In my current manuscript I make a reference to the call of a kookaburra. I assumed (incorrectly as it turns out) the kookaburra would be one of our Aussie animals that everyone knew, like kangaroos or koalas – because of its call. Uh uh. It’s a shame, because we have so many unique bird calls…
Language
Adjectives go like this…
Did you know that adjectives have to go in a specific order in the English language or they just sound plain weird? In 2016 a paragraph from a book “The Elements of Eloquence” by Mark Forsyth went viral: Adjectives in English absolutely have to be in this order: opinion-size-age-shape-colour-origin-material-purpose Noun. So you can have a…
Ablaut Reduplication
Until recently I’d never heard of “ablaut reduplication”, but I have unknowingly been applying it my whole life…and so have you! Ablaut reduplication is when you repeat a word that has a similar sound or spelling. The following examples are from ProEdit: Chitchat Crisscross Dillydally Ding-dong Kitty cat Knickknack Mishmash Ping-pong Pitter-patter Riffraff Singsong Splish-splash…
Self-contradicting rules of writing
These rules are collected from William Safire’s October 7 and November 4, 1979 “On Language” columns in The New York Times: Remember to never split an infinitive. A preposition is something never to end a sentence with. The passive voice should never be used. Avoid run-on sentences they are hard to read. Don’t use…