25Jun 2021 by Philippa Willitts
How writers and editors can use OneLook.com for linguistic queries

How writers and editors can use OneLook.com for linguistic queries

About Proofreading, About Writing
I discovered a website a few months ago that is proving to be pretty nifty when I need to really drill down on a particular word. OneLook.com lets you search for a word and gives you links to a range of definitions, from general dictionaries to specialised ones. It also allows you to find related words, rhyming words etc. I have found it particularly useful when proofreading and coming across specialised language and when writing and needing to be absolutely certain that I'm using an unusual word correctly. I made a mini video to show how it works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oWmsaNDklU Transcript: So I'm going to show you a nifty little website that I've discovered quite recently, Onelook.com, and it is a way to search multiple dictionaries for one word. As you…
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27Apr 2021 by Philippa Willitts
Books on language for writers, proofreaders, translators and editors

Books on language for writers, proofreaders, translators and editors

About Proofreading, About Writing, Language
One of the reasons I work with words is that language is endlessly fascinating. From my degree in French to the podcasts I listen to and the books I read about the English language, there is always more to know. As a writer and proofreader, I rely on some of the books listed below for my work. But as a linguist, I read the rest for fun. The links below are for Amazon. If you would prefer to support independent bookshops, try Hive Books or Bookshop.org in the UK or Bookshop or IndieBound in the USA. For people in other countries, a quick Google should help you to find an independent alternative. Books about proofreading It's an art and a science and a business McGraw-Hill's Proofreading Handbook by Laura Killen…
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22Mar 2021 by Philippa Willitts
Podcasts for language nerds

Podcasts for language nerds

Language, Podcast
I'm unapologetically addicted to podcasts. I listen to them constantly and have made several of my own (with a potential new one in the pipeline), and listening is currently my favourite way to learn. When I need a new skill, I find podcasts that talk about it. When I need an update on a topic I already know about, I find podcasts that talk about it. When I need to relax, I listen to podcasts. When I need to laugh, I listen to podcasts... you get the idea. So it made sense to find a great pile of language-related podcasts to share here. Many writers, editors and proofreaders, and those who hire us, are language nerds so I have found you a wide range of podcasts on all aspects of…
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09Mar 2013 by Philippa Willitts

James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher

Language
I love linguistic quirks, so when my friend AJ posted about this sentence on Facebook, I had to investigate. It turns out that, "James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher" is a valid sentence, and an example of lexical ambiguity. With a bit of explanation, punctuation and emphasis it does actually make sense. Wikipedia explains it as follows, The example refers to two students, James and John, who are required by an English test to describe a man who, in the past, had suffered from a cold. John writes "The man had a cold" which the teacher marks as being incorrect, while James writes the correct "The man had had a cold." Since James' answer was right,…
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