Amazing Words Wednesday
Parental Proverbs and Phrases
Welcome to Amaze-ing Words Wednesday, where we creep through the English language labyrinth with a flashlight and a good dose of curiosity. Today, however, we might be hearing in our brains such admonitions as “When the going gets tough, the…
Word Game: Similes
A few weeks ago, I blogged about an alphabet game I found in a book published in 1940 called The Fun Encyclopedia. My father passed this book to me, and with it another book (which my grandfather originally owned) called The Complete…
Gone to the Dogs: Idioms
Last week, we looked at feline-inspired idioms with The Cat’s Out of the Bag. For today’s Amaze-ing Words Wednesday, let’s take another trail in the labyrinth where we find our canine companions. Check out the following dog-related idioms and their…
The Cat's Out of the Bag: Idioms
Welcome to Amaze-ing Words Wednesday, where we enter the labyrinth of language and look for something interesting among the hedges. Today’s topic is in honor of our feline friends. I was going to do a post with idioms that included both…
Miss Spelling Returns: Words that Get Confused
Welcome to Amaze-ing Words Wednesday. By popular demand — or simply because she asked — Miss Spelling has returned. Her insistence on making a reappearance stemmed from a nonfiction book she is reviewing. While the book itself is written well, a…
If Twain Tweeted
Welcome (back) to Amaze-ing Words Wednesday! Here at Threading the Labyrinth, I take Wednesdays to head down a hedged path of the English language and discover something to share with you. I recently read a great post from Lydia Sharp, Back to Basics: Writing…
The Fun Encyclopedia: Alphabet Game
My father recently went through his library (which is extensive). He came across a few old books he no longer wanted and offered them to me. Skimming through the pages, they looked interesting, so I carried the books home .…
"And the Winner Is…": Award Names
On Sunday evening, the 84th Academy Awards show aired, bringing us red carpet designer dresses, movie clips, sappy speeches, and small statues handed to the luckiest attendees. I have long wondered why the naked golden guy sitting atop a pedestal…
Getting in the Last Words
There is an old joke that when your friends are discussing a serious topic, you interject the statement, “It’s just like my uncle said on his death bed” [pause for dramatic effect] “aaaggggghhhh.” (I didn’t say it was a good…
A Lesson with Miss Spelling
Some time ago, my blog was visited by the well-known language arts teacher, Miss Pronunciation. She helped to clarify proper articulation of commonly mispronounced words, such as library and et cetera. I was recently contacted by her colleague, Miss Spelling,…