The Nitpicker’s Nook is a monthly collection of language-related articles, interviews, and blog posts. If you read something that would make a good addition, email your suggestion to [email protected].
By Savanna Scott Leslie
- According to Michelle Falardeau-Ramsay of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, dyslexia affects one in six Canadians. Victor Widell, a programmer, set up a webpage that attempts to show what reading with dyslexia is like. (Geon)
- UK schools are implementing new rules to keep students from overusing exclamation marks! But is this measure really necessary? George Elliott Clarke, Tom Howell, and Priscila Uppal weigh in on CBC Radio’s The Current with Anna Maria Tremonti. (CBC)
- One UK student was unhappy with another rule from his English teachers: don’t start sentences with and. He wrote a letter to children’s author Joanna Nadin, who shares some sound advice about grammatical rule breaking. (David Airey)
- You’re likely familiar with gender-neutral pronouns in English and the push for more inclusive terms. Have you ever wondered how other languages accommodate gender neutrality and identities beyond or between masculine and feminine words? Angela Sterritt explores gender-neutral and non-binary words in Anishinaabemowin, Cree, Kanien’keha, and other Indigenous languages with Fallon Andy, the media-arts justice facilitator for the Native Youth Sexual Health Network from Couchiching First Nation. (The Globe and Mail)
- How can prospective editors get their feet in the door now that entry-level positions expect so much professional experience? Rosemary Shipton shares some advice with Editors Canada. (Editors Weekly)
- Have you ever found yourself yearning for the narrative melodrama of Greek mythology but was just not in the mood for the grandiose prose of yesteryear? Well, fret no more. Mallory Ortberg re-imagines Jason and the Argonauts in expletive-laden modern form as part of her “Dirtbags” series. (The Toast)
- Emerging startups and established sole proprietorships alike both grapple with an important decision: choosing the right business name. Nancy Friedman shares her process for creating brand names with emotional appeal. (Fritinancy)
Savanna Scott Leslie is an editor and publishing consultant who recently moved from Toronto to Hamilton. She tweets @Savanna_SL.
This article was copy edited by Olga Sushinsky.
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