Grammar Stammer - Grammar Stammer Blog

Epidemic vs. Pandemic

5/31/2020

On March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially changed its designation of COVID-19 from an epidemic to a pandemic. Based on just the prefixes alone, “epi” and “pan”, I was able to pretty much figure out the difference between the two.

“Epi” means “by” or near”. “Pan” means “all”. So based on that understanding alone, it was mostly about how widespread something was.

I was right.

An epidemic is used to describe a sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease—more than what's typically expected for the population in that area.

An epidemic becomes a pandemic when that disease has spread over several countries or continents, affecting a large number of people.

I found a great example in my online searches:
HIV was and still is clearly a huge problem, but it's not necessarily an epidemic in the US right now. I read that there are about 50,000 new cases of HIV each year in the US, and this number has been pretty stable for decades. Because of this, there’s not really an HIV epidemic in the US — because they are getting the ‘expected’ number of cases. Should there be another sudden increase in the number of cases in the disease, this could change.

References:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/epidemic-vs-pandemic-difference
https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-diseases/active-vs-passive-immunity
https://scholarsark.com/question/difference-between-an-epidemic-and-a-pandemic/

Food for thought

4/28/2020

Food for thought. What does it mean? It's an idiom describing something that requires more thought and consideration.

It’s an expression that has been around since the 19th century, and is based on the idea of digestion and transferring it from the stomach to the brain.

Example: My manager’s advice on how to react to a difficult situation provided me with food for thought.

It means that the advice my manager gave me was information I needed to consider and give more thought to. I could have said that instead of “food for thought”, but that’s what makes the English language so much fun. We have so much variety in how we communicate.

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Reference:
https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/food%20for%20thought

What's in a name? COVID-19

3/29/2020

It seems like such a given in retrospect, but I was actually questioning why the number 19 was attached to the name of our current global pandemic, COVID-19.

Here’s the short and sweet of it all: the disease first made an appearance late last year and was previously known as the 2019 novel coronavirus.

And what’s interesting is that there is a virus that causes the COVID-19 disease. It’s called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2. Think of it like how HIV is the virus that causes the disease AIDS.

If interested in learning more about how viruses and diseases get their names, check out the World Health Organization’s website.

Misinformation vs. Disinformation

2/29/2020

Misinformation and disinformation both have similar meanings - they both involve the spreading of false and inaccurate information. The difference is really on the intent of the person spreading the false information.

When someone doesn’t realize they are spreading false and inaccurate information, it is called misinformation.

When someone knowingly spreads false and inaccurate information with the intention to deceive, it is called disinformation.

Inaccurate captions, dates, statistics, or when satire is taken seriously are instances of false information.

The difference is really on the intent of the person spreading the info. Did they do it by accident - not knowing that the info is wrong? If so, then we call this misinformation. If the publication of such information was deliberate, with some kind of end game of causing harm, influencing public opinion, or obscuring the truth, then we call this disinformation.

What troubles us now isn’t just the plague of “fake news”, but the organized campaigns spreading the false info.

So what is one to do?

Keep reading and looking for reliable sources of info. Don't be afraid to question.

The truth is out there.

New Year's Resolution

1/1/2020

A famous tradition people often practice is to make a New Year’s resolution. Common resolutions include exercising more, eating better, or swearing less. It’s a specific intention to better oneself.

But how did this come about?

History records the ancient Babylonians as being the first people to make New Year’s resolutions – over 4000 years ago – although their new year started in mid-March, when crops were ready to be planted. These resolutions, or promises, were made to their gods. If the Babylonians kept their promises, they would be in the gods’ favour. If not, well…it wasn’t good.

The same sort of thing happened in ancient Rome after Julius Caesar set January 1 as the beginning of the new year. January, named after Janus – was a god usually depicted as having two faces. The Romans believed that Janus both looked into the past and into the future. The Romans made promises of good conduct to Janus for the coming year.

Despite the fact that the tradition has religious roots, it is now a more secular practice. Gone are the days of making promises to the gods. Instead, we tell our friends or family of our intentions, and hope to god that we follow through on them.

“Here's to a bright New Year and a fond farewell to the old; here's to the things that are yet to come, and to the memories that we hold.” ~ Anonymous

References:
https://www.etymonline.com/word/resolution
https://www.history.com/news/the-history-of-new-years-resolutions

Hangover

12/20/2019

Did you know that the word ‘hangover’ only became associated with alcohol in the early 1900s?

Before that, it was used to describe unfinished business from meetings.

Perhaps all meetings are hangovers then. 😏

Blah.

What we really want to know is not the origin of the word, but how to get rid of it, right?

Here are some of the things I do to alleviate the most unpleasant side effects of drinking just a little too much:

Plan ahead - take the following day off work
Drink water in between alcoholic drinks for hydration
Take Gravol before going to bed to help control nausea and vomiting
Take something to get rid of the pain, like Advil
Get outside for some fresh air
Eat a greasy spoon breakfast - this morning I chose McDonald’s
Take a cozy nap with cute cats if time permits

What are some of your hangover cures? Asking for a friend.

Interested vs. Interesting

11/28/2019

You asked if the words interested and interesting are related or different. The answer is both.

They are related in that they share the same base word, which is Interest. They are also both adjectives.

However, they are different in how they are used.

Interested is used to describe someone’s feelings.
For example, I am interested in your question.

Interesting is used to describe how someone perceives something external from themselves.
For example, your question is interesting.

Back in my teaching days, I let my students in on a simple trick to remember the difference:

-ING FOR THE THING

Accept vs. Except

10/29/2019

It’s understandable that people might confuse the use of these words when writing - they sound pretty much the same. But they are indeed quite different.

Accept is a verb that means ‘to agree or receive’. Accept is a verb. A verb is an action word. Accept and Action both start with the letter A. There’s your trick to remember how to use it!
Example: I had no choice but to accept the terms of service in order to download the app.
(I agreed to the terms of service)

Except is usually used as a conjunction or a preposition. A preposition often expresses a relation of one noun to another. As a preposition, except means ‘not including’.
Example: I generally like all music except rap.
(I don’t like rap music)

Except can also be used as a conjunction, which while similar in meaning as the preposition, where it appears in a sentence is different. A conjunction connects independent clauses or sentences. Words like “and” and “but” are conjunctions. As a conjunction, except means ‘other than’.
Example: I didn’t say much except to say I loved him.
(All I really said was that I loved him)

Note:
Accepted is either the past participle of the verb accept, or an adjective. As an adjective, it means ‘generally approved or believed to be true’.
Example: Climate change is accepted by many as fact since it is backed up by many scientists who know more about the subject than non-scientists.
(Climate change is generally believed to be a real and factual phenomenon)

Grandfather Clause

9/29/2019

We all know a grandfather clause to be an arrangement where an old rule is still able to apply to some people despite a new rule being in place. The people who benefited from the old rule continue to benefit from the old rule, and the new rule will apply to all future cases. The people who continue to benefit from the old rule are considered to be “grandfathered in”.

A modern example are cell phone data plans. The big cell phone carriers had unlimited data plans, but then this ended. People already on these unlimited data plans could keep them so long as they kept the same service. Anyone new would not have access to unlimited data plans and would have to pay for limited plans, with extra charges and fees for going above the limit.

Now let’s dig a little into the past. The 15th Amendment of the United States Constitution spoke to the right to vote, and that right could “not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” That was established in 1870.

But a new rule was established in the Southern United States some time between the late 1890s and early 1900s. In order to vote, one had to take a literacy test or own property. A “grandfather clause” allowed anyone who had the right to vote before 1867 to continue voting without having to take a literacy test or own property. The name “grandfather clause” comes into play because this rule also applied to the descendants of anyone who had been granted the right to vote before 1867.

Now this rule was fully loaded as most black people were enslaved prior to 1867, and therefore did not have the right to vote. So basically, the grandfather clause prevented these people from voting even after they had won their freedom since their grandfathers had more than likely been slaves. And slaves were typically forbidden to read, extenuating the problem years after slavery was abolished.

In 1915, the U.S. Supreme Court found these grandfather clauses to be unconstitutional as the aforementioned 15th amendment was meant to give U.S citizens equal rights when it came to voting. Even then, black people faced huge barriers when trying to vote. It wasn’t until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 came into force that the 15th Amendment became a reality.

References:

Loose Vs. Lose

8/31/2019

Loose and Lose are up there in the top words I see misspelled. They also sound different.

When saying loose, your vocal cords are not use when pronouncing the s. It sounds like /loos/.

When saying lose, your vocal cords are used when pronouncing the s, only it sounds like z. It sounds like /looz/.

Loose has a few different meanings:
1. Loose is the opposite of tight.
Example: My pants are never loose these days. They are often tight. I blame the pants.

2. Loose can mean free.
Example: There is a tiger on the loose in my neighbourhood.

3. Loose can mean “vague” or “not strict”.
Example: Some people speed when driving through a yellow light. That’s a loose interpretation of the rules because I think you’re supposed to slow down and stop.

Lose has a few different meanings:
1. Lose is the opposite of win.
Example: I play to win, but sometimes I lose.

2. Lose can mean “misplace”.
Example: I hate when I lose my keys to the house.

3. Lose can mean “stop having”.
Example: When sick, I often lose my appetite.

Are there any other meanings you can think of?

Gerunds and Infinitives - Part 2

7/31/2019

In my previous post, we learned about the basics of gerunds and infinitives.

But now I want to get into some subtleties. I want to talk about when some verbs are followed by gerunds AND infinitives, but with a significant change in meaning. The examples used here are the most commonly used words.

Forget:

Forget + gerund - The gerund action comes before the verb forget.
I forgot picking up my dry cleaning. - I picked up my clothing but then I forgot.
Forget + infinitive - The verb forget happens before the infinitive action.
I forgot to pick up my dry cleaning. - I forgot that I had dry cleaning to pick up.

Stop:
Stop + gerund - To no longer perform an action.
I must stop buying shoes. - I need to refrain from doing this.
Stop + infinitive - To stop one action in order to perform another.
I must stop to buy shoes. I need to stop whatever I’m doing so I can buy some shoes.

Regret:
Regret + gerund - Feeling bad about something that already happened.
I regret telling you the truth. I told someone the truth first and now I regret it.
Regret + infinitive - Feeling bad about something in the present or the future.
I regret to tell you the truth. I regret now that a future action has to happen.

Try:
Try + gerund - Experimenting/testing an action to see if it achieves a desired result.
My back is sore. I’ll try doing some stretches. - I’ll see if stretching will help heal my back.
Try + infinitive - Performing an action that might be a challenge or difficult.
My back is sore. I’ll try to do some stretches. - I’m not sure if I can stretch.

Bonus learning: [Try + and] is a grammatically incorrect structure, though often used.
The correct structure is [try + to]

Gerunds and Infinitives

6/15/2019

Gerunds

A gerund is a noun created from a verb. To form a gerund, you add “-ing” to the base form of a verb. You’ll have to remember spelling rules as they apply.
Gerunds, like nouns, can act as subjects and objects.
Examples:

Singing is something I do often, but probably not well. [Singing is the subject of the verb is]
When I read, I enjoy being on my couch with my cats. [Being is the direct object of the verb enjoy]

Be careful not to confuse gerunds with the progressive form or the present participle. Gerunds act as nouns, not verbs or adjectives.
Examples:

I am drinking coffee. [Drinking is a verb in the progressive form]
The Handmaid's Tale is a fascinating book. [Fascinating is the present participle used as an adjective]

Infinitives

Infinitives often take the place of nouns. To form the infinitive, you add “to” before the base form of the verb.
Infinitives, like nouns, can act as subjects and objects.
Examples:

To dine out with my husband is something I really enjoy. [The infinitive phrase (in bold) is the subject of the verb is]
I like to sing. [To sing is the direct object of the verb like]

Important:

Some verbs can only be followed by gerunds. Examples: enjoy, like, keep.
Some verbs can only be followed by the infinitive. Examples: decide, learn, want.
Some verbs can be followed by gerunds or infinitives with no major change in meaning. Examples: begin, hate, love, prefer.
Some verbs are followed by gerunds or infinitives, but with a significant change in meaning. Examples: forget, stop, regret, try.

In my next blog post, I’ll focus on item #4, where there are differences in meaning depending on whether a gerund or infinitive is followed by a common verb, like try.

Lead/Led vs. Lead

5/26/2019

Lead, which sounds like [leed], is most often used as verb that means to guide.
It can also be used as a noun in the sense of meaning first position or a potential opportunity.

Led is a verb and is the past tense and part participle of lead. It sounds like [red].

Examples:
As a noun: I got a LEAD on a job opportunity. ~ sounds like [leed]
As a noun: I was the social media LEAD for 2 years. ~ sounds like [leed]
As a verb - present tense: I LEAD a simple life. ~ sounds like [leed]
As a verb - past tense: I LED him to the bike path. ~ sounds like [red]
As a verb - past participle: Peoples' hatred has LED me to believe they are in need of a better education. ~ sounds like [red]

So what is causing all the confusion?

LEAD - a metal. It sounds like [red]. It's a noun.

Examples:
LEAD is often used in pencils. ~ sounds like [red]
That went over like a LEAD balloon. ~ sounds like [red]

One more just for fun:
LEAD poisoning can LEAD to severe health problems. ~ first one sounds like [red]. Second one sounds like [leed].

Adjective Clauses - Part 2

4/10/2019

Identifying adjective clause: Alfie will for sure be the cat who judges me as I fall down the stairs. Non-identifying adjective clause: Saku, who is super cuddly, is brown.

Now that you’ve read Part 1 and understand the basics of adjective clauses, it’s time for us to take this to the next level - identifying and non-identifying.

Identifying adjective clauses are used when we are providing essential, very important information that defines the noun we are describing.

Non-identifying adjective clauses are used when we are providing additional information about the noun we are describing, but it is not used to, for lack of a better word, identify it.

Let me provide some examples, which will make everything clear.

Identifying:
I have two cats. My cat who pees in places other than the litter box remains my cat because she is so damn cute and cuddly.
Note: The adjective clause is necessary to identify which cat is meant. Also note that there is no comma separating the noun from the introduction of the adjective clause. In speech, no pause would be required.

Non-identifying:
I have two cats. Saku, who is ultra cuddly and affectionate with me, hates everyone else.
Note: The adjective clause is not necessary to identify which cat is meant. Also note that there are commas separating the adjective clause from the rest of the sentence. In speech, there would be a short pause, as required by the insertion of all commas.

One last note:
Do not use THAT to introduce non-identifying adjective clauses. THAT never follows a comma. Instead, use WHO for people and WHICH for places and things.

Adjective Clauses - Part 1

3/28/2019

I said clause, not claws!

There is quite a bit of information needed to fully understand adjective clauses. This is part 1 and it focuses on adjective clauses with subject relative pronouns.

A clause is a group of words that have a subject and a verb. Clauses can be independent or dependent. An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence. A dependent clause cannot stand alone. It needs an independent clause to be a complete sentence and to be fully understood.

Adjective clauses are dependent clauses – they cannot stand alone. They must be combined with an independent clause.

I think it’s safe to say that everyone knows that adjectives describe nouns (people, places, or things). Well, think of adjective clauses as doing the same thing; they describe a noun. An adjective clause is a group of words that typically start with relative pronouns. This post will focus entirely on subject relative pronouns, meaning that the relative pronoun that introduces the adjective clause is the subject in that clause. This is easy to recognize as the relative pronoun will be followed by a verb.

Use who to describe people.
Use that and which to describe places or things.

Examples:

I know the women who work at the bar. Explanation: Think of this as a combination of two sentences. I know the women. They work at the bar. “Who” is the subject of the adjective clause “who work at the bar”.
Ottawa is a city that attracts a lot of tourists. Explanation: Think of this as a combination of two sentences. Ottawa is a city. It attracts a lot of tourists. “That” is the subject of the adjective clause “that attracts a lot of tourists”.
Savannah, which is where I got married, is a beautiful city. Explanation: Think of this as a combination of two sentences. Savannah is a beautiful city. It is where I got married. “Which” is the subject of the adjective clause “which is where I got married”.

Some things to remember:

Pay attention to verb use in the adjective clause. If the subject relative pronoun refers to a singular noun, we use a singular verb. If the relative pronoun refers to a plural noun, use the plural form of the verb.
Never use subject pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they) and a subject relative pronoun in the same adjective clause.

Part 2 of this series focuses on the two types of adjective clauses, namely, identifying and non-identifying.
Stay tuned!