Alan Perlman PhD, Author at BusinessWritingBlog

A graphic of the setting sun with the phrase "At the end of the day"

False finality: At the end of the day, let’s retire “At the end of the day”

Man is a creature who lives not upon bread alone, but primarily by catchwords. Robert Louis Stevenson The end of the day Followed by another day. Not really the end. Zen haiku WARNING: Reading this article may result in heightened linguistic awareness accompanied by… continue reading

Common Expressions

Hoping We Avoid “the Seven-Year Itch”

What is the meaning of the common expression “the seven-year itch?” Generally speaking, this refers to the notion that things go stale after seven years, particularly in relationships. However, the expression can be used metaphorically to describe other various situations. Where did this expression come… continue reading

Have You Ever Felt Like a Fish Out of Water?

Have you ever felt like a fish out of water? The short answer is “probably not.” If you really felt like the fish, you’d feel as if you were drowning. This is another of those word-groups whose meaning must be learned from the whole, not… continue reading

How to Write a Cover Letter For an Internship

Let’s take a look at six quick tips on how to write a cover letter for an internship. This kind of letter typically covers – i.e., introduces – your resume and any other supporting materials, as part of your application for an internship. It is… continue reading

How to Write a Letter of Continued Interest

Let’s discuss how to write a letter of continued interest. This is a tricky one. You’re interested in a position or business relationship, but you haven’t heard from the addressee in a reasonable amount of time; remember, everybody’s busy. You need an “I’m still interested”… continue reading

Graphic with a definition of Nomalizations: turning nouns and adjectives into verbs

From Verb to Noun and Back: Nominalizations

In this post we will discuss nominalization, or the process of turning verbs and adjectives into nouns, through the prism of two distinct styles that literate, communicating adults encounter every day. I refer to the difference between the Impersonal (or I) style and the Personal (or… continue reading

Gems of Language

On the Use and Function of “Dog Whistle” in Politics

In politics, a dog whistle is the use of coded or suggestive language in political messaging to garner support from a particular group without provoking opposition. The concept is named for ultrasonic dog whistles, which are audible to dogs but not humans. -Wikipedia The dictionary… continue reading

Coordinating Conjunctions | A Note on the Use of “And”

And now, a note on the use of and. And is what some traditional linguists would call the “unmarked form”: other than connection or association, it carries no additional meaning. Of course, we have other coordinating conjunctions, i.e., words that join two elements of equal… continue reading