English Usage: Variants, Dictionaries, and Editorial Judgement

by Keith Goddard Every Friday when I pick up pizza from my local Toronto pizza chain, I see a sign that tells me it’s fine to park in their parking lot whilst I’m in their restaurant. Whilst? Sounds quaint, but that’s not proper Canadian English, eh? My dictionaries label it as British, and Garner’s Modern English Usage, fourth edition (Garner … Continue reading English Usage: Variants, Dictionaries, and Editorial Judgement →

Book Review: “The Dictionary of Lost Words” by Pip Williams

By Małgosia Halliop The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams is a fascinating novel that asks questions about what is and isn’t included in that most basic of language tools: the dictionary. It’s a fictional story set within real and specific historical events, and reminds us of the ways even a seemingly neutral document like … Continue reading Book Review: “The Dictionary of Lost Words” by Pip Williams →

Wordplay: The new birds

Wordplay is a regular column by editor and language writer James Harbeck in which he tastes and plays with English words and usages. Imagine going out for a stroll in the woods with a friend who loves birds. You hear a bird’s song. “What’s that?” you ask. “I don’t know,” your friend says; “I don’t recognize … Continue reading Wordplay: The new birds →