Keep up-to-date on news & opinion about journalism and language-use topics through the live feeds from popular blogs here.

The Grammarphobia Blog: Grammar, Usage, Etymology, and More
Should you turn off your grammar checker?
August 29, 2010, 5:10 am
Q: Pat has said on WNYC that she disables her grammar checker because it gives so much bad advice. I wonder if you could expand on this. I generally find my grammar checker to be more of a help than a hindrance.

The Grammarphobia Blog: Grammar, Usage, Etymology, and More
Next question, please!
August 28, 2010, 5:10 am
Q: What is the proper use of the word "next"¯? It's my understanding that "next item"¯ and "next two items"¯ are correct, but "next items"¯ is wrong. Also, what are the best references I can get to answer usage questions like this one? A: We can't find any prohibitions against constructions like "The next days were [.

Common Sense Journalism
So 'which' one is it
August 27, 2010, 9:31 pm


CJR
Audit D.C. Notes: Maddow on Katrina, WaPo on Mystery Dems, What Dodd Didn't Ask
August 27, 2010, 1:45 pm
By Holly Yeager It's good to see all the coverage of New Orleans five years after Katrina. But Rachel Maddow's show Thursday night stood out for its sharp focus on one angle of the storm's aftermath: just how really difficult it is for low-income people to live in the city.

CJR
ProPublica and Planet Money Find the Keys to the Kingdom
August 27, 2010, 10:21 am
By Dean Starkman Mark Pittman: Where is this demand coming from? How can you guys sell this issue in thirty minutes? Who the hell's buying this stuff like that? We're going to come to the answer that it was going off balance sheet, at least temporarily, and then it might be sold to other customers.

A Capital Idea
O noes "” no O's!
August 27, 2010, 8:00 am


Wordsmith.org: Today's Word
faux
August 27, 2010, 3:00 am
Artificial; fake; false.

Common Sense Journalism
Words got connotations, too
August 26, 2010, 11:22 pm


Common Sense Journalism
FOI Abuse: Little town wants big money for records
August 26, 2010, 11:03 pm


Wordsmith.org: Today's Word
fait accompli
August 26, 2010, 3:00 am
A thing accomplished: a done deal.