Patricia T. O'Conner

Patricia T. O'Conner appears in the following:

The Language of Spring with Patricia T. O'Conner

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Our word maven Patricia T. O’Conner returns! She’ll discuss the language of Spring and of the seasons.

Comments [26]

Jeepers Creepers, Gee Whiz, and Gosh Almighty!

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Our word maven Patricia T. O'Conner shan't be bleeped as she teaches us the history of mild, euphemistic oaths.

Comments [103]

Why is Turkey Called Turkey? Your Other Language Questions Answered

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Our word maven, Patricia T. O’Conner, looks at the etymologies of some “New World foods” found on our Thanksgiving tables.

Comments [36]

The War That Gave Us 'Cooties'

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Patricia T. O’Conner looks at the words invented during World War I—like blimp, doughboy, even cooties.

Comments [10]

Word Maven Patricia T. O'Conner

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Patricia T. O'Conner answers questions about language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of O’Conner’s book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is  Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

Leave your questions about language and grammar!

Comments [23]

Word Maven Patricia T. O’Conner on Sportscaster Language

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Baseball season is about to begin, so our word maven, Patricia T. O’Conner, is here to talk about sportscaster language. She’ll also answer questions about language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of O’Conner’s book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is  Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

If you have a question about language and grammar, leave a comment or call us at 212-433-9692!

Comments [29]

Our Word Maven Looks for Lost Words

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Our word maven, Patricia T. O’Conner, talks about “lost” words—words that once had a literal meaning but are now used only in their metaphorical senses, like “masthead” and “loophole”.

Comments [37]

Word Maven Patricia T. O’Conner's Brand New

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Our word maven, Patricia T. O’Conner, talks about the word "brand" and the ways it's evolved. She’ll also answer questions about language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of O’Conner’s book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is  Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

If you have a question about language and grammar, leave a comment or call us at 212-433-9692!

Comments [35]

Word Maven Patricia T. O'Conner Goes Back to School

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Our word maven, Patricia T. O’Conner, talks about new words and back-to-school words. She’ll also answer questions about language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of O’Conner’s book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is  Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

If you have a question about language and grammar, leave a comment or call us at 212-433-9692!

Comments [39]

Patricia T. O’Conner on Jane Austen's English

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Our word maven, Patricia T. O’Conner, talks about the many contributions Jane Austen made to the English language. She’ll also answer questions about language and grammar.

Comments [21]

Word Maven: Patricia T. O'Conner on Mother's Day

Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Our word maven Patricia T. O'Conner talks about the apostrophe and Mother's Day. She’ll also answer questions about language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of her book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is  Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

If you have a question about language and grammar, leave a comment or call us at 212-433-9692!

Comments [41]

Word Maven Patricia T. O'Conner Sends Smoke Signals

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Following the dramatic election of the pope, announced with a puff of white smoke from the Vatican, our word maven Patricia T. O'Conner talks about the history of communicating through smoke signals. She’ll also answer questions about language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of her book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is  Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

If you have a question about language and grammar, leave a comment or call us at 212-433-9692!

Comments [45]

Patricia T. O'Conner on Watergate Words

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Our word maven Patricia T. O'Conner talks about the words and phrases that emerged from the Watergate scandal 40 years ago—“inoperative,” “stonewall,” “Deep Throat,” “follow the money,” “a cancer on the presidency,” and all the -gates that have been created since the original. She’ll also answer questions about language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of her book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is  Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

If you have a question about language and grammar, leave a comment or call us at 212-433-9692!

Comments [9]

Word Maven Patricia T. O'Conner on Quotation Magnets

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Our word maven Patricia T. O'Conner talks about quotations that are credited to the wrong people. She’ll also answer questions about language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of her book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is  Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

If you have a question about language and grammar, leave a comment or call us at 212-433-9692!

Comments [36]

Patricia T. O'Conner on the Whole Nine Yards

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Our word maven Patricia T. O'Conner talks about new findings on “the whole nine yards.” She’ll also answer questions about language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of her book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is  Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

If you have a question about language and grammar, leave a comment or call us at 212-433-9692!

Comments [40]

Patricia T. O'Conner on Accents in Song

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Our word maven Patricia T. O'Conner looks at English accents in song. She’ll also answer questions about language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of her book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is  Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

If you have a question about language and grammar, leave a comment or call us at 212-433-9692!

Comments [49]

Patricia T. O'Conner on Shakespeare's English

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Our word maven Patricia T. O'Conner Discusses Elizabethan speech—the language that Shakespeare and his actors used, circa 1600, and how it was originally pronounced, which sounds similar to the English spoken by Americans and by the Irish today. She’ll also answer questions about language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of her book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is  Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

We're playing clips from “Shakespeare’s Original Pronunciation: Speeches and Scenes Performed as Shakespeare Would Have Heard.

If you have a question about language and grammar, leave a comment or call us at 212-433-9692!

Comments [35]

Word Maven Patricia T. O'Conner on Being "Gruntled"

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Our word maven Patricia T. O'Conner wonders: Are we ever “gruntled”? She looks at the words “gruntled” and “disgruntled” and answers questions on English language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of her book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is  Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

If you have a question about language and grammar, leave a comment or call us at 212-433-9692!

Comments [42]

Patricia T. O’Conner

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Our word maven Patricia T. O'Conner answers questions about English language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of her book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is  Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

If you have a question about language and grammar, leave a comment or call us at 212-433-9692!

Comments [73]

Patricia T. O’Conner: Word Maven, Word Schmaven

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Our word maven Patricia T. O'Conner investigates looks at the Yiddish construction that brings us the phrases fancy schmancy and the like. And she answers questions about English language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of her book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is  Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

If you have a question about language and grammar, leave a comment or call us at 212-433-9692!

Comments [30]