Gems of Language Archives

A graphic of a scarecrow with the title: "Straw Man Argument"

What Are Straw Man Fallacies and How Can You Identify Them?

Have you ever listened to an argument and felt that someone’s claims were too good to be true? Did they belittle their opponent so much that their argument seemed like the only option to choose? Arguments like this can be considered logical fallacies and may… continue reading

Infer Vs. Imply: The Secrets to Understanding Their Usage

Let’s have a close look at infer vs. imply. Is there a difference, and how do we use them? Here is the short answer: When you infer, you are using context clues to make an educated guess about the meaning of something. On the other… continue reading

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

Graphic illustrating the feature image for The Butt of the Joke

Don’t Be the Butt of the Joke — Learn What This Expression Means!

Have you found yourself the butt of the joke for not knowing this idiom? Let’s dive in. The person addressed as the “butt of the joke” is a target for mocking, teasing, or other ridicule. An idiomatic expression is a phrase in which the words… 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

A graphic showing addressing "Jist or Gist? by showing that "Gist" is the correct spelling, while "Jist" is a incorrect

Jist or Gist? Meaning, Origin and Examples.

Jist or Gist? Many colloquial or slang terms get thrown around in professional circles, especially if used verbally. One great example of this is the word “Gist.” Or is it “jist?” Let’s give you the gist of it: “gist” is the correct spelling of the word,… continue reading

A graphic of a woman with her hands up in a quizzical pose with the words "Council or Counsel" to the left.

The Difference Between Council and Counsel

Council vs. Counsel Let’s take a look at council vs. counsel. First, the quick answer: A council is a meeting or a group of people meeting to discuss laws or rules. Counsel refers to advice given or a person who gives legal or professional advice.… 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

A Google Ngram graph showing the usage of "data are" vs. "data is"

Is “Data” Singular or Plural? Does It Matter?

Let’s tackle a hotly contested topic in the English language: “Is data singular or plural?” Data: Singular or Plural? The answer to this question comes down to a few points of contention. As a foreign word, people argue whether “data” should follow English plurality rules or… continue reading