Tag: Language

  • Pretty Sure

    The Short Answer The word pretty does double duty in English; it works as an adjective (a pretty painting) and as an adverb meaning “fairly” or “somewhat” (pretty sure, pretty tired, pretty good). This second use has been part of English for hundreds of years, and it’s a great example of how language evolves in…

  • True Life: The Downfall of a Former Grammar Nazi (via Jenn in Japan)

    I love to read commentaries about grammar but this one is particularly interesting. Jenn in Japan has been converted to possibly the most difficult language to master by others, Japanese. But I must applaud her, with her mastery of English in hand I imagine that she should conqueror the complexities of the Kanji. I am…