Editor Angst

“The last thing that I want to do is to pass myself off as some sort of ferocious gatekeeper who — in some sort of argument about the purity and the wonder of the English language, and how it must be preserved — is simply being unkind and cruel to other human beings.” 

—Benjamin Dreyer, copy chief, Random House, and author, Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style, in Terry Gross, “Random House Copy Chief:Stand Tall Wordsmiths! (But Choose Your Battles),” Fresh Air, NPR, Feb. 5, 2019. (Thanks to alert WORDster Mark Larson)

• Editorial Comment: But, seriously, you knothead . . . fewer, NOT less!!!

PeezPix

Low Tide Still Life

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Ted Pease, Professor of Interesting Stuff, Trinidad, California. (Be)Friend The WORD

“I don’t think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.” —Tom Stoppard