SmithWriting Blog

Next in our series on the proper use of punctuation marks is that curved couplet, parentheses (who doesn’t love this digression-inducing duo?).

Following are some of the most common things that should be put in parentheses:

Information that is not essential to a sentence

Anyone who loves dark chocolate (myself included) was thrilled to learn of its health benefits.

A word or phrase that clarifies an ambiguous pronoun

John and Andy enjoyed their summer vacations.

“He (Andy) traveled to visit his family,” she explained.

A word or phrase that translates technical and obscure terms

The man was diagnosed with glioblastoma (brain tumor).

Nicknames

Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson

Location

She writes for the Auburn (Mass.) News.

A note on punctuation

If the copy in parentheses appears within a sentence: Do not use a capital letter or period to punctuate that copy, even if the copy is a complete sentence. However, feel free to use a question mark or exclamation point when appropriate.

See the first sentence of this post for an example.

If the copy in parentheses is written as a separate sentence: Punctuate it as if it were a separate sentence.

The couple traveled to Hawaii to celebrate their 25th anniversary. (You may recall that they went there on their honeymoon.)

See also:

• Read this post about exclamation points!
• The colon: an unappreciated mark with an unfortunate name
• Save the apostrophes!

Filed by rebecca at 12:19 pm under Grammar guide
17 Comments

Last week, I blogged about the new words that will appear in the next edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. I thought that one of them, “mondegreen,” deserved some more attention.

A mondegreen is defined as “a word or phrase that results from a mishearing of something said or sung.” The term was coined by writer Sylvia Wright in 1954, who confessed to having misheard a line from an old Scottish ballad. The actual line is, “They had slain the Earl of Moray and laid him on the green,” but Wright heard, “They had slain the Earl of Moray and Lady Mondegreen.” Funny, right?

Well, this got me thinking about my own experience with mondegreens. Here are some of my favorites:

For years, I was convinced that the line in the Christmas carol “Winter Wonderland” that goes, “Later on, we’ll conspire as we dream by the fire,” went like this: “Later on, we’ll PERSPIRE as we dream by the fire.” Hey, it makes sense—people sweat when they lie by a fire, don’t they?

There’s a great episode of “The Simpsons” where the band R.E.M. performs in Homer’s garage bar. Homer mishears the lyrics to “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine),” and sings this mondegreen: “Leonid what-his-name, Herman Munster motorcade, birthday party, Cheetos, pogo sticks and lemonade, you idiotic stupid jerk, that’s right Flanders, I am talking about you!” (As if R.E.M. would be singing about Homer’s neighbor.)
The real line goes like this: “Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs, birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom! You symbiotic, patriotic, slam, but neck, right? Right.”

My friends and I listened to the Counting Crows constantly in college. One guy we hung out with comically misheard the lyrics to the song “Omaha,” and instead of singing, “I think you better turn your ticket in and get your money back at the door,” he sang, “I think you better turn your CHICKEN in and get your money back at the door.” I’ve never sang it without the word “chicken” since.

So, what are your favorite mondegreens?

Filed by rebecca at 11:21 am under For the love of words
17 Comments

This week, Merriam-Webster released its list of more than 100 new words that will appear in its new edition of the Collegiate Dictionary.

Here are some of my favorites:

air quotes

def: gesture made by raising and flexing the index and middle fingers of both hands, used to call attention to a spoken word or expression.
(Do you remember that “Friends” episode when Joey kept using them incorrectly? Hilarious.)

edamame

def: immature green soybeans, usually in the pod.
(Gotta give props to my dad on this one; he’s been serving us these yummy legumes for years.)

fanboy

def: boy who is an enthusiastic devotee, such as of comics or movies.

mental health day

def: day that an employee takes off from work to relieve stress or renew vitality.

mondegreen

def: word or phrase that results from a mishearing of something said or sung. From the mishearing in a Scottish ballad of “laid him on the green” as “Lady Mondegreen.”

wing nut

def: Slang: one who advocates extreme measures or changes; radical.

For more information:

• The Wall Street Journal Buzzwatch
• Merriam-Webster Online

Filed by rebecca at 6:07 pm under For the love of words
8 Comments

As we approach the great American festival that is the Fourth of July, let’s take a minute to review some really great copy from the preamble to the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Talk about a powerful phrase. That Jefferson sure could write.

Although the editor in me wants to add a colon and a semicolon or two, I think I’d leave the capitalization as is. I find Jefferson’s use of capital letters deeply meaningful when it comes to the words “Life,” “Liberty,” and “Happiness.”

Yes, the Fourth of July is about fireworks, barbecues, and baseball. It’s about spending time with family and friends and enjoying a long summer weekend. But it’s also about Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. These lofty ideals deserve our commemoration on Independence Day.

So, while you’re eating at a picnic or lounging on a beach, take a moment and reflect upon the Liberty we have to pursue whatever it is that brings Happiness to our Lives. Let’s make Jefferson proud.

Filed by rebecca at 10:16 am under For the love of words
3 Comments