Archive for the ‘ Language ’ Category

Celestial Nomenclature

or Why I Stopped Watching Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader, Reason 227 I wanted to open this blog with the actual clip from Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader, episode 107 (S01E08), but I could not find a copy anywhere on the Internets. This was way back when that show was brand spanking new and I thought I’d watch a few episodes to see how it was. This was the last one I ever watched. Awful show. Anywho, I’ll have to describe it. The second contestant of the episode, a man, even­tually got asked the following question: In the Southern Hemisphere, the vernal equinox occurs in which month? [ . . . ]

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PSA: “Period of Time”

This phrase is always redundant. Please use either “period” or “time.” Do not use both. The phrase “point in time” is also redundant, and based on a poor under­standing of physics. Likewise “moment in time.” As a general rule, the “in time” modifier is easily dropped without affecting clarity. This will tighten your prose, making it easier to consume quickly.