Category Archives: words

Serifer Madness

Posted on June 12, 2023 by JE

I know lots of people love the sans-serif type of font, but I hate its guts because it elides a significant distinction, between lower case L and upper case I, both appearing as the same glyph. For highly literate people … Continue reading →

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Helianthemumbling

Posted on May 26, 2023 by JE

Typo of the day is sunrose (for intended sunrise). The sunrose sounded like a real thing to me, and Mr. Internet says it is, also known as the helianthemum (from Greek ἥλιος “sun” and ἄνθεμον “bloom”).

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Out of the Mouths of Beats

Posted on May 24, 2023 by JE

It’s a little early for a Typo of the Day–not even 1 AM where I sit with my confused but valiant keyboard. Still, I don’t think I’m going to top this one: heartbrat (where I intended heartbeat). Heartbrat–an obviously useful … Continue reading →

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Hungry Heart

Posted on May 7, 2023 by JE

Typo of the day is hamelt, for an intended Hamlet. Clearly I should not have skipped lunch.

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WTF?

Posted on May 6, 2023 by JE

I’m looking around online for editions of the Hrafnistumannasǫgur—which is a perfectly normal thing to do on Friday night; I don’t care what the kids down at the sock hop say—and I found a pretty decent edition for the third … Continue reading →

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Auto Incorrect

Posted on April 29, 2023 by JE

“As a pallette cleanser—” “Palate.” “As a pallet cleanser—” “Palate.” “As a plate cleanser—” “Palate. Like, in your mouth.” “I DO NOT HAVE A PALLET IN MY MOUTH!” “‘Forget / we ever met.’”

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Don’t Put an Otch in My Nadder!

Posted on April 29, 2023 by JE

Apparently English notch arises from a word-division error due to the English movable n: it wasn’t originally a notch, it was an otch (cf. French oche “a notch”). So says the AHD and the tyrant OED. This is analogous to … Continue reading →

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Viking-Era Marriage

Posted on April 27, 2023 by JE

A pleasingly domestic line in the saga I’m currently reading (which is mostly about war and killing). Ráðahagr Áka stendr með miklum blóma.—Jómsvíkinga Saga 17“Áka stands marriage with great bloom.” That’s the kind of marriage to have. I hope Þórgunn … Continue reading →

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Joans Against the Moon Men

Posted on April 26, 2023 by JE

I misread a student’s handwriting and thought they had written “Prester Joan” (instead of “Prester John”). Now I can’t stop thinking of Prester Joan teaming up with Pope Joan to, I don’t know, conquer the moon or something. [edited to … Continue reading →

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Gormless Gomes on the Ground

Posted on April 14, 2023 by JE

This afternoon I was reading up on Danish King Gorm (a.k.a Gorm the Old, a.k.a. Gorm the Lazy, a.k.a. my new role model), and idly wondered if it was the same root as the gorm in English gormless “clueless”. It … Continue reading →

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