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Language

Move Over, Hygge — Make Room for…Hurkle Durkle?

You know I love any excuse to talk about language — spelling, pronunciation, idioms. If it’s quirky and has a good backstory, I’m in. So you can imagine my delight when I stumbled across…

Habits, Home, Language, Personality Insights
May, 05, 2025
35 Comments

Lost in Translation (But Still Speaking English)

One of the most delightful (and occasionally confusing) things about English is how the same object or concept can have a whole range of names, depending on where you live. Of course, there are…

Spell Check: When Names Get Playful with Their Letters

We’ve talked about naming cell phones, robot vacuums, bikes, cars, and gnomes. (Also: toaster ovens, fridges, ice machines, plants, in-car navigation systems, mass spectrometers, and microscopes – you name it. Pun intended.)

We’ve explored Q&A’s…

What’s In A Name?

We call both our robot vacuums Eufy (they are twins we don’t even attempt to tell apart). Eufy happens to be their brand, so we clearly lack any imagination in the naming department. But…

What’s In A Name?

On a walk to school last week one of our children made it clear they do NOT like their name. This is the first time I’ve heard they disapprove of our choice. I happen…

Language, Life, Personality Insights, Random
Apr, 22, 2024
81 Comments

What’s In A Name? Let’s Talk Pronunciation, Grandparents, and Other Language Topics

I think we can all agree the English language is a regular ol’ hoot sometimes. The rules, the syntax. The quirks that make absolutely zero sense.

And then there is pronunciation.

Growing up Canadian, I…

Habits, Language, Personality Insights, Random
Feb, 07, 2024
67 Comments

Some Free Advice: Actually Use the Spellcheck

In many ways, this post is simply me acknowledging a glaring demerit.

When I’m writing a blog post, e-mail, or work document I often – OFTEN! – don’t consult the spellcheck. A phrase or word…