Linguists must have been giddy to hear “Prisencolinensinainciusol” at the Olympic opening. I was. www.npr.org/2012/11/04/1... share.google/7Erdf4Dvc6vy...

#ThatWordChat returns with Joshua Blackburn and Jess Zafarris for a deep dive into wordplay, obscure etymologies, and the new edition of "League of the Lexicon." Tues, Feb 10, 4:30 ET | 20:30 UTC Sign up: ThatWordChat.com #BoardGames #Lexicon #WordNerd

On @99pi.org again! This time round I spoke to Will Aspinall about the storied em dash (‘—′, that is, rather than ‘–′ or ‘-′, but you knew that). Listen at 99percentinvisible.o..., or read my own earlier piece on AI and the em dash at shadycharacters.co.u....

If you are an editor who used the CIA factbook, it’s gone, deleted, so you might want to bookmark this

AI does not obviate the need for human editors. @shellypalmer.bsky.social breaks it down. shellypalmer.com/2026/01/when...

When Canadian editors noticed British spellings appearing in federal budget documents, they did more than note a shift in style. They wrote an open letter to the prime minister. Read the full story: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/world/canada/carney-british-spelling.html

The latest Separated by a Common Newsletter is out! Includes: •SbaCL Transatlantic Words of the Year! •More WotYs from around the world (check out the Icelandic one, it's great!) •Links to insightful linguistic content & yet another stupidly addictive game lynneguist.substack.com/p/fiddly-zee

TOMORROW: That Word Chat’s #WOTY panel returns. Experts from the OED, Merriam-Webster, the American Dialect Society, the University of Michigan, the University of Sussex, and Mashed Radish break down the words of 2025. Still time to grab your spot! Register: ThatWordChat.com #ThatWordChat

Here is a seemingly unpopular viewpoint: The military arrest of Maduro was not an attack on Venezuelan sovereignty. Maduro is a criminal who lost an election and was reigning as a dictator. (I can see why the White House struggles to make that case, though.)

Indicted Election-Denying Would-Be Dictator Captures Indicted Election-Denying Dictator

To clarify: Calibri is a *much* better font than Times New Roman and making text more readable is an important goal. So… it’s not (just) a joke. The US government continues to punch down.

In this month's Improve Your Business Writing newsletter, I'm tackling dangling participles. These grammar mistakes can blur meaning and create unintentional humor in professional writing. Read it now: zurl.co/LtBUR #AmEditing #WritingTips

In the latest episode of #ThatWordChat, Peter Sokolowski joins us to talk about the 12th edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate—the first full update in 22 years. Watch: bit.ly/ThatWordVideo Listen: thatwordchat.podbean.com #Lexicography #Editing #Publishing #MerriamWebster #CulturalLinguistics

Have something editors can use tomorrow? Submit a proposal to present an ACES Academy webcast.  Start your proposal here: https://aceseditors.org/training/the-aces-academy/want-to-propose-a-webcast

@marthabarnette.bsky.social's book "Friends With Words" is packed with tidbits for word lovers, and in today's podcast we look at some of my favorites: — Why South Carolinians paint porches "haint blue" (to ward off ghosts) — What a "quidnunc" is (a nosy neighbor) 1/2 APPLE: tinyurl.com/2cwb4t92

What is YOUR Word of the Year for 2025?

Our friends at the @efafreelancers.bsky.social are asking the editing community to help with this year's Rate Survey with a public survey open to nonmember freelancers in addition to the member survey. Find the public survey at twp.ai/ImsmoM

Cutting it fine again...November's Separated by a Common Newsletter is up and out! Includes: pled or pleaded? British kids talking trash? Last words and words of the year. Plus links, links, links lynneguist.substack.com/p/pled-head

I think some of the greatest delights in the business of etymology are words—especially everyday words—whose origins we just don’t know. So, this year, I’ll do an etymological Advent calendar on this theme: words with origins that are obscure, uncertain, or otherwise unknown.

It's arrived—and it's gorgeous. I opened @merriam-webster.com's new Twelfth Collegiate at random, and the first word I came across was the second, verbal sense of "load." Huzzah! This spread also showcases some delights, like the illustrations and word lists.

The latest #WotY2025 is from Macquarie Dictionary: AI slop www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Our Policy magazine (.ca) declares #WotY2025 PATHOCRACY www.policymagazine.ca/our-policy-m...

Oh my goodness, it gets earlier every year. The Word of the Year thread starts here with the 2025 German Youth WotY: das crazy uk.news.yahoo.com/das-crazy-vo...

2025 has been an eventful year for Canada's identity. To commemorate the year, The Society for Canadian English is choosing a 2025 word of the year (CWOTY), based on the Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles. Have your say: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

We've just recorded an interview with @lynneguist.bsky.social for the @lexispodcast.bsky.social and then this absolute whopper of a piece gets published. It's jam-packed with clichéd complaints, hoary hyperbole & xenophobic waffle. archive.ph/2025.11.24-0...

This one surprises to me. The Cambridge Dictionary 2025 Word of the Year is "parasocial." "Parasocial" feels more 2017 to me. Have you heard it more lately?

Make your 2025 words-of-the-year nominations for the only vote that matters! bit.ly/2025WOTYNOMS

Happening today! Join #ThatWordChat at 4:30 p.m. ET for a live conversation with Merriam-Webster’s Peter Sokolowski on the new 12th edition of the dictionary. Grab your virtual seat: ThatWordChat.com #Editors #Lexicography #WordNerd

🌟Want to be recognized for your impact and innovation? The Connolly Rising Star Awards celebrate early-career editors (10 years or less) who have made significant contributions—whether through innovation, advocacy, or excellence in editing. Nominate through 10/15. tinyurl.com/593pa5d8

CMH —> ORD for #ACES 2025 midterm board meeting.

Check out the live posts from the show at #ThatWordChat.

Tuesday!

If you want to weigh in on entries, go to www.apstylebook.com/suggestions #ACESVCON25

If you have a stylebook online subscription, you can view PDFs of past AP Style documents and see how it's changed over the years. #ACESVCON25

Updates coming in #APStylebook: "dreamers" less used these days; "self-deportation" is more common. #ACESVCon25

In retrospect, Anna Jo Bratton is proud of #APStylebook decisions on "Mount McKinley" and "Gulf of Mexico." #ACESVCon25

New entry coming in #APStylebook: dox, doxed, doxing. Just the one x. #ACESVCon25

Podcasts! I recently recorded two of them, in fact, courtesy of Mignon Fogarty, also known as Grammar Girl (bsky.app/profile/gra...). Head over to Shady Characters for links: shadycharacters.co.u....

Tomorrow on #ThatWordChat: Nick Norlen, freelance writer and founder of “Paper Airplane.” Vol. 1 includes escape pages, puzzles, photography, and wordplay. Register to join us: thatwordchat.com #WritersCommunity #Language

Hiring an editorial freelancer has never been easier! Connect with the right freelancer for your next project today at https://twp.ai/4ir27l

We hear it all the time: "I don't live in the PNW, so I can't join the Guild or attend its events." Guild membership is open to any editor in the US. And most of our events are open to any editor from anywhere! Find out why we're known as the friendliest editing organization around. edsguild.org

Hello there! I'm not on Bluesky much, but I'll be here to host an #ACESChat on Oct. 1 about marketing yourself as an editor (whether you're freelance or just thinking about your personal brand). See you then!

A big shoutout to EFA @efafreelancers.bsky.social for the opportunity to support them by being sponsors of their virtual conference. Conference attendees, don’t forget to use the discount code we shared to register for #VCON25. Registration closes Monday at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Is a sandwich a weapon enjoying Second Amendment protection? Find out now on the Web of Language: bit.ly/4lwuF4H

One of the best ways to understand a rule is to consider its exceptions. Find out more in this newly updated post at CMOS Shop Talk (and be sure to read to the end for links to two more “exceptional” posts).

📽️ #ThatWordChat episode with Keith Houston is premiering on YouTube today at 4:30 p.m. ET! Catch up on our deep dive into symbols and emoji. Watch here: bit.ly/ThatWordVideo #Editors #Writers #Emoji #Typography #Publishing

Have you registered to attend? There's still time to sign up! Join us today for a book party to celebrate the release of Martha Barnette's "Friends with Words." Grab your virtual spot: ThatWordChat.com #ThatWordChat #BookLaunch #AmReading #AmEditing

This afternoon at 4:30 p.m. So great to welcome back @marthabarnette.bsky.social!

Ritalin was named after a woman named Rita (no joke!). I learned this from @marthabarnette.bsky.social of @waywordradio.org when we talked about her new book "Friends with Words." :) Check it out! APPLE PODCASTS: bit.ly/3ITohHc SPOTIFY: bit.ly/4lZKt0Y FRIENDS WITH WORDS: bit.ly/4ml0CxN