One Word Points Two Ways (Part 3)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 20:11:26 +0000

We continue our discussion on contranyms, words that can mean two very different things.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/83-contranyms3.mp3

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Episode 82: When One Word Points Two Ways (Part 2)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 17:37:42 +0000

We continue our discussion on contranyms, words that can mean two very different things.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/82-contranyms2.mp3

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A sampling of L.M. Boyd’s “factoids”
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Episode 81: When One Word Points Two Ways (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 17:54:53 +0000

Words whose meanings can be contradictory—sometimes called contranyms, autoantonyms, antagonyms, or Janus words—are this week’s topic.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/81-contranyms1.mp3

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Episode 80: Shooting People, Photographically

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 23:27:07 +0000

This week we talk more about photography, with the focus on photographing people.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/80-photography5.mp3

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Some of Paul’s photographs of people

A volunteer weed-puller working on a property protected by the Bainbridge Island Land Trust. She’s watching the ivy she’s pulled of a tree trunk falling.

A boy and his dog waiting for the July 4th parade to begin.

Girl searching for unusual species in a meadow during the 2016 Bainbridge Island Bio-Blitz.

Team working on building a skyscraper at 2nd and Pike, Seattle

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Buy the book!

Episode 79: On Photography

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 23:26:41 +0000

This week we take a break, as we do from time to time, from language and usage to discuss one of Paul’s favorite topics: photography.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/79-photography.mp3

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Episode 78: Religion

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 05:36:28 +0000

On the podcast this week we discuss some more commonly confused terms, this time on the topic of religion.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/78-religion.mp3

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Episode 77: Sex & Music

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 00:05:04 +0000

On the podcast this week we discuss commonly confused terms related to sex and music.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/77-sexandmusic.mp3

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Episode 76: Lies (Part 2)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 01:08:06 +0000

On the podcast this week we continue the discussion of “lies” as a front runner for Word of the Year. In part two we talk about the the current state of presidential lying.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/76-lies2.mp3

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Links:
“Trump’s Gold Lining,” by Maureen Dowd
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Episode 75: Lies (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 05:14:14 +0000

On the podcast this week we discuss “lies” as a front runner for Word of the Year. In part one we talk about the history of presidential lies.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/75-lies1.mp3

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Episode 74: Romancing the Podcast (Part 5)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 00:11:11 +0000

This week we conclude our discussion of romanticism, talking about its lasting influence.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/74-romanticism5.mp3

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Links:
Paul Brians’ essay on romanticism
The Definitive Flash Gordon
Study Guide for Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Book One
The Influence of Nietzsche
The Enlightenment
Study Guide for Voltaire’s Philosophical Dictionary
Buy the book!

Puget Sound in the foreground, the Kitsap Peninsula beyond, and soaring over them the Olympic Mountain Range and a solitary seagull, a photo by Paul Brians:

Episode 73: Romancing the Podcast (Part 4)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 16:34:26 +0000

Happy Valentine’s Day! This week we continue on the topic of romanticism and spend a little extra time on romantic love.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/73-romanticism4.mp3

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Links:
Paul Brians’ essay on romanticism
Meet the Patels
Buy the book!

Episode 72: Romancing the Podcast (Part 3)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 04:35:40 +0000

This week we continue with our discussion of romanticism.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/72-romanticism3.mp3

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Links:
Paul Brians’ essay on romanticism
Buy the book!

Episode 71: Romancing the Podcast (Part 2)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 18:00:35 +0000

This week we continue our discussion of romanticism, starting with some talk about Shakespeare and winding up with a Gothic romance.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/71-romanticism2.mp3

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Links:
Paul Brians’ essay on romanticism
Authorship of Shakespeare’s plays: The case for Oxford
Authorship of Shakespeare’s plays: The case for Shakespeare
“How Movies and TV Address Rape and Revenge”
Buy the book!

Episode 70: Romancing the Podcast (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 02:07:09 +0000

We love our holidays, and in anticipation of Valentine’s Day coming up soon, Paul talks about romanticism, a topic he knows very well. This week we talk about the history of the word and begin a discussion of the history of romanticism.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/70-romanticism1.mp3

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Links:
Paul Brians’ essay on romanticism

Episode 69: Pronunciation (Part 2)—This Time It’s French

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 23:14:08 +0000

French words adapted for use in English have their own set of pronunciation pitfalls. This week we talk about some of them.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/69-Pronunciation2.mp3

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Link:
Featured pronunciation entries on the blog.

Episode 68: Pronunciation (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 07:00:53 +0000

This week we talk about some words with tricky pronunciation.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/68-Pronunciation1.mp3

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Link:
Featured pronunciation entries on the blog.

Episode 67: 2016 in Review (Part 2)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 20:24:10 +0000

This week we continue our conversation on Australia’s Plain English Foundation’s list of objectionable usage in 2016.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/67-2016Review2.mp3

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Link:
Plain English Foundation announces worst word of 2016

Episode 66: 2016 in Review (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 01:05:20 +0000

This week we talk about usage stories of the year. What was the word of the year according to Webster’s and others? What usage did Australia’s Plain English Foundation object to the most? Don’t just click the links below—listen to us discuss these weighty matters!

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/66-2016Review.mp3

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Links:
Plain English Foundation announces worst word of 2016
What is the 2016 Word of the Year?

Episode 65: The Magi(c) of Christmas

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 23:26:40 +0000

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/12-magicOfChristmas.mp3

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Episode 64: The Solstice and Celestial Terms (a repeat of Episode 13)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 21:00:10 +0000

Seasons change, but the podcast this week remains the same as we rebroadcast a timely episode from the archives.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/13-solstice.mp3

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Links:
revolve/rotate
astrology/astronomy
center around/center on
epigram/epigraph/epitaph/epithet
earth, moon
satellite
Also note this celestial event, mentioned in verse in the comic strip Frazz.

Episode 63: Photography (Part 3)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 20:00:37 +0000

This week we continue our discussion of photography as Paul Brians offers some great tips on how to get good images.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/63-photographyPart3.mp3

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Links:
Through the end of the year, get the book for $15
Send an e-mail message to Paul for a free oval matte cutter

Episode 62: Photography (Part 2)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 22:59:03 +0000

This week we continue our discussion of photography as Paul Brians offers some great tips on how to get good images.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/62-photographyPart2.mp3

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Links:
Through the end of the year, get the book for $15
Send an e-mail message to Paul for a free oval matte cutter
The photography of Jerry Uelsmann
Finding Vivian Maier
Paul’s manipulation of an image using Photoshop Elements:

Episode 61: Photography (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 23:08:59 +0000

For the next three weeks we are taking a holiday from our usual conversations concerning language and usage points to talk about photography, one of Paul Brians’ great interests. We sprinkle in a few terms worth knowing along the way.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/61-photographyPart1.mp3

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Links:
Through the end of the year, get the book for $15
Send an e-mail message to Paul for a free oval matte cutter
Paul Brians’ photos on Facebook
ProCamera

Episode 60: The Language of the Streets (Part 2)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 23:48:09 +0000

This week we conclude our discussion of streets, avenues, boulevards, and other thoroughfares.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/60-streets2.mp3

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Links:
Through the end of the year, get the book for $15
Listen to last year’s Thanksgiving-themed podcast

Episode 59: The Language of the Streets (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 00:24:57 +0000

This week we discuss the vocabulary of streets, avenues, boulevards, and other thoroughfares.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/59-streets1.mp3

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A view of Kirk Avenue:

Episode 58: Apostrophes (Part 3)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 23:51:09 +0000

This week on the podcast we continue our discussion of the apostrophe, this time focusing on contractions.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/58-apostrophes3.mp3

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Links:
“Bigly” or “big league”?
President Obama’s dropped Gs
“Roaring 20’s or Roaring 20s?”
Apostrophes as visual separators

Episode 57: Apostrophes (Part 2)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 23:29:49 +0000

This week on the podcast we continue our discussion of the apostrophe, this time focusing on possessives.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/57-apostrophes2.mp3

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Links:
“Apostrophes,” on the Common Errors in English Usage Web site
“Expressions with Apostrophes,” a blog post by Paul Brians
A blog post on its/it’s—are there three common errors to talk about here?
The possessive apostrophe his origin

Episode 56: Apostrophes (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 19:13:10 +0000

This week on the podcast we begin our discussion of the apostrophe, both the word itself and its use in punctuation. We go into some detail about good practice in typesetting along the way.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/56-apostrophes1.mp3

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Links:
A blog post on its/it’s—are there three common errors to talk about here?
The possessive apostrophe his origin

Episode 55: Going Nuclear, Part 3

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 22:55:14 +0000

This week we conclude our discussion on the topic of nuclear war in the arts.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/55-nuclear-3.mp3

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Links:
Nuclear Texts & Contexts
Nuclear Holocausts: Atomic War in Fiction, by Paul Brians
Vladimir Gakov and Paul Brians: Nuclear-War Themes in Soviet Science Fiction, An Annotated Bibliography

Episode 54: Going Nuclear, Part 2

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 23:02:31 +0000

This week we continue our discussion on the topic of nuclear war in the arts.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/54-nuclear-2.mp3

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Links:
Nuclear Holocausts: Atomic War in Fiction, by Paul Brians
Newsletter: Nuclear Texts & Contexts
Nuke Pop (popular culture images of nuclear war)
Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and the Dystopian Tradition
Vladimir Gakov and Paul Brians: Nuclear-War Themes in Soviet Science Fiction, An Annotated Bibliography

Episode 53: Going Nuclear, Part 1

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 23:16:16 +0000

This week we talk about a word used in the first Clinton/Trump debate that triggered a lot of response for Paul Brians: nuclear.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/nuclear-1.mp3

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Links:
Merriam-Webster tracks election words on their site
The New York Times: Jonathan Mahler watches the debate in silence
Muscular Christianity
Nuclear Holocausts: Atomic War in Fiction, by Paul Brians

Episode 52: Totally Cool

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 04:29:30 +0000

Last week Paul Brians gave us the history and variety of uses for the word hot. This week it’s cool’s turn.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/52-cool.mp3

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Links:
Gwendolyn Brooks discusses and reads “The Pool Players, Seven at the Golden Shovel”

Episode 51: Le Podcast Hot

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 23:54:12 +0000

We start this week with a rundown of Prince Charles’ recent comment about Twitter as a mortal threat, then bid farewell to summer with a discussion of the word hot.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/51-hot.mp3

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Links:
Ann Miller sings “Too Darn Hot” by Cole Porter
Julie Andrews sings “Le Jazz Hot” from Victor/Victoria
Ella Fitzgerald sings “Too Darn Hot”

Episode 50: Commonly Confused Words, the PC Edition

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 23:51:22 +0000

This week we take on more words and phrases that are commonly confused. This time we discuss the correct way to use ethnic and religious terms.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/50-confused-4.mp3

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Links:
Commonly confused expressions
AramcoWorld subscription services
Edward Said, Orientalism

Paul’s photo from the top of the Musée du monde Arabe:

Episode 49: More Commonly Confused Words

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 23:24:35 +0000

This week we talk about commonly confused words, also previously discussed in episodes 39 and 45.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/49-confused-3.mp3

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Links:
Commonly confused expressions

Episode 48: Swell (and other Fabulous Words)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 21:47:33 +0000

This week on the podcast we discuss words of enthusiasm like “huge,”“terrific,” and “fantastic,” including their history and sometimes-surprising shifts in meaning, in spite of what the Oxford English Dictionary might say about them.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/48-swell.mp3

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Links:
ABC report on Trump’s hands
Tom Terrific
Paul Brians’ post on “brilliant”
“Thou Swell” performed by June Allyson
Ella Fitzgerald sings “’S Wonderful”
Judy Garland & Fred Astaire: “We’re a Couple of Swells”
“You’re the Top” (with pictures!)

Episode 47: Trump, the Name

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 21:00:44 +0000

This week we pick up last week’s conversation about the names of the nominees; this time it’s all about Trump.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/47-trump.mp3

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Links:
Jumping the shark
Make Donald Drumpf Again

Episode 46: The Names of the Nominated (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 01:01:49 +0000

What’s in a name? This week on the podcast we discuss the names Hillary, Pence, and Kaine.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/46-hillary-pence-kaine.mp3

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Links:
St. Hilarius (improv comedy troupe)
Herb Caen

Episode 45: More Words Often Confused

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 03 Aug 2016 01:31:27 +0000

This week we talk about Melania Trump’s plagiarism, labyrinths and mazes, and then discuss some more commonly confused words, previously discussed in episode 39.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/45-confused.mp3

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Links:
Is it plagiarism? Yes.
The Labyrinth Society Web site

Paula in her labyrinth:

Episode 44: Bible Studies the Common Errors Way (Part 3)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 00:15:40 +0000

This week we conclude our discussion of commonly misunderstood or misread passages and phrases from The Bible.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/44-bible3.mp3

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Links:
Edward Hicks’ paintings
Early arguments against anesthesia
Alan Bennett: Take a Pew

Episode 43: Bible Studies the Common Errors Way

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 02:11:39 +0000

This week we continue our discussion of commonly misunderstood or misread passages and phrases from The Bible.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/43-bible2.mp3

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Episode 42: Bible Studies the Common Errors Way

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 12 Jul 2016 15:44:54 +0000

This week the topic is The Bible. We touch on its history and begin a conversation on some of its more famously misunderstood passages.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/42-bible1.mp3

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Links:
Through a mirror, darkly on the Common Errors in English Usage Web site
Lyndon Baines Johnson and “Let us reason together”

Episode 41: A History of American Comics (Part 2)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 19:27:44 +0000

This week we continue our discussion of the comic strips of American newspapers.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/41-readingTheComics-2.mp3

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Links:
Fearless Fosdick appears in Dick Tracy
More on Fearless Fosdick
IDW European Disney comics translations
IDW Library of American comics

Episode 40: A History of American Comics (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 21:51:10 +0000

This week we take a break from English usage points and talk about one of Paul’s great interests, the comic strips of American newspapers. We discuss the early history.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/40-readingTheComics-1.mp3

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Links:
PhD Comics—A professor writes his e-mail
IDW Publishing
Fantagraphics
Yellow journalism
Toonerville Trolley cartoon
John Alden Carpenter’s “Krazy Kat” ballet music

Episode 39: Words Often Confused

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 21 Jun 2016 20:21:20 +0000

Is Paul reticent about attempting to ride his unicycle in public, or is he hesitant to do that? You’ll find the answer right away when you hit the Play button this week, but keep listening to hear about other commonly confused terms. We’ll be covering more such expressions in future podcasts.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/39-WordsOftenConfused.mp3

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Links:
Commonly confused expressions
Tarzan wears a Common Errors in English Usage t-shirt

Episode 38: The Period Is Disappearing—Does That Bug You?

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 19:08:50 +0000

This week we discuss the decline of the period as a punctuation mark and delve into the interesting history of the word bug.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/38-bug.mp3

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Links:
On the disappearing period (from The New York Times)
More on the changing uses for the period
Edison and the term bug
Grace Hopper and the term debug
Bucky Bug
More Bucky Bug
Bugsy Malone
The Albagenses
The Texas town of Bug Tussle
A list of BUG acronyms

Episode 37: Shall We Bring Back Some Words?

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 22:51:27 +0000

Last week we talked about words some of us would like to do without. This week we discuss words some of us would like to see more often.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/37-wordsToBringBack.mp3

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Links:
“Some words deserve a comeback. Others need to die.”
The complete list of words that deserve wider use at Wayne State University

Episode 36: Shall We Banish Some Words?

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 01:29:35 +0000

This week we talk about words some of us would like to do without. Our verdict: If you don’t like them, don’t use them.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/36-WordsToBanish.mp3

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Links:
“Some words deserve a comeback. Others need to die.”
The complete list of words to banish at Lake Superior State University
Philip Corbett’s New York Times feature “After Deadline”

Episode 35: Political Language and Literature (Part 2)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 24 May 2016 17:56:42 +0000

This week we continue our conversation at the crossroads of politics and literary criticism. It turns out there is some vocabulary worth knowing in this area, including cosmopolitanism, interrogation, formalism, and several others. This all relates to the Common Errors in English Usage Web site, too, in interesting ways.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/35-PoliticalLanguageAndLiterature-2.mp3

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Links:
Paul Brians’ notes on Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses (PDF)
Paul Brians’ book on South Asian Literature in English
Paul Brians’ Retirement Speech (“Teaching, Politics, and Me”)

Episode 34: Political Language and Literature (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 17 May 2016 23:44:55 +0000

This week we continue talking about the language of politics—this time focusing on how it is used to discuss literature.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/34-PoliticalLanguageAndLiterature-1.mp3

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Links:
Paul Brians’ Retirement Speech (“Teaching, Politics, and Me”)
Misconceptions, Confusions, and Conflicts Concerning Socialism, Communism, and Capitalism
Introduction to 19th-Century Socialism
Study Guide for The Communist Manifesto
Paul Brians’ Nuclear Holocausts: Atomic War in Fiction
Text of Germinal, by Emile Zola
Text of Under Western Eyes, by Joseph Conrad

Episode 33: The Language of the Election Season

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 10 May 2016 23:54:10 +0000

This week we talk with Paul Brians about the language of elections, including politicians’ propensity to use “we” when they really mean “I.” Paul also explains how Bernie Sanders, a socialist, has taken advantage of the way conservatives in the U.S. have used language for the past several years. Other topics include a couple of misused terms from Common Errors in English Usage and the way the media cover political campaigns.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/33-ElectionTerms.mp3

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Links:
UPDATE: Someone has asked Trump about Puerto Rico after all
“I Like Ike” TV ad from 1952
Paul Brians’ page on socialism, communism, and capitalism
Paul Brians’ introduction to 19th-century socialism

Episode 32: Chris Waigl of The Eggcorn Database

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 04 May 2016 01:38:08 +0000

This week on the show Chris Waigl joins us to discuss more about eggcorns (see also episode 30) and her work putting together The Eggcorn Database, a great resource for finding examples of this type of error. Chris also tells us about her background in science and language, and we talk generally about attitudes toward making mistakes in language.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/32-eggcorns2.mp3

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Links:
The Eggcorn Database
Our previous discussion of eggcorns, with Geoffrey Pullum
The grammar comic strips

Episode 31: The Everything of “Theory”

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 23:19:50 +0000

This week we discuss the meaning of the word “theory,” which was recently reported on by Carl Zimmer in The New York Times.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/31-theory.mp3

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Links:
In Science, It’s Never ‘Just a Theory’
A Week of Misconceptions
Paul Brians’ entry on the word theory

Episode 30: Eggcorns! (with special guest Geoffrey Pullum)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 20:32:19 +0000

This week we discuss a kind of error known as an eggcorn. The term was coined by Geoffrey Pullum, who explains. After that, Paul Brians runs down some examples from Common Errors in English Usage.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/30-eggcorns.mp3

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Links:
The Eggcorn Database
Egg corns: folk etymology, malapropism, mondegreen, ???
Far from the Madding Gerund (and other dispatches from Language Log)
Browse other books by Geoffrey Pullum
Some examples from Common Errors in English Usage
“So wrong, it’s right,” by Jan Freeman
“Bu?? naked,” Language Log post by Mark Liberman

Episode 29: Technology Terms Worth Knowing (Part 2)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 21:20:35 +0000

This week we continue with tech terms worth knowing.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/29-techTerms2.mp3

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Links:
Phrasal verbs vs. nouns

Episode 28: Technology Terms Worth Knowing (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 19:28:00 +0000

This week the topic is tech terms worth knowing, including some of the recent history of technology and how language has been affected by it.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/28-techTerms1.mp3

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Links:
What do others say about this? That’s easy: Google it! And while you’re at it, decide whether you think “Google” is capitalized when used as a verb.

Episode 27: When Is a Rose Not a Rose?

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 01:21:54 +0000

This week we feature something very lovely indeed: Paul Brians delivers a lecture on the history of the rose in art.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/27-WhenIsARoseNotARose.mp3

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Links:
There Is No Rose of Such Virtue
Mediaeval Song, by James J. Wilhelm
David Camden’s translation of Florus
Thomas Parnell’s translation of “The Vigil of Venus”
Fragonard’s The Sacrifice of the Rose
Sting’s interpretation of “Come away, come, sweet love”
John McCormack: “Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes”

Episode 26: The English Language and Its Non-Errors (Part 3)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 00:24:44 +0000

This week we conclude our discussion of non-errors.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/26-NonErrors-3.mp3

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Links:
Paul Brians’ page of non-errors
The AP changes its mind about “hopefully”
Grammar Girl analyzes “Think Different”

Bonus (Paul’s “spitting image”):

Episode 25: The English Language and Its Non-Errors (Part 2)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 01:06:55 +0000

This week we continue our discussion of non-errors.

http://wmjasco.com/podcasts/25-NonErrors-2.mp3

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Links:
Paul Brians’ page of non-errors

Episode 24: The English Language and Its Non-Errors (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 00:43:18 +0000

Last week on the podcast we discussed antiheroes; this week you could say we discuss anti-errors.

http://wmjasco.com/podcasts/24-NonErrors-1.mp3

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Links:
Entries discussed in this episode
Interview with Ingrid Tieken

Episode 23: We Could Be Antiheroes

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 21:37:11 +0000

Is there a difference between an antihero and a villain? How about a hero and a protagonist?

This week Paul Brians explains these literary terms and talks about Dostoyevsky’s Underground Man.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/23-antihero.mp3

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Links:
hero/protagonist (from Common Errors in English Usage)
heroin/heroine (from Common Errors in English Usage)
Study Guide for Dostoyevsky: Notes from Underground
Can Dostoevsky Still Kick You in the Gut?
Full text: Notes from the Underground
Full text: Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison
“A Tale from Underground,” by Wright Morris

Episode 22: What’s on the Menu? (Part 3)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 02:07:37 +0000

Sure, we already discussed “dessert” on a previous podcast, but this week is the final course for our discussion of food-related terms.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/22-onTheMenu-3.mp3

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Links:
A vintage article about Japan’s tiramisu craze
15 Easy Hummus Variations

Episode 21: What’s on the Menu? (Part 2)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 17 Feb 2016 00:27:40 +0000

This week we continue our discussion of food-related terms, starting with a German lesson.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/21-onTheMenu-2.mp3

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Links:
Cole slaw need not be cold slaw
Is the Croissant Really French?

Episode 20: What’s on the Menu? (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 09 Feb 2016 20:47:07 +0000

This week we go back to the beginnings of the Common Errors in English Usage site as we talk about menu and other food-related terms prone to getting misspelled, mispronounced, and other faux pas (yes—there’s a little French in there, too).

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/20-onTheMenu-1.mp3

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Links:
The Argyle Sweater
Palin’s Rhetoric Is an Enchanted, Perplexing Fever Dream and We Love It,
by Katy Waldman (speaking about “word salad”)
Dan Quayle’s ‘Potatoe’ Incident – 1992

Episode 19: Talking Star Wars

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 01:39:32 +0000

This week Paul Brians shows off more of his sci-fi film knowledge with his discussion of Star Wars movies, Buck Rogers, and Flash Gordon.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/19-starWars.mp3

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Links:
How Did Han Solo Make the Kessel Run in 12 Parsecs?
“Light-year” entry on the Common Errors in English Usage Web site

Episode 18: Totally Busted

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 02:03:45 +0000

This week we talk about a word that has seemingly gained a lot of currency: busted. Listen to Paul Brians discuss the history of this word and its many uses.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/18-bust.mp3

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Links:
“Busted” by Ben Zimmer
The Beau Hunks Play the Original Little Rascals Music
NYC’s homeless skeptical of programs intended to help them
Buster Brown
Bust (the magazine)

Episode 17: The Language of 2001: A Space Odyssey

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 01:48:45 +0000

While everyone is Ziggying and discussing “A Space Oddity,” this week we are zaggying and talking about the language of Stanley Kubrick’s famous movie whose title served as inspiration for David Bowie.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/17-2001.mp3

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Links:
ADS Word of the Year
1969 Interview with Stanley Kubrick
Inaccuracies in the Film
2001 Trivia Page

Episode 16: A History of Common Errors in English Usage (Part 2)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 12 Jan 2016 22:07:34 +0000

This week we continue our discussion about the origins of the Common Errors in English Usage Web site.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/16-History-Part2.mp3

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Link:
Common Errors in English Usage, the site

Episode 15: A History of Common Errors in English Usage (Part 1)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 20:53:36 +0000

It feels like a millennium ago, but in fact it was merely last millennium, in 1997, that Paul Brians started his Common Errors in English Usage Web site. In the next two weeks we will be talking about the origins of the site.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/15-History-Part1.mp3

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Link:
Common Errors in English Usage, the site

Episode 14: Style Changes for the New Year

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 20:24:36 +0000

Happy New Year! There are style changes for the Washington Post, and Paul Brians offers his own perspective.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/14-NewYearChanges.mp3

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Links:
The Post drops the ‘mike’ — and the hyphen in ‘e-mail’ by Bill Walsh
mic/mike
email/e-mail
Internet/intranet
World Wide Web
company names with apostrophes
they/their (singular)
collective plural

Episode 13: The Solstice and Celestial Terms

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 07:00:16 +0000

It’s the winter solstice here in the northern hemisphere, and this week the conversation gets celestial.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/13-solstice.mp3

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Links:
revolve/rotate
astrology/astronomy
center around/center on
epigram/epigraph/epitaph/epithet
earth, moon
satellite
Also note this celestial event, mentioned in verse in the comic strip Frazz.

Episode 12: The Magi(c) of Christmas

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 00:55:17 +0000

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/12-magicOfChristmas.mp3

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Episode 11: Steam—Not for Punks Only

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 09 Dec 2015 21:37:21 +0000

This week Paul Brians discusses how the word steam has persisted well past the steam age. It’s a family podcast, so things don’t get too steamy!

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/11-steam.mp3

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Links:
“We Haven’t Run Out of Steam Yet,” by Paul Brians
Photographs Bainbridge Island from the Virginia V steamer, by Paul Brians
The City of Lost Children
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (graphic novel)
Le Voyage Extraordinaire, Tome 1 (on Amazon UK)
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

Episode 10: Commas (Inspired by Mary Norris)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 00:34:56 +0000

This week we discuss the introduction to Mary Norris’s book, Between You and Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen. From there we talk about peculiarities of commas in The New Yorker, basic guidelines for comma usage, and everyone’s favorite: The Oxford Comma.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/10-Commas-InspiredByMaryNorris.mp3

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Links:
“Learning to Love the House Style,” by Mary Norris
Paul Brians’ entry on commas
The Oxford Comma
Dr. Howard

Episode 9: Talking Turkey (and Many Other Place Names, Too!)

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 21:54:54 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving! This week we discuss place name oddities. Paul Brians begins with his blog post, “Let’s Talk Turkey.”

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/09-placenames.mp3

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Order Common Errors in English Usage before the end of the year and get $4 off the cover price when you enter the coupon code FIFTEEN: http://tinyurl.com/commonerrorsbook. Expires December 31, 2015.

Episode 8: Bridging the Unbridgeable with Ingrid Tieken

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 23:16:31 +0000

Joining the podcast from Leiden University in the Netherlands is Ingrid Tieken to talk about her study of the history of usage guides.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/08-bridgingTheUnbridgeable.mp3

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Links:
Bridging the Unbridgeable
The Bishop’s Grammar
Common Errors in English Usage entry on “none”

Episode 7: Reading George Eliot and Moving Back in Time

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 22:21:11 +0000

In this week’s episode we go back in time and talk about a particularly marvelous George Eliot sentence.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/07-ReadingGeorgeEliot.mp3

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Order the book before the end of the year and get $4 off the cover price when you enter the coupon code FIFTEEN: http://tinyurl.com/commonerrorsbook. Expires December 31, 2015.

Links:
Daniel Deronda, the full text
LibriVox

Episode 6: A Visit from Mr. Gradgrind

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 22:00:01 +0000

This week we get a visit from Paul Brians’ alter-ego, Mr. Gradgrind, who answers our rhetorical questions with his unique fact-based approach!

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/06-gradgrind.mp3

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LINK:
Mr. Gradgrind’s Literal Answers to Rhetorical Questions

Episode 5: Moons and Moods of the Blue Kind

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 22:59:52 +0000

On rare occasion you may perhaps wonder where the expression “Once in a Blue Moon” comes from. This week Paul Brians discusses the true origin.

http://wmjasco.com/podcasts/05-blue-moon.mp3

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Links:
Moody Blues, by Paul Brians
The Eggcorn Database
Why Did People Once Think the Moon was Made Out of Cheese? (from Today I Found Out)

Episode 4: Synonyms

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 04:00:00 +0000

Choosing the right word is more than a matter of looking up synonyms. In this episode Paul Brians talks about word choice, with a smattering of etymology and linguistic discussion of “snow words” thrown in.

http://wmjasco.com/podcasts/04-synonyms.mp3

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Links:
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis

“Eskimo Words for Snow”: A Case Study in the Genesis and Decay of an Anthropological Example, by Laura Martin (also see Bad science reporting again: the Eskimos are back, by Geoffrey K. Pullum).

Episode 3: Blogging, Dating, and Grammar

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 18:27:56 +0000

Ever thought you’d like to hear two middle-aged married men’s advice on dating? No? Too bad—in this week’s episode we talk about something that’s been in the news lately: English usage in online dating profiles.

http://wmjasco.com/podcasts/03-blogging-grammar-dating.mp3

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Links:
“What’s Really Hot on Dating Sites? Proper Grammar”
“On Dating Sites, Good Writing Matters”
“In Journalism, Grammar Is Everything”
The Common Errors in English Usage Blog – all posts

Episode 2: Quite, Brilliant, and Quite Brilliant!

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 06:00:00 +0000

http://www.wmjasco.com/podcasts/quite-brilliant.mp3

This week we discuss shades of meaning between US and UK English, focusing on two common words that are used differently on the two sides of the Atlantic.

Link:
Brilliant in Britain

Episode 1: Yogi Berra

commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com (Paul Brians) — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 23:27:36 +0000

In the first episode of the Common Errors in English Usage podcast, we remember Yogi Berra and talk about Yogi-isms. Send comments to commonerrorspodcast@gmail.com.

https://wmjasco.com/podcasts/01-yogi.mp3

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Links:
“Yogi Berra Died, Not Yogi Bear: AP makes a Boo Boo?” from iMediaEthics.
“Behind the Yogi-isms: Those Said and Unsaid,” The New York Times.